A serious car accident in Plattsburg sent three people to the hospital, including a 9-month-old baby. The adults suffered serious injuries, while the toddler only suffered minor ones in the crash. While the snowy conditions played a part in the crash, that does not mean that the victims cannot get compensation for their personal injuries.
Plattsburg Car Crash Hurts Three
The accident happened on the afternoon of Sunday, April 1, 2018, in Plattsburg, Missouri, nearly 30 miles southeast of St. Joseph and 35 miles northeast of Kansas City.
According to police, the driver of a Saturn Aura lost control of her vehicle on the snow-covered roadway of Route M-6. When her car crossed the center line, it struck an oncoming Dodge Stratus head on.
Both the driver and the passenger in the Stratus were rushed to area hospitals after the accident. Additionally, a 9-month-old was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, as well. The child only suffered minor injuries, largely because he was properly secured in a safety seat.
When Weather is Just a Scapegoat
In many car crashes, the weather plays a role. However, just because the weather was a factor in a crash that hurt you does not mean that the other driver was blameless. Drivers are legally responsible for driving in a way that is reasonably safe for whatever conditions they face on the road.
This means that driving techniques that are safe when the sun is out and the roads are clear might not be safe when snow is falling and the roads are icy. When other drivers fail to drive in a way that is “reasonably safe” for the conditions, and they end up causing a crash that hurts you, they could be held liable for your injuries.
Juries Decide What it Means to Drive Reasonably Safe
Unfortunately, what it means to drive “reasonably safe” for the conditions is not easy. There is not a guidebook or statute that says exactly how much stopping distance someone needs to provide for every inch of snow. Even if there were, proving that a driver violated these rules would be extremely difficult.
Instead, it is up to a jury in a personal injury trial to decide if someone was driving reasonably safely for the conditions on the road. Once presented with all of the facts of your case, including how the other driver was operating their vehicle at the time of the crash, they have to decide if the other driver was being safe, or if they should be held liable for your injuries.
St. Joseph Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
Just because the weather was bad does not mean that the driver who hit and hurt you was not responsible for the crash. The personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office in St. Joseph know this, and fight for your interests both in and out of court. Contact them online or call them at (816) 875-9373 for the legal help you need.