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Car Accidents

Recent Posts in Car Accidents Category

  • What is the Last Clear Chance Rule?

    The last clear chance doctrine is an aspect of personal injury law that Missouri used to have, before it moved from contributory negligence to comparative negligence rules . While Missouri no longer uses the last clear chance doctrine, it is still a great way to see how the law changes to make things fairer. Shared Fault Rules: Contributory and Comparative Negligence In many situations where ...
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  • How Many Car Accidents Happen at Intersections?

    A recent car accident in St. Joseph shows the relative dangers of intersections. It also raises questions about stop light design. Car Crash Sends Four to Hospital The accident happened on December 24, 2021, at the intersection of Highly Street and North 22nd Street in St. Joseph. According to the initial reports , a driver from Iowa failed to stop at a red light and crashed into a local driver in ...
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  • What is Missouri’s Dram Shop Law?

    Two bars in St. Joseph are facing wrongful death lawsuits for overserving a patron who then caused a fatal car accident . The bars may be held liable under Missouri’s dram shop law, which provides an important opportunity for victims to recover the compensation they deserve. Bars Sued for Fatal 2018 DWI Accident Back in 2018, Roger Moe was driving over 100 miles per hour in the wrong direction on ...
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  • Missouri Personal Injury Laws for Emotional Distress

    The harm that people can suffer in car accidents and other personal injury situations are not limited to physical trauma. Victims can suffer mental and emotional injuries, as well. Missouri’s personal injury law recognizes this, and lets victims recover compensation for any emotional distress that was caused by the accident, even if the victim was not directly involved in it. Victims Can Recover ...
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  • Lost Wages of a New Business Owner Under Wrongful Death Law

    A fatal car accident left a local St. Joseph business owner dead. The incident highlights how it can be difficult to determine lost wages under Missouri’s wrongful death law. Single-Vehicle Car Accident Kills St. Joseph Business Owner According to a report by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Joshua Oliver was heading northbound on U.S. Highway 169 in the afternoon of November 14, 2021. About a ...
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  • Are a Negligent Driver’s Passengers Out of Luck?

    A motorcycle accident in St. Joseph left one dead and one seriously hurt. The crash is an example of how passengers can hold drivers liable for their injuries, even if that driver was in the same vehicle as the passenger. Fatal Motorcycle Accident in St. Joseph The accident happened on the I-229 bridge in downtown St. Joseph. According to the initial reports , a motorcyclist with a passenger was ...
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  • 5 Common Causes of Truck Rollover Accidents

    A recent crash in St. Joseph shows that rollovers are a common cause of truck accidents , not just car accidents . Semi-Truck Rolls Over, Shuts Down Highway The accident happened early in the morning on October 13, in the southbound lanes of Interstate 29 near Frederick Avenue . According to the initial reports , construction on the highway had already limited travel to one lane. The truck driver, ...
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  • Farming Equipment Can Cause Car Accidents

    In Missouri, autumn is harvest season. Among other things, it means that farm equipment will be on the roadways. While drivers should take special precautions around these huge machines, car accidents involving farm equipment are not always the fault of the driver. Farm Equipment on the Road Raise Risk of Car Crashes Every year in October in Missouri, harvest season forces farmers to move large ...
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  • How Guilty Pleas Can Help Car Accident Claims

    A woman has been sentenced to probation for her role in a car accident that hurt a child at a bus stop. Criminal cases like these can make it easier for victims to recover compensation in a personal injury case. Driver Who Hit Child Pleads Guilty The accident happened early in the morning on April 28 in Columbia, Missouri, at a bus stop near the entrance of a mobile home park. According to the ...
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  • How Dangerous are Police Chases?

    After a string of high speed police chases in Missouri, police have found the need to insist that the public safety is their chief concern. However, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. Motorists should use an abundance of caution during a police chase to avoid a car accident . Multiple High Speed Chases in St. Joseph Area In the past few weeks, there have been multiple high speed police ...
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  • NHTSA Investigates Tesla’s Autopilot System

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system after a series of avoidable car accidents . Both the accident and the investigation raise some pressing questions about the use of partial driver assistance features in vehicles. NHTSA Investigates Tesla’s Autopilot System After years of inaction, on August 13, the NHTSA announced ...
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  • Is it a Hit-and-Run if Passengers Flee the Scene?

    A car accident in St. Joseph ended with several people fleeing the scene. The incident draws out some important distinctions in Missouri’s hit-and-run law. People Flee Scene of Car Accident in St. Joseph The accident happened on Saturday evening, August 7, 2021, at the intersection of North Belt Highway and Faraon Street . According to the police, a vehicle going south on the Belt Highway hit two ...
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  • What Can Cause a Rollover Accident?

    Two people were sent to the hospital after their car flipped in a single-vehicle car accident in St. Joseph. Car Flips, Two Injured The accident happened on July 26, 2021, at the intersection of Sacramento Street and South 22 nd Street in St. Joseph. According to the initial reports, only one vehicle was involved , though it flipped in the intersection and landed on its roof. Two people were sent ...
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  • St. Joseph Sued Over Fatal Car Accident

    A car accident and wrongful death case that is winding its way through the Missouri court system has a lot of lessons about the state’s personal injury law . St. Joseph Sued Over Fatal Car Crash The accident happened way back on April 14, 2017 . The driver, who was under the influence of both alcohol and drugs, and five passengers were in a stolen vehicle going north on Riverside Road. The driver, ...
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  • Motorcycle Accident Fatalities Spike: New Helmet Law to Blame

    Motorcycle accidents are among the most severe type of car accident that can happen on the roads. This year so far, motorcycle accident fatalities have increased significantly in St. Joseph and the rest of Missouri. Motorcycle Accident Fatalities up 40% in Missouri According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, fatalities from motorcycle accidents are way up so far in 2021. At this point, ...
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  • Wrongful Death Claims After DUI Charges

    The driver who caused a fatal car accident has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The outcome of that case could influence a potential wrongful death claim against him. Drunk Driver Causes Crash, Kills Passenger The accident happened way back on January 31, 2021, just north of Dekalb, Missouri, and south of St. Joseph. The driver, who was 18 years old, lost control of the vehicle. The car ...
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  • What are Third Party Claims in Workers’ Compensation?

    In Missouri, third party claims happen when a victim gets hurt while on the job by someone who is unrelated to the workplace. In these cases, the victim can recover workers’ compensation , and can file a personal injury lawsuit against the party that hurt them. However, the workers’ compensation insurance company can put a lien on the personal injury settlement to recover what it had already paid ...
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  • What is Missouri’s Eggshell Skull Rule?

    A car accident in St. Joseph presents an opportunity to look at an important aspect of Missouri’s personal injury law : The eggshell plaintiff rule. Pregnant Woman Involved in Car Accident The accident happened on Tuesday evening, June 1, 2021, at the intersection of Seneca Street and South 28 th Street . According to the initial reports , a pregnant woman was driving on South 28 th Street. ...
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  • What Happens if the Jaws of Life Injures a Car Accident Victim?

    A single-vehicle car accident in St. Joseph caused such severe damage to the car that both occupants had to be extracted from the vehicle. The crash raises an interesting question: What happens if the extraction causes an injury? Driver and Passenger Extracted from Vehicle After Crash The incident happened just after 9pm on Friday, May 9, 2021. The driver of a Chevy Corvette was speeding and lost ...
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  • Why to Hire a Lawyer After a Car Crash With a Cop

    In the past week, there have been two car accidents in St. Joseph involving police cars. These incidents are extremely problematic for the non-officer, especially if they were severely hurt. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is even more important than normal. 2 Car Accidents Involving St. Joseph Police Officers The first accident happened around 3pm on Thursday, April 29, on King Hill Avenue. While ...
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  • Seatbelt Investors Opened Patent to Save Lives

    One of the most important safety features on any motor vehicle is the seatbelt, which has drastically cut down the severity of car accidents . However, the inventor of the modern seatbelt made very little money off of it – instead of profiting, they opened their patent for others to use. Volvo Engineers Responsible for Modern Seatbelt Design All the way through the 1950s, seatbelts were not ...
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  • What Are Mansfield Bars and Are They Safe?

    A serious car accident in Kansas City involving a tractor trailer shows why we need to continue to enforce safety regulations on the roadways, including requiring that trucks have Mansfield Bars. Car Rear-Ends Tractor Trailer The crash happened on the evening of April 5, 2021. The truck accident is still under investigation, so little is known about exactly what happened. However, it is clear that ...
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  • What Do I Do After a Car Accident?

    Every car accident , no matter how minor, is jarring. The shock can make drivers flustered and act differently than they would, normally. There are, however, certain steps that everyone should take in the immediate aftermath of a crash. 1. Check for Injuries The first thing to do is check everyone in your vehicle for injuries. If a passenger in your car is hurt, then their well-being becomes a ...
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  • Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Accident in St. Joseph

    With the sun and the warm weather come motorcycles, and with motorcycles come motorcycle accidents. Unfortunately, the St. Joseph area has seen its first crashes of the season, as bikers get out and enjoy the springtime on the roads. Motorcycle Season Starts Early in 2021 After a few rounds of winter weather in January , the temperatures warmed up enough in February for bikers to get their ...
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  • Tiger Woods’ Car Crash and Poor Road Designs

    Yesterday, February 23, professional golfer Tiger Woods was involved in a serious single-vehicle car accident in California. While most crashes involving a single vehicle are handled by insurance rather than a personal injury claim , there are exceptions. One of those – a poor road design – may be at play in this case. Tiger Woods Hurt in Car Crash The accident happened early in the morning . ...
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