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Post Date: July 5th, 2011
 A multiple vehicle car accident and three injured Missourians was the result of a car chase in Taney County. On June 4, 2011 around 8:10 p.m. on Route F close to Branson, Missouri Bernard H. Johnson was pursuing Benjamin K. Sanders. The accident occurred as Sanders drove his 1982 Honda Gold Wing on Route F as Johnson chased him in his 2004 Ford Crown Victoria. During the pursuit, Sanders crossed the centerline of the road and hit Jodi M. Ebersol’s 1997 Ford Taurus head on. The force of that head-on collision pushed Ebersol into another head-on collision with Johnson’s vehicle. All vehicles involved in the accident were totaled. 37-year old Ebersol received serious injuries in the accident. 31-year-old suffered moderate injuries and 69-year-old Johnson only suffered minor injuries in the Missouri car accident. It is unclear why Johnson was pursuing Sanders in the first place.
Missouri car accidents that involve more than two vehicles are considered multivehicle accidents. Determining the at-fault driver in a multivehicle car accident can be difficult because multiple drivers can cause possible negligence. Disputes over the factual evidence as to which party was the direct cause of an accident becomes more complex the more drivers that are involved. Understanding what to do after a Missouri multivehicle accident is vital for making the best case to receive compensation for injuries sustained in the accident. If possible, your first course of action should be to call 911 and report the accident and any known injuries. Even if there are no serious injuries to be reported, having an accident report on record will benefit your personal injury case. If the accident is not recorded with the local police department, the responsible parties may change his or her story, which will prompt his or her insurance company to offer less in compensation. Your second course of action after alerting the local authorities is to take pictures of the accident. Photographs are excellent evidence for personal injury cases that involve Missouri car accidents. Pictures should be taken before the clean-up crew moves the vehicles from the road. Your third course of action would to be to get medical treatment for any injuries. Of course if you sustained serious injuries, this would be your fist course of action. When the ambulance reports to the accident, do not refuse medical treatment. Describe any pain, no matter how small or minor, to the paramedics. Your final course of action after a Missouri car accident is to follow up with your doctor. Many times car accident victims will not show symptoms of injuries until later. Most common injuries to show delayed symptoms are the very serious injuries to the brain or spinal cord. There are many ways a driver can be negligent, which is dangerous to motorist. In this case, pursuing another driver at high speeds puts other’s lives at risk. When a driver makes dangerous decisions, Missouri car accident victims have to deal with the stress of his or her injuries and property damage. If you have been injured in a Missouri car accident, please consult an experienced car accident attorney immediately. Seeking legal counsel soon after an accident is essential to build a case against a negligent driver. Call 888.956.2487 to discuss your motor vehicle accident claim and let us investigate for you. ************************************************************ Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Tags: attorneys, Branson, Car Accident, car chase, car wreck, crash, head on, injured, joshua, lawyer, missouri, myers, personal injury, wreck
Posted in car accident, Car Accident News, car wreck, MO Car Accidents | No Comments »
Post Date: July 4th, 2011
 A Missouri car accident in Newton County injures six people from Granby and Monett. The Missouri car accident occurred on US 60 just three miles east of Granby at 6:45 p.m. on June 6, 2011. Just before the accident, Pam L. Sternes of Granby, Missouri waited to make a left turn in her 2002 Ford Windstar. Matthew D. Tucker of Neosho, Missouri was unable to stop his 1997 Volkswagen Jetta and rear-ended Sternes’ van. The collision forced Sternes’ van into oncoming traffic resulting in a head-on collision with Sharrie L. Harman of Monett, Missouri. Harman’s 2006 Dodge Charger along with the other vehicles involved in the accident was totaled.
Two drivers, Hartman and Sternes, were seriously injured in the Missouri car accident. Hartman was taken to Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri and Sternes was taken to Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. Four other injuries were reported from the minors that occupied Sternes’ Windstar: 10-year-old Nathan C. Sternes, 12-year-old Lauren Sternes, 13-year-old Kyle A. Sternes, and 14-year-old Cotton C. Jones. It is unknown the extent of the minors’ injuries. In Missouri car accidents, governed by state tort law, injured individuals should receive compensation. Missouri tort laws allow victims of car accidents to recover losses caused by the at-fault driver and their insurance company. In some cases, Missouri car accident victims cannot receive full compensation with a lawsuit because the at-fault driver does not have adequate insurance or files for bankruptcy. Before 1987, Missouri car accident victims would not have received full compensation for their losses. However in 1987, a Missouri legislation was passed that established the Missouri Tort Victims’ Compensation Fund to help compensate victims who are not able to receive compensation through a lawsuit. Missouri car accident victims who have obtained a judgment for a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit, but are unable to collect the full amount of compensation are eligible to file a claim for the Missouri Tort Fund. Missouri accident victims who settle for the maximum amount of compensation from the at-fault driver’s liability insurance without being fully compensated for their losses are also eligible to file a claim for the Missouri Tort Fund. Some family members are also able to file a claim if the victim is deceased as a result of injuries from the Missouri car accident. The driver of a passenger vehicle has a duty to exercise reasonable care while driving. If a driver does not exercise care while driving, he or she can seriously injure other people on the road. An experienced Missouri car accident attorney can argue that the at-fault driver was negligent in his or her actions and did not act with reasonable diligence. If you are involved in a Missouri car accident with a negligent driver, call 888.956.2487 and speak to one of our experienced Missouri car accident attorneys. Our knowledge will build a case of neglect against the distracted driver. ******************************************************* Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Tags: collision, head-on collision, minors, missouri, myers, newton county, personal injury, settlement, wrongful death
Posted in car accident, Car Accident News, car wreck, MO Car Accidents | No Comments »
Post Date: February 14th, 2011
 Two men were transported to Warrensburg hospital with moderate injuries after another vehicle lost control and forced their vehicle on the road. As a Missouri car accident lawyer, I was happy to hear that the victims would survive from their injuries. On January 24, 2011, at approximately 5:50, 77-year-old John Johnson was driving his 2009 Toyota Corolla westbound on U.S. Highway 50 with his passenger, 65-year-old Robert Rochenderfer when they were forced from the road.
At the same time and place, 25-year-old Kristine Norton was traveling south on County Road NW 1751st. When Ms. Norton attempted to stop at a stop sign, she slid on the ice-covered roadway. She then traveled into the west lane of U.S. Highway 50 and struck the Mr. Johnson’s vehicle. This collision caused Mr. Johnson to lose control and leave the right side of the roadway where it struck a ditch and overturned. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Rochenderfer were taken by Johnson County Ambulance to St. Luke’s East with moderate injuries. The overturned vehicle was towed from the scene, by Ron’s trailer. The at-fault driver was not injured and was able to drive her car away from the scene of the accident. All drivers and occupants involved in the crash were wearing safety devices. This case reminds me of several I have handled in the past. The insurance companies will often try and argue that the responsible driver was not really negligent. Rather, they will argue it was an unavoidable collision because of the ice. This is hogwash. People are required to consider the conditions of the road when they drive. When the streets have snow and ice on them, we are required to drive more appropriately for the conditions. Had Ms. Norton been driving slower or even more cautious, this accident likely would have been avoided. Not staying alert to other drivers and road conditions can be very dangerous. When the road conditions are dangerous, drivers must take extra precautions. If you have been injured in a Missouri car accident, please consult an experienced Missouri auto accident attorney immediately. Seeking legal counsel soon after an accident is essential to build a case against a negligent driver. Call 888.956.2487 to discuss your motor vehicle accident claim and let us investigate for you. ********************************************** Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Tags: car accident john johnson robert rochenderfer kristine norton ice slid injured injury attorney attorneys lawyer lawyers collision crash hospital
Posted in Car Accident Advice, MO Car Accidents | No Comments »
Post Date: January 29th, 2011
 Kimberly Scott Car Accident Staying alert on the road is important for the safety of everyone. When a driver is not paying attention, the result can be fatal. As a Missouri car accident attorney, I was bothered to read about a head-on collision caused by an uninsured driver in Linn Creek, Missouri that sent a woman to the hospital with serious injuries. On January 3, 2011, around 4:45 p.m. the collision occurred on HIghway 54 in Camden County, Missouri, that caused serious and moderate injuries to two people. Kimberly Scott of Linn Creek, Missouri, was driving a 2009 Toyota eastbound on U.S. Highway 54 about a mile west of Route AA. At that time and place, Steven Owens of Macks Creek, Missouri, was the driving westbound on Highway 54 in a 1998 Ford. Owens crossed the centerline and collided head-on with Scott. The impact caused Scott’s Toyota to cross the centerline, where she was hit by another westbound vehicle. Kimberly Scott had serious injuries and was transported by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. At-fault driver, Steven Owens, had moderate injuries and was also transported by ambulance to Lake Regional Hospital. The third driver of the vehicle unharmed. The motor vehicles of Kimberly Scott and Steven Owens were totaled from the accident, and the third vehicle only had moderate damage. Steven Owens did not have auto insurance. This crash highlights the importance of having uninsured motorist coverage. This is a type of coverage that each person carriers on their own automobile insurance whether they know it or not. When the driver who hits you is uninsured, or it’s a hit and run accident, then your insurance company acts as if it was the insurance company for the person responsible for your injuries. Unfortunately, this often means that they will try and low-ball you just as the other person’s car insurance would do. However, the added protection you have in these cases, is that, if your insurance company will not be fair, they can be sued not only for your injuries, but also under a little-known Missouri law called vexatious refusal to pay. This allows you to ask a jury, not only for compensation for your injuries, but also for penalties and attorney’s fees for the way the insurance company handled your claim. This is one of my favorite types of cases because insurance companies are never fair and it is satisfying to be able to expose their tactics to a jury. ******************************************************* Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Call toll free at 888.956.2487. Also, feel free to request your FREE COPY of “The 7 Biggest Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Car Accident Case to learn more about the process and uninsured motorist coverage. Posted in Camden County Car Accidents, Car Accident Advice, Car Accident News, MO Car Accidents, Uninsured Motorist Coverage | No Comments »
Post Date: January 24th, 2011
 When winter strikes, motorists have to take extra care to avoid getting into an accident. As a St. Louis, Missouri car accident attorney, I know that winter weather causes numerous accidents each year in Missouri. In recent days, the St. Louis area has been flooded with hundreds of car accidents, which has caused many injuries. Winter weather usually creeps up on us in the Midwest and for some reason many drivers forget the basics of driving in Missouri’s bad weather.
In order to prevent more accidents on the roads in Missouri, I want to give motorists a few tips for safer driving in winter weather. The best way to avoid getting into an accident is to not get on the road unless you have no choice. If you do have to be out on the road, remember that it can take a lot longer to stop when ice and snow are on the roads. In Missouri, black top roads hide ice conditions, which is commonly called “black ice.” Just because you cannot see the ice does not mean it doesn’t exist. In order to avoid rear-ending another vehicle, give yourself enough room between you and the vehicle ahead. When driving on clear roads, a good rule of thumb is to stay one car length for every 10 mph you are traveling. When winter weather hits, that rule of thumb should be doubled for your safety. Another way to protect yourself on winter roads is to practice defensive driving. Anticipating the young or inexperienced driver will help you avoid a collision when they pull out in front of you. Anticipating the moves of the car ahead of you will also protect you. Some inexperienced drivers will wait too long to brake and they end up slamming on their brakes. As you have heard many times before, texting or using your cell phone can be dangerous. If it is dangerous on clear roads, then it is even more dangerous to attempt to text, talk, or surf the web while driving on icy roads. If you follow these Missouri winter driving tips, you’ll be able to better protect yourself from a car accident. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, short of never leaving the house, an inexperienced or negligent driver will cause an accident and injury. If you find yourself the victim of a car accident, call an experienced Missouri car wreck injury attorney to help deal with the insurance company. If you have been injured during the winter months, please call 888.956.2487 to speak to an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney right way. ****************************************** Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Posted in Car Accident Advice, MO Car Accidents | No Comments »
Post Date: November 16th, 2010
When we first started driving, most of us had a wise person tell us that we must always be aware of other drivers on the road. We all do our best to watch the road because it is important to our safety. Unfortunately as a Missouri car accident attorney, I see all too often that we can’t always protect ourselves from a negligent driver. A story of a Washington County car accident that required five people to be hospitalized caught my attention because it is similar to an accident that happened early this month in Jefferson County, Missouri. The two-vehicle accident happened at the intersection of Strange Road and Highway 185 in Washington County, Missouri. Tiffany Puckett was driving her 2003 Ford Focus southbound while Desiree Link was driving northbound also in a 2003 Ford Focus. Link attempted to make a left hand turn, but pulled directly into Puckett’s path. Tiffany Puckett did not have time to respond to Desiree Link’s maneuver and slammed into her passenger side. 16-year-old driver Desiree Link, her three teenage passengers, and Tiffany Puckett were all injured in the accident. Dasia Brewer age 14, Dana McKee age 16, and Thomas Simmons age 18 were taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries. Link and Puckett were not as lucky. They both suffered serious injuries and were given emergency treatment at a local hospital. At the time of the accident, the teenagers in Links Ford Focus were not wearing their seat belt. Not only do I think that Desiree Link was negligent for not yielding to Puckett’s car before turning in front of her, but given her age, there may also be a valid claim for negligent entrustment against the owners of the car. A negligent entrustment claim occurs when the owner allows another driver to operate the vehicle when the owner knows that the driver is unqualified to drive due to inexperience. Often, reason one would pursue a negligent entrustment claim against the owner of the car in addition to a negligence claim against the driver, in this case Puckett, is to find additional insurance coverage. Often times, drivers do not carry enough insurance to fully compensate those injured by their reckless driving. The role of a good Missouri personal injury lawyer is to investigate every avenue of insurance coverage in order to maximize your car accident settlement. When a negligent driver causes a motor vehicle accident, the outcome can be life altering for those who are injured. The victims of a motor vehicle accident no only have to deal with a damaged vehicle; they also have to deal with their injuries, loss of wages, and recovery. If you have been in a motor vehicle accident that caused injuries, please contact an experienced attorney immediately. With everything that you have to go through after an accident, you need someone to fight against the insurance company. Our experienced motor vehicle accident attorneys help people deal with the aftermath of a car accident because you shouldn’t have to face it by yourself. If you would like to discuss your case with one of our Washington County Car Accident Attorneys feel free to call us at 888.956.2487. Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his personal injury law firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Tags: Car Accident, dana mckee, dasia brewer, desiree link, thomas simmons, tiffany puckett, washington county
Posted in car accident, Car Accident Advice, Car Accident News, car wreck, MO Car Accidents, Washington County Car Accidents | No Comments »
Post Date: November 6th, 2010
Patience while driving is important for the safety of everyone on the road. When a driver becomes impatient behind a slow moving vehicle, the result can be fatal. As a Missouri Car Accident Attorney, it bothered me to read about a second fatal accident in Missouri that was a direct result of an impatient driver passing a slow moving vehicle. Diana Dawes and her son Ivan Barton were killed when their 2000 Ford Taurus collided head-on with Thomas McGrath as he attempted to pass another vehicle on Highway C. Near the town of Dixon, Dawes and her son were traveling eastbound as McGrath was approaching from the west. Just before the collision, McGrath attempted to pass a slow moving vehicle in the lane Dawes was traveling. According to the Highway Patrol, McGrath attempted to pass the vehicle in front of him on a hill, which did not make oncoming traffic easy to see. Dawes and her son were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident and were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident from several major injuries. McGrath was airlifted to University Medical Center in Columbia, Missouri, for treatment of moderate injuries. As for a legal analysis, this matter would be governed by Missouri’s wrongful death statute. Essentially, the statute sets three classes of people who are able to bring a suit for the tragic deaths. Class 1 includes parents, children, and spouses. Class 2 includes brothers and sisters. Class 3 essentially includes the next best suited person who is appointed by the court as a Plaintiff ad litem. From the initial reports of how the wreck occurred, there seems to be no question regarding McGrath’s negligence. Thus, his insurance company should immediately be held to pay for the damage he caused. One of the ways my firm maximizes the recovery from the insurance companies is to give them a very stringent time limit within which to pay the full amount of the policy limits. If they fail to accept our settlement offer, we can set them up for a possible bad faith claim which essentially eliminates the policy limits. Passing vehicles on a two-lane road may be legal, but it can also be very dangerous. The lines on the road are there to indicate when a vehicle can safely pass another vehicle. A solid line on the road means it is not safe to pass and dotted lines means there is enough visibility to see oncoming traffic. Roads that are curvy or on a hill always have a solid line because it is not a safe passing zone. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident or you have lost someone you love because of negligent driving, please consult an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney immediately. Speaking with an attorney in the days following your accident is essential to build a case against the negligent driver. Call 888.956.2487 to discuss your rights as a motor vehicle accident victim and we’ll help investigate your claim. Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and a founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, his Missouri Car Accident Law Firm routinely handles motor vehicle accidents that result in personal injury or death throughout the Midwest. If you have been hurt or have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver, please contact a motor vehicle accident attorney to learn your rights. It is always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we recover on your behalf. Tags: accident, attorney, attorneys, auto, car, crash, diana dawes, fatal, ivan barton, killed, lawyer, lawyers, missouri, mo, pass, springfield, thomas mcgrath, wreck
Posted in Fatal Car Accident, MO Car Accidents, Springfield | No Comments »
Post Date: October 15th, 2010
 As a Missouri Bus Crash Lawyer, I was relieved that nobody was killed in the Berryville High School bus crash that occurred early morning October 1, 2010 in Springfield, Missouri. However, all 12 occupants of the bus suffered injuries of some kind. Supervised by two female teachers, the nine students were on their way to take part in a challenging competition, Future Business Leaders of America. Presumably, they and their parents were anticipating an engaging and motivating experience was ahead of them, but that came to an abrupt and frightening end.
Thankfully, serious injuries among the students were rare, but there was one report of a broken jaw. However, others suffered minor physical injury, and the extent of the trauma the accident has caused will be still unknown. The teachers did not do so well with one suffering a fractured vertebra which is keeping her hospitalized. Perhaps they were at more risk being in the front area of the bus, especially as it is not clear whether or not seatbelts were available. This information could be significant in an injury claim should one be mounted by the passengers. While it is not yet known how the accident happened, the details of the crash site were recorded by students using the cameras on their mobile phones after those that were mobile had extricated themselves from the bus. Many of the students also communicated with their parents immediately after the crash. This type of evidence would be collated by us as Missouri semi-truck accident attorneys and could prove to be crucial in establishing a case should one of the eleven passengers sue for damages. Uncovering exactly what happened will take time, but it is expected that charges will be filed against the driver according to state police. Little is known about the driver apart from his length of service. An Missouri Personal Injury Attorney experienced in truck and bus accident procedures knows that this has to be investigated fully looking at training and licensing as well as previous accident record. At this point in time, it appears that the bus was relatively new and in good condition. However, when a bus goes out of control somehow or another and careens down a bank into a tree, there is a possibility that something has gone very wrong with the vehicle or the driver. From a legal standpoint, what makes these cases unique and different than a “standard” car accident is that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations govern the conduct of bus drivers. In this manner, school bus crashes are generally investigated in the same manner as a semi-truck crash because the federal safety regulations govern both. We are not aware of the details, but several things here need to be investigated to determine the cause: - What is the school bus driver’s background – and should the school district have known better than to hire this driver
- Was the driver properly trained in operation of the school bus
- Was the driver physically qualified to operate the school bus
- Was there any evidence that should have caused the school district to dismiss the school bus driver before this crash occurred.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations govern nearly every aspect in the way a commercial driver is to behave and operate his vehicle. Invariable, what we often find in these cases is that one or more of these safety regulations were violated. This often means that the crash itself was not just an “accident, but rather the culmination of numerous safety violations. It is by aggressively investigating these cases and showing these safety violations that our firm has been able to achieve the results it has. Joshua P. Myers is the owner and President of Myers Injury Law, LLC and founding partner of Schultz & Myers, LLC. Based in St. Louis, the firm specializes in catastrophic car, bus, and truck accidents throughout all of Missouri and Illinois. If you have been injured and would like to speak with a Missouri School Bus Crash Lawyer, feel free to call Josh Myers toll-free at 888-956-2487. It’s always free to discuss your case and there are never any attorney’s fees until we collect on your behalf. Tags: accident, ar, arkansas, berryville, bus, collision, crash, high, missouri, mo, school, springfield, wreck
Posted in Bus Crash, MO Car Accidents | No Comments »
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