Kansas City Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Most people don't think about hiring a personal injury attorney until they need one, often in the aftermath of an auto accident or other incident that has resulted in personal injury. This period of time can be stressful, and between the ads on television, friends and family giving advice, and the number of links that show up in your internet search, it can be even more difficult to determine whether you're making the right decision.

When you've been involved in an auto accident and suffered an injury, it's important to seek out a competent, qualified attorney that can guide your case to a conclusion with which you can both be satisfied. Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents can wreak havoc on the lives of those injured, long after the property damage has been repaired. Injuries resulting from these kinds of accidents can take months or even years to heal fully: recovery often involves things like surgery and painful, difficult rehabilitation programs. The costs of medical care add up over time, as do lost wages and time away from work. There are also claims for loss of consortium and loss of companionship to consider, especially when you take into account the toll on the families of accident victims.

A personal injury lawyer's job is to help you evaluate your claim - to assess your damages and determine the liability of the party at fault. In some cases, it may not be clear which party bears the majority of the blame for the accident: an experienced attorney can gather the necessary facts to establish your claim and counter the defense's arguments. Insurance companies can be relentless in trying to discredit plaintiffs, and limiting their rights to recovery and compensation for their injuries. It can be crucial to have an experienced advocate in your corner to counter the tactics of insurers and defense attorneys.

Experienced attorneys are also able to put a monetary value on your claims, establishing guidelines as to fair and reasonable compensation and taking into account the factors beyond injuries that make up damages.

Continue reading "The Role of the Lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri Personal Injury Lawsuits" »

Many drivers who have never been in an accident begin to believe that old cliche: "It will never happen to me." Too often, this attitude leads to complacency and careless behavior behind the wheel, making it more and more likely that an accident will happen to you.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) and we, the Jackson County Missouri car accident lawyers, all believe that every accident is preventable. Ultimately, this means that every accident is the result of some kind of human error: someone's behavior somewhere along the line caused or influenced the accident, or perhaps even made it worse.

Here are some staggering facts about car accidents and seat belt use. Hopefully, they'll encourage you to change any of your own complacent driving behaviors (or perhaps they'll provide you with information to help change the behaviors of someone you care about).

Did You Know? Seat Belt Facts
Without a seat belt, if you are in a car accident going as slow as 30 miles per hour and you hit the windshield, steering wheel, dash board, or other hard surface of the car, the force of your impact is the same as if you fell from a three-story building.

Without a seat belt, death can occur from these types of impacts, even with speeds as low as 12 miles per hour.

Continue reading "Do You Know These Seat Belt / Car Accident Facts in Jackson County, Missouri?" »

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, six people were injured during a recent hayride accident in Oak Grove. Our Lexington, MO, personal injury attorneys understand that with end of the year drawing near and the holiday season approaching, residents will be setting out to visit a number of local attractions. Operators of hayrides, haunted houses, Christmas events and other attractions have an obligation to keep people safe.

In the Lexington hayride accident , a family of 14 was riding on the buggy as the hayride ventured near Highway H just north of Interstate 70. A 27-year-old driver crashed into the back of the cart, according to FOX 4, injuring six people including a 1-year-old and a 5-year-old. Both children were flown to local hospitals.

With the end of the year approaching, residents are asked to be extra mindful of potential seasonal dangers. There are a variety of accidents that can happen especially during holidays if we're not careful. Party and event organizers are required to ensure that grounds are secure for all visitors as well to help avoid a potentially fatal accident. Oftentimes, a small decision can lead to a catastrophic disaster. These decisions can be purchasing a Christmas tree that's too dry or leaving candles to burn unattended. We can all get through an enjoyable holiday season safely with just a few precautionary steps.

When hosting a holiday party or putting on a holiday event:

-Make sure drivers know whether alcohol will be served so they can arrange a safe way to get home. Drunk-driving accidents typically spike during the holiday season. Consider setting up a designated driver program of your own for your special occasions where alcohol will be served.

-Make sure all tripping hazards have been cleared from the ground.

-Make sure floors are smooth and dry. If there's a spill, clean it up immediately.

-Make sure that no fire or light decorations are left unattended.

Trick-or-treating tips for your young ones:

-Wear comfortable shoes.

-Never eat candy that looks like it's been opened already.

-Don't go to houses that are not well lit.

-Wear a brightly-colored costume so that motorists can see you.

-Never trick-or-treat alone.

Residents are also urged to be careful when decorating or celebrating near holiday decorations. According to Underwriters Laboratories, there were nearly 6,000 people treated at emergency rooms each year from 2000 to 2002 because of fall-related accidents while decorating for the holidays.

Also, be careful when lighting candles and when visiting friends' homes or attractions where decorations include lit candles. It has been concluded that candle-related fires are one of the most frequently experienced holiday hazards. In fact, there are more than 15,000 candle-related accidents every year. Fire-related holiday season accidents take the lives of roughly 400 people, injure more than 1,600 and cost close to $1 billion in damage every year.

Continue reading "Our Lexington, MO, Car Accident Lawyers Warn Residents of Holiday-Related Accidents" »

A new campaign was recently launched by the Missouri State Highway Patrol to help reduce the risks of distracted-driving car accidents in Kansas City, Missouri. The campaign is looking to help educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving habits and more specifically to urge drivers to put down the cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.

"Inattention is a leading cause of traffic crashes," said Colonel Replogle. "If you're focused on sending a text message, then you aren't paying attention to your driving. Cell phone usage -- particularly texting while driving can lead to tragic consequences."

Our Kansas City car accident attorneys understand that this campaign is a great step towards improved safety on our roadways, but more needs to be done. Missouri is one of the few states left that has yet to ban the use of cell phones or text messaging devices by drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Missouri has no ban prohibiting the use of hand-held cell phones by any driver. Our government has addressed the dangers of texting while driving by enacting a regulation that prohibits drivers 21-years-old and younger from texting behind the wheel. If you're older than 21, you're allowed to take your attention off of our roadways and call or text whoever you wish.

Col. Replogle tried to take the effort a little farther by asking that all drivers in Missouri, regardless of age, stop texting behind the wheel to make our roadways safer.

The State of Missouri witnessed nearly 2,000 traffic accidents that involved a driver using a cellphone in 2009. Nearly 240 people were killed because of these accidents.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has teamed up with Con-way Freight, a popular Missouri freight company, andRoush Fenway Racing, a Nascar racing team, to push this campaign and to help persuade drivers to stop texting at the wheel.

Distracted-driving statistics, according to Distraction,gov.

-Close to 5,500 people died because of traffic accidents in the U.S. that reportedly involved a distracted driver in 2009.

-About 20 percent of the reported injury accidents that happened in 2009 involved a distracted driver.

-Of the 5,500 people killed because of distracted-driving accidents in 2009, more than 900 involved reports of a cell phone as the main form of distraction. These types of accidents represent about 18 percent of all fatalities in distraction-related accidents.

-Using a cell phone while driving gives a driver the same reaction abilities as a driver who is legally drunk with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.

-Distracted drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a serious accident.

-Drivers that are under the age of 20 are most likely to be involved in a distracted-driving accident.

Continue reading "MSHP's New Campaign Aims to Reduce Risks of Distracted-Driving Car Accidents in Kansas City, Missouri" »

A 16-year-old driver was seriously injured after being involved in a traffic accident with a tractor-trailer recently in Morgan County on Highway 52 near Route C, according to Lake News Online.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol report that the teen was heading eastbound when he swerved his vehicle over the center lane and drove into a truck in the next lane. The teen driver was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. The truck driver was not injured.

Our Kansas City car accident attorneys understand that teen drivers are extremely vulnerable to car accidents on our Missouri roadways. Their lack of driving experience oftentimes keeps them from understanding the workings and the dangers of traffic. With the help of parents, we can all do our part to reduce these risks and help keep our teen drivers safe behind the wheel.

Traffic accidents are the number one cause of death for young drivers aged 15- to 20-years-old on our roadways. There were more than 208 million licensed drivers on U.S. roadways in 2008.

According to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 2,300 young drivers were killed in traffic accidents on U.S. roadways in 2009. More than 195,000 were injured in these incidents. More than 5,000 young drivers were involved in traffic accidents that turned fatal in 2009 on U.S. roadways.

Drivers ages 15- to 20-years-old represented more than 10 percent of all the drivers who were involved in deadly traffic accidents in 2009 and they accounted for nearly 15 percent of all types of traffic accidents. Of the 9,614,000 traffic accidents that were police-reported in 2009, approximately 1,337,000 involved a young driver.

In Missouri, nearly 70 young drivers died because of traffic accidents. Overall, nearly 150 people were killed because of car accidents that involved a young driver.

Parents: The Anti-Drug offers these tips to parents who have a teen driver in their life. Speak with your young driver about these tips to help to keep them safe on our roadways:

-Agree on curfews. Teens are most likely to be involved in an accident during the evening and early morning hours.

-Ask your teen driver to call or text you once they've arrived at their destination and when they leave to head back home.

-Limit the number of passengers they can have in their vehicle at one time. Passengers are some of the greatest distractions to a teen driving and contribute to a great number of traffic accidents.

-Discuss the dangers of drinking and driving. Although they're not old enough to drink legally, that doesn't mean that they won't.

-Discuss common road laws with them, including speed limits, traffic lights, seat belt regulations and distracted-driving risks.

Continue reading "Parents Urged to Talk to Teens to Prevent Car Accidents in Kansas City" »

The number of senior residents that are 65-years-old and older in Missouri is expected to grow by approximately 450,000 over the next 15 years. By then, Missouri is expected to have more than 1,250,000 senior residents and a whole lot more elderly car accidents in Kansas City and elsewhere in the state. Projections report that the proportion of these residents will be more than 19 percent in 2015, according to the Missouri Senior Report 2009.

With more elderly people on our roadways we can expect more traffic accidents. Residents over the age of 64 currently represent nearly 15 percent of the entire resident population in the United States. Our country had approximately 40 million senior residents in 2009.

Our Kansas City car accident attorneys understand the difficulties that aging motorists face on our roadways. Deteriorating senses greatly contribute to the risks of being involved in a motor-vehicle accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were nearly 5,500 seniors killed in traffic accidents in the United States in 2009. These recently released statistics also reveal that nearly 200,000 elderly people were injured in these accidents. These victims represent nearly 20 percent of all of the traffic accident-related deaths for the year.

In 2008, there were more than 30 million licensed elderly drivers. This number illustrates a 20 percent increase from 1999. More than 80 percent of the elderly traffic-accident fatalities that happened in 2009 occurred during the weekdays during the daytime hours. Elderly drivers had the lowest proportion of drivers that were driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Elderly pedestrians face serious danger on our roadways. There were nearly 800 senior pedestrians killed in traffic-related accidents in the U.S. in 2009. More than 60 percent of these pedestrian fatalities happened at non-intersection locations.

Older residents are more at risk for a fatal injury on our roadway than any other age group. More specifically, residents age 80- to 84-years-old are most at risk. Their death rate was nearly 18 per 100,000 population.

Nearly 200 senior residents were involved in fatal traffic accidents in the state of Missouri in 2009.

To help reduce the risks of a traffic accident, Aging Parents and Elder Care asks that you check for these signs of deteriorating driving skills in your elderly loved one:

-Are they driving at inappropriate speeds? This can mean too fast or too slow.

-Are they asking for help from passengers to check if it is clear to pass a car or make a turn?

-Are they responding slowly or failing to notice bicyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles?

-Are they failing to recognize posted street signs or other traffic devices?

-Are they neglecting to yield to those who have the right-of-way?

-Are they unable to correctly judge distances between other vehicles correctly?

-Do they easily become confused, drowsy or frightened?

-Are they experiencing too many near misses or near accidents?

If your elderly loved one is experiencing any of these characteristics, it may be in your best interest to talk with them about their driving ability. It's important to stress that they're able to hang on to their independence without using their vehicle. Stress that your concern is focused on their safety. It may be a difficult subject to approach, but remember that it's a critical conversation to have when the time has come.

Continue reading "Elderly Population Growing -- Increasing Risks of Kansas City, Missouri Car Accidents" »

Bicyclists may be some of the most vulnerable to injury and death on our roadways. When involved in a car-bicycle accident in Kansas City, bicyclists are likely to suffer from serious injury as they're much less protected than occupants of a motor vehicle.

According to recently released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were nearly 650 bicyclists killed in 2009 because of traffic accidents. More than 50,000 were injured in these preventable accidents. Bicycle accidents accounted for roughly 2 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes throughout the entire year. Missouri witnessed 2 bicycling fatalities in 2009. But countless others were seriously injured.

Our Kansas City bicycle accident attorneys would like to focus on the habits of motor-vehicle drivers in an attempt to help reduce the number of these accidents. A great deal of bicycling accidents can be avoided if we all travel with a little more cautioun and a little more focus for these oftentimes overlooked travelers.

Most bicycling fatalities that happened in 2009 happened in urban areas. Only 30 percent of these accidents occurred in rural areas. Bicyclists are most at risk for a serious accident at a non-intersection area.

Bicyclists should be cautious about what time of the day they ride as some times are riskier than others. More than 70 percent of bicyclist deaths happened between 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Some bicyclists are at more of a risk than others simply because of their age. The average age of bicyclists who were killed in traffic accidents in 2009 was 41-years-old. This average age continues to increase year after year as the popularity of cycling increases, particularly among middle aged men.

Child bicyclists are especially at risk for a serious accident. Riders under the age of 16 made up nearly 15 percent of all of the bicyclists killed in 2009. They also accounted for roughly 20 percent of all injured bicyclists.

To help reduce the number of bicycling accidents, the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation offers these safety tips to motorists:

-Have patience. Bicyclists aren't trying to slow you down. Bicycles are not able to travel as fast as motor vehicles. Have respect for them.

-Hold off on the distractions. Cell phones, test messaging and other in-car distractions greatly increase your risks of overlooking a bicyclist.

-Don't travel too close to a bicyclist. If you don't have enough room to pass, don't do it. Don't try to squeeze through. Allow at least three feet of clearance between you and a bicyclist at all times.

-Bicyclists are tax payers too and they have rights to the road. Remember to safely share the road with them.

-Check your blind spots. Bicycles can easily get lost within your line of vision as a driver. Make sure to always check your blind spots, especially when making a turn.

-Thank them. Bicyclists are taking up one less parking space. They're not clogging up the pumps at the gas station and they're not congesting roadways.

Continue reading "New Statistics Reveal the Dangers of Kansas City Bicycling Accidents" »

A recent Missouri medical helicopter accident took the lives of four people. The accident happened in Clay County near Cameron Road and Northeast 146th Street and is the most recent in a number of air ambulance accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the accident, specifically targeting the level of fuel. Three hospital employees were killed in the accident. The fourth victim was a patient that was being transported to Liberty Hospital.

The wife of the patient in the helicopter has been informed that that the helicopter exhausted its fuel supply. Four people were killed because the helicopter ran out of gas.

Our Kansas City personal injury attorneys understand that patients and others that require medical attention and supervision most oftentimes need to be taken care of in a timely, effective and cautious manner. When mindless accidents occur, such as the one mentioned above, companies can be held responsible for their negligence. Hospitals, care facilities and emergency transporters are required to operate under safe conditions to keep employees, patients and others safe.

"They confirmed the guy ran out of gas," said Victor Tacoronte, the patient's husband. "They took me in a little room and told me a helicopter went down."

The helicopter was from St. Joseph and was heading to Liberty Hospital in Bethany. It was scheduled to stop at the Midwest National Air Center by Excelsior Springs to get some fuel. The helicopter went down about a mile from the airport.

In 2010, there were more than 10 emergency helicopter accidents. Six of these accidents killed 16 crew members, according to the NTSB.

The operator of the helicopter involved in the most recent accident, is the biggest air medical emergency transport company in the nation. The company has had nearly 15 other incidents since the middle of 2008. These incidents took the lives of nearly 10 people.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says that the death rate for ambulance helicopters is more than 1.15 per 100,000 hours of service.

The husband of the victim who was killed in the accident is suing the helicopter company because he believes that the crew took an unnecessary risk by flying with low fuel, according Chron.

"This was more than negligence," said Kansas City attorney Gary C. Robb. "It was an inexcusable accident based on a flawed operating policy."

According to federal aviation officials, the pilot of the helicopter signaled that it needed to stop at the Midwest National Air Center to fuel up. The exact cause of the accident will not be released until a full investigation is complete, which could take a year.

According to Chron, medical helicopters usually do not fly with a full tank of fuel. This is to help prevent other dangerous issues.

Robb believes that the pilot is not to blame for the accident because he was operating in cooperation with company policy. The company should be at fault for the fatal accident.

The company is not commenting on the accident until the final investigation has been completed.

Continue reading "Empty Fuel Tank Suspected to Cause Clay County, Missouri Medical Helicopter Crash" »