Missouri Car Crashes & Motorcycle Crashes

Accidents on our Nation's roadways are a serious threat to the traveling public and are the leading cause of death for those under the age of thirty-four. Annually, over 40,000 people are killed in approximately five million motor vehicle accidents, many involving teen car accidents. In 2002 alone, nearly 43,000 people died in highway accidents nationwide. That equates to over 115 fatalities per day. The economic costs of these accidents is staggering, over $150 billion per year. Unfortunately, during your lifetime you are likely to be involved in at least one auto accident. You should know what to do in order to protect yourself and your legal rights should your accident have occurred in the state of Missouri.

First, call the local or state Missouri police (and paramedics if necessary). It is imperative that the Missouri local or state police report is accurate and that it reflects your recollection of the events. If you happen to have a camera, try to photograph the scene prior to moving the vehicles (only if safe to do so). Additionally, someone should interview all witnesses and record their comments. Such interviews should be completed as soon as possible as witnesses' memories tend to fade with time. Your Missouri motor vehicle accident attorney may hire a professional investigator from Missouri to sift through the paperwork and determine insurance information and other mundane facts. In preparing your case, your St. Louis car collision attorney may find it helpful to diagram the scene, noting the traffic, weather and pavement conditions at the time of the accident. Try to accurately record as much of this information as possible.

As far as your auto accident injuries are concerned, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. If treatment is delayed, the Defendant may argue that it was not his negligent driving that caused your injury, but rather something that occurred between the time of the accident and your visit to the doctor.

If you have been seriously injured in an automobile accident in the state of Missouri, it may be important to contact an attorney locally in the state of Missouri who can help you protect your legal rights.

Please keep in mind that there may be time limits within the Missouri state and federal laws if you must commence suit.

I will evaluate your case free of charge. In addition, you will not pay any fees or costs unless I recover money for you. Please fill out the form or call for an immediate response from me.

Frontal Impact Collision

Frontal impact crashes account for more deaths than any other type of automobile accident A frontal impact crash can be extremely violent, especially when the collision is squarely head on. One advantage that frontal impact victims have over other types of impact victims (side or rear) is the ability to brace and prepare for the impending collision. The very nature of the frontal impact allows the victim to see the oncoming vehicle or other object. There are several subcategories of frontal impact accidents including; collisions into a stationary object (pole, wall, etc.), collisions with oncoming vehicles ("head-on"), collisions with the rear of a vehicle moving in your same direction, and collisions into the side of a vehicle moving perpendicular to your vehicle.

Injuries typically sustained in frontal impact collisions can range from minor to fatal and can involve all parts of the body. Certain factors play key roles in determining the extent of your injuries in a frontal impact collision, such as the physical characteristics of the object or vehicles involved (large vs. small vehicle, stationary or moving, low or high speed), the safety features of your vehicle (air bags, seat belts / restraints), and the ability of your vehicle to compress and absorb the energy of the impact.

If you have been seriously injured in an automobile accident in the Missouri, it may be important to contact a St. Louis automobile accident lawyer locally in the state of Missouri who can help you protect your legal rights. Please keep in mind that there may be time limits within the Missouri state and federal laws if you must commence suit.

Rear End Collision

The rear impact collision is the least fatal type of auto accident, accounting for six deaths per one million registered cars. However, these types of collisions are the most common type of auto accident, with approximately 2.5 million rear impact collisions occurring each year.

The rear bumper system is an important safety feature; however, over the last two decades automakers have developed and installed increasingly less reliable rear bumpers. While a quality rear bumper is capable of compressing upon impact and absorbing the force of a low speed collision, lower quality bumpers tend to be less absorbent, sending the brunt of the impact to the occupants. Furthermore, rear bumpers are designed to handle only a five-mile per hour rear collision when many rear impact collisions occur at much greater speeds. Many of today's bumpers are designed more to protect the car rather than the occupants.

Many insurance companies in Missouri believe that if a vehicle sustains little or no visible damage, then the vehicle's occupants must have emerged unscathed. This is not necessarily the case. Each day we learn more about the potentially serious physical consequences of low speed, rear impact collisions. While the car may be designed to handle the low speed impact, the human body is not. Whiplash is the most common type of injury sustained in low speed, rear impact collisions in the state of Missouri.

Rollover

Rollovers account for 51% of all deaths in standard sport utility vehicles, 36% of deaths in pickup trucks, and 19% of deaths in standard cars. The rollover is an extremely severe automobile accident and an increasingly common one with the growing popularity of sport utility vehicles (SUVs). In 2002, the number of people killed in rollover accidents involving SUVs rose 14 percent.

The high center of gravity and relatively narrow wheelbase of SUVs increase their susceptibility to rollover. Most rollover accidents involve only one vehicle and are typically caused by catastrophic equipment failure (such as a tire blowout - see our special category called Automobiles & Other Motor Vehicles found in the Defective & Dangerous Products section), excessive speed (especially in a curve), or poor road conditions (soft shoulders). The severity of injuries is often directly related to the number of rolls sustained and the use of active restraints (seatbelts). Without sufficient restraints occupants in a vehicle rollover are very likely to be ejected.

Side Impact Collision

Side impact crashes are responsible for 8,500 deaths each year; only head on collisions are more deadly. A side impact collision occurs when the front of the oncoming vehicle strikes the side of your vehicle. The severity of a side impact collision depends on several factors, including the speed and weight of the oncoming vehicle, and where that oncoming vehicle collides with yours. For instance, the occupants of your vehicle are much more likely to sustain serious injuries if the oncoming vehicle strikes your vehicle squarely in the middle (at the doors) rather than in the front or rear quarter (by your front or rear tires). Most side impact collisions occur at intersections as the result of a failure to yield at a stop sign or red light. The increasing production of vehicles installed with side impact airbags (airbags located in the doors) has helped to reduce the severity of side impact injuries (assuming that the side impact airbags work properly).