Authorities report that a 2007 Peterbilt tractor-trailer being driven by Thomas Farnell of Jacksonville Florida rear-ended a stopped car on US 67 near De Soto Missouri.  The car that was struck from behind, being driven by Vada Skiles of De Soto, was then pushed into a third vehicle.  Vida Skiles, Charles Mullins, and his son all sustained serious personal injuries and were taken to local area hospitals for emergency treatment.  Apparently the truck driver was inattentive and failed to notice the stopped cars ahead of him before the crash took place.  The facts of this Missouri truck crash are substantially similar to the crash that occurred near Highway 40 and Mason Road in early 2008.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set regulations in place that govern the commercial trucking industry.  These federal regulations have also been adopted in full by the State of Missouri.  Following too close and being inattentive are both forbidden by federal and state laws.  If you have been injured in truck accident in Missouri, contact an experienced tractor-trailer injury attorney and get your legal rights protected.  Only an injury lawyer who understands the federal and state law implications with respect to trucking accidents can properly represent your interests.  Visit the Schultz Legal Group injury victim website for additional information. 


 

Getting in a Missouri car accident is stressful enough.  When the car crash causes serious personal injuries, medical bills and lost wages can start to mount quickly.  When another driver is at fault for causing the crash, sometimes it may become tempting to quickly settle with the other driver's insurance company, or even your own.  The problem that the Missouri injury lawyers at Schultz Legal Group commonly recognize is that the offers from the insurance company are more likely than not unfair and undervalued.  Insurance companies know that when an injury attorney is not involved they can usually get away with cramming a low-ball settlement down the throat of an unweary victim.  DON'T BE VICTIMIZED TWICE THOUGH!

Many of the nations largest car and truck insurance companies use a computer software program called Colosus.  Unfortunately, this software program was written with the financial interests of the insurance company in mind, not yours.  Most personal injuries are undervalued by the Colosus program, especially soft tissue injuries such as a bulging or hearniated disc, joint sprain, and muscle strains.  Soft-tissue injuries can be painful and permanent but the Colosus program does not recognize this.

Before you put yourself in a position to be victimized twice, contact St. Louis Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz and get advice from a law firm that is respected by the insurance companies.  Our injury attorneys fight for the rights of victims of car and truck accidents and motorcycle crashes every single day.  Contact Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz personally to discuss your claim by calling (314) 448-0934 or toll-free at (866) 840-3636.  Visit the Schultz Legal Group Injury Victim Information Center today for additional assistance. 

The Missouri Highway Patrol reported another serious car accident on US-65 highway near Buffalo Missouri.  Apparently 83 year-old Lela Hagel pulled into the path of another vehicle being driven by 42 year-old Tancy Wahl of Buffalo.  Hagel was in the process of negotiating a left turn onto MO-38 when the collision occured.  Serious personal injuries were sustained by Jordan Fine and Tancy Wahl.  Both were transported to St. Johns Hospital in Springfield Missouri by local ambulance. 

Highway 65 in mid-Missouri reports car accidents almost everyday.  This highway is a heavily traveled corrridor for both passenger vehicles and tractor-trailers and connects highways 70 and 44.  Head-on collisions and failing to yield are the most common accident type occuring on this particular freeway.  If you have been victim of a negligent driver, contact Missouri Accident and Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz and get the experienced car accident attorneys at Schultz Legal Group on your side.  Our injury attorneys will make sure that you are not victimized twice.  Contact Schultz Legal Group by calling toll-free at (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or by email.   

Unfortunately, the statistics are compelling that each of us will be involved in a Missouri car accident or tractor-trailer crash at some point in our lives.  Hopefully the accident does not cause serious personal injuries, but chances are that we all will be victim to a roadway accident.  Lets start with what you SHOULD NOT do following a car accident in the State of Missouri.  First, do not admit guilt, no matter how "nice" the other drivers involved may seem.  Admissions at the scene of the accident are not considered 'hearsay' in Missouri and therefore those statements can be used against you in a court of law.  Second, do not minimize your personal injuries.  Even if you "don't feel hurt" it is always a good rule of medicine to seek diagnostic care from a hospital or primary care physician that same day.  Lastly, do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's car insurance company.  The other insurance carriers are not your friends and are certainly not looking out for your best interests.  No matter how innocent your statement may seem, they will do their best to turn it against you.

So what SHOULD you do?  First, call police and seek medical treatment immediately.  Second, gather witness contact information and other evidence at the scene of the crash (unless you are seriously injured).  Third, contact a Missouri Injury and Accident Attorney as soon as you are discharged from the hospital and before you ever talk to the other insurance companies involved.  Only a skilled and experienced Missouri personal injury attorney can obtain the compensation that Missouri law affords victims of negligence. 

If you have been involved in a Missouri car accident, tractor-trailer crash or other roadway collision, visit the Schultz Legal Group Injury Victim Information Center for additional advice on what to do to protect your legal interests.  Call (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or email our injury attorneys today for a free consultation.   

When its car versus truck, truck always wins.  Of special concern, especially to Missouri motorists who operate cars on our state's interstates, is what is being done to make sure that the truck drivers are driving safe.  A reoccurring problem is that truck drivers are operating their large tractor-trailers over the hours of service.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has set guidelines that restrict the truck driver's hours of consistent uninterrupted driving to a maximum of 11 consecutive hours, following 10 consecutive hours off-duty.  The theory is that after 11 consecutive hours behind the wheel, a truck driver begins to experience fatigue, the most common cause of tractor-trailer accidents in the State of Missouri.

If you have been seriously injured in a truck crash, visit the Truck Crash Injury Victim Information Website at Schultz Legal Group.  Also, don't hesitate to contact a Missouri truck crash injury attorney for immediate assistance with your injury claim.  Rest assured that the trucking company has dispatched its own investigation team to the crash site to collect data and begin to build a case against the victims to reduce compensation.  Trucking companies pay out millions of dollars in personal injury settlements each year, but only to those victims represented by a personal injury attorney.  Since most truck crashes cause serious injury or wrongful death, insurance companies often try to coerce victims into a quick settlement, which is usually tens or hundreds of thousands less that what is fair. 

Contact St. Louis Truck Accident Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz and get the experienced lawyers at Schultz Legal Group working for you.  The firm's attorneys can be reached toll-free at (866) 840-3636, or (314) 241-4555.  Don't be victimized twice. 

Several young teenagers were involved in a rollover accident in Crawford County early this morning.  Initial reports indicate that the driver of the car lost control and veered off into a ditch, causing the vehicle to roll several times before coming to rest on its side.  Catastrophic and serious personal injuries were caused by this car accident and two of the occupants were rushed to local hospitals by helicopter.  The remaining three injury victims were transported by ambulance to the emergency room.

Rollover accidents can be caused by a number of factors, including driver error, vehicle defect, or a combination of both.  Missouri Injury and Products Liability Attorney Stephen Schultz has represented countless victims of rollover accidents.  The injury attorneys at Schultz Legal Group take custody of any vehicle involved so that a thorough inspection can be performed by one of the firm's engineers.  Only after a competent vehicle inspection can it be determined whether a design flaw or defect in the vehicle caused or contributed to cause the accident.  Rollover accidents can can be especially serious since many times the driver or passengers are ejected from the car or SUV and sustain life-threatening personal injuries.  In some cases, the driver or passengers are crushed by the vehicle itself during the rollover.

Contact the Missouri Injury Attorneys at Schultz Legal Group by calling toll-free (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or by email.

 

Do I have enough car or motorcycle insurance coverage for myself?  What are Missouri minimums?  What happens when an uninsured or UNDERinsured motorist crashes into my car and causes serious personal injuries?  These are all questions that concern issues that should be addressed before you find yourself injured in a car, motorcycle, or tractor-trailer accident. 

In the State of Missouri, every motorist is required by law to have $25,000/$50,000 liability, $25,000 uninsured motorist, and $10,000 property damage coverage.  Failure to have insurance in effect with these minimum coverages is a crime.  But don't think for a second that having Missouri minimum insurance coverage means that you have "full coverage".  To the contrary, anyone having Missouri minimum coverage actually has "minimum coverage".  Let me explain:  Lets say you are rear-ended by another driver and you are seriously injured.  Just a three day stay at St. John's with diagnostic testing then runs up your medical bills to over $30,000.  If the negligent driver who hit you had "Missouri minimum coverage" of $25,000, who is going to pick up the deficiency of $5,000?  What about your pain & suffering?  What about your lost wages?

Now lets look at another scenario.  You are driving down the road, reading an email on your cell phone and end up crashing into another motorist, causing a serious automobile accident.  The personal injuries caused to the other driver and his/her passengers is well over the amount of liability coverage you have on your own vehicle because you chose to procure the "Missouri minimums."  The injury victims decide to retain a Missouri personal injury attorney, who sues you and your insurance company.  The victims end up collecting your full policy limits of insurance and then obtain a judgment in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County for $500,000.  The sheriff takes that judgment and comes looking to you for the sale of your assets, liens on bank accounts and investments, and garnishing wages from your employer.  

Having adequate automobile insurance coverage is critical.  Not only for your physical well-being, but also for your own financial protection.  Don't wait until you find yourself in one of the two situations mentioned above.  Call St. Louis Accident and Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz and talk to an experienced lawyer who knows the nuances of insurance coverage.  Attorney Stephen Schultz and the other lawyers at Schultz Legal Group are happy to provide you free advice on procuring the necessary insurance coverage to protect you and your family.  Call us at (314) 448-0934 anytime for a free consultation.    
 

The Missouri Highway Patrol responded to a hit-and-run crash late yesterday afternoon near Washington Missouri.  Witnesses report that a tractor-trailer crossed the center line of the road and clipped the leg of 55 year-old Edward Woelm of St. Louis Missouri.  The contact caused Woelm to lose control of his motorcycle and be thrown off.  There was little property damage to the motorcycle, but Woelm sustained life-threatening personal injuries and was taken by helicopter to Barnes Hospital for emergency treatment.  The driver of the tractor-trailer continued driving northbound on Route 21 without stopping or contacting authorities.  The Missouri Highway Patrol continues its investigation of this incident.

A hit-and-run motorcycle crash is a felony in the State of Missouri, and additional charges may be brought by prosecutors when the victim sustains personal injury.  Not only will the driver of this tractor-trailer be facing criminal charges once he/she is located, there will be harsh civil remedies at the disposal of Mr. Woelm and his family.  Those charges include negligence, negligence per se, and punitive damages for aggravating circumstances.  In the event the driver of the tractor-trailer is never located, Mr. Woelm may be able to make a claim under his own policy of insurance depending on the circumstances of the evidence gathered at the scene.

Victims of a hit and run accident should contact an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney who can aggressively seek out the driver who feld the scene and bring him to justice.  Evidence gathered from the accident scene, interviewing witnesses, and researching avaliable shipping manifests is critical in looking into what truck driver/trucking company could have caused this tragic accident to take place with any accountability.  

Authorities are continuing an investigation into the cause of a school bus accident in St. Charles County early Thursday morning.  Initial reports indicate that the front right wheel of the bus somehow caught the end of the roadway on Highway D, causing the school bus to veer off the road and into a deep ditch.  Five students from Francis Howell Middle School sustained serious personal injuries and were transported by ambulance to local hospitals for treatment.  Specific reports of their personal injuries have not been disclosed.  The injured students were as young as 12 and as old as 15.

School bus accidents can be a parents worst nightmare.  Parents and schools entrust the lives of students into the largely-capable hands of school bus drivers.  These drivers are required by Missouri law to have a valid CDL (Commercial Drivers License) and usually go through extensive defensive driver training before they are qualified to operate a bus with children on board.  Even when the bus driver is completely competent, he/she is still at the mercy of other drivers on the road.

If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, contact St. Louis Accident and Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz and get the experienced lawyers at Schultz Legal Group on your side.  Our injury attorneys have handled school bus accident cases in the past with special attention, primarily due to the fact that these types of accidents MUST be prevented in the future.  Contact our lawyers at (314) 448-0934 to discuss the facts of your case.  

Authorities reported to serious car accident in Kahoka Missouri late last night.  Reportedly 80 year-old John Hesse of Kahoka pulled into the path of another vehicle being driven by 53 year-old Judith Thompson.  The impact struck the passenger side door of Ms. Thompson's 1999 Dodge, causing total damage to both cars involved in the car accident.  Judith Thompson sustained serious personal injuries as a result of the crash and was transported by Air Evac Lifeteam to Blessings Hospital in Quincy Illinois for emergency treatment.  Blessing Hospital was the closest level-one trauma unit to the scene of the crash and due to Ms. Thompson's injuries, a life flight was necessitated.

Missouri car accidents that occur in rural areas can cause a rush against the clock.  Injury victims need immediate medical care and many rural jurisdictions do not have the medical capabilities to treat catastrophic personal injuries.  Luckily for Judith Thompson, Air Evac was just a phone call away.  If you have been injured in a Missouri car accident, it is critical to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to assist in the handling of your claim.  Insurance companies are regularly deceptive and unfair when it comes to evaluating personal injury claims, making it necessary to retain an injury attorney to protect your legal interests. 

Contact St. Louis Car Accident Attorney Stephen Schultz and get the experience of Schultz Legal Group on your side.  Our lawyers can be reached toll-free at (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or by email.  Don't be victimized twice.