Recently in Animal Bites Category

The fatal Missouri tractor-trailer crash happened in Benton County last night just after dark.  Apparently two men were pushing a car having mechanical problems out of the roadway on Interstate 55 at which time a tractor-trailer crashed into the back of the car, pinning one man and knocking the other off the road.  One of the motorists was pronounced dead at the scene, the other sustained serious personal injuries and was rushed to St. Francis Medical Center for emergency treatment. 

Authorities report that the two men were pushing the downed car in the emergency lane at the time of the collision.  The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is the governing body that places into law the strict guidelines that trucking companies must follow in the operation of their rigs.  When tractor-trailer crashes occur in Missouri, the collisions may be State reportable and Federally recordable.  Questions often rise as to what may have contributed to cause the truck to crash into another vehicle.  Suspicions of driving over the hours of service, fatigued, or under prescription medication often come up in subsequent investigations.

When you are injured in a truck crash, contact an experienced Missouri Tractor-Trailer Injury Attorney at Schultz Legal Group.  Our lawyers will visit the crash scene with an accident reconstruction team to determine liability and file the appropriate personal injury and/or wrongful death claim to protect your legal interests.  Missouri injury attorney Stephen Schultz can be reached directly at (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or by email.

An accident reconstructionist offered favorable courtroom testimony for the young University of Missouri-Columbia student who was severely injured in 2005 when two vehicles struck her bicycle as she was heading to class.  Krysten Chambrot was struck by defendant #1's Miata, catapulted into the air and then ran over by a truck operated by defendant #2.  Chambrot suffered catastrophic injury to her lower extremities, resulting in amputation and mangle.  She also broke her jaw during the collision.

Expert testimony is critical in cases where the facts are in dispute.  In this case, the facts of the crash itself were in contention, requiring the use of a reconstructionist to determine speed of the vehicles, contact points, and ultimately, fault.  Expert recontructionists rely upon evidence from the scene, witness statements, and mathematical formulas in creating their account of what really happened during the collision.  Expert testimony such as this can be critical in determining whether a driver was negligent, negligent per se, or even reckless.

Our St. Louis accident and injury lawyers retain experts such as an accident reconstructionist when the the facts of the accident scene are unclear.  Experts provide our attorneys with an independent assesment of the facts using sound principles of physics and evidence gathered in the case.  Often times these experts testify at trial, helping the jury understand what really happened at the scene.  Call injury attorney Stephen Schultz today to learn how an accident reconstructionist can help in YOUR case!    

 

MSN Money recently discussed the various forms of exposure to risk associated with owning a dog with dangerous propensities.  The discussion was triggered following a dog bite case involving a woman who had her nose bitten off by a neighbor's American Bulldog.  The owner of the Bulldog was sentenced to 4 months in jail and was served with a civil lawsuit by the victim.  The case eventually settled for $1 million dollars.  What everyday person has $1 million dollars in cash to pay a settlement like that?  Good question!

Depending upon the facts of the case, an owner's homeowners insurance policy may be implicated when a dog bite occurs on the property.  However, many insurers are excluding certain breeds from coverage, including Pit Bulls, Akitas, Dobermans, and Chows. Dog bite claims are some of the most graphic cases personal injury lawyers are faced with.  Often times there is permanent disfigurement and the victim may even be exposed to rabies.  Many people may recall the tragic San Francisco case where a young woman was attacked near the front door of her apartment by two dogs.  A wrongful death claim was filed against the two attorneys who owned the dogs.

Dog bite laws in Missouri implicate Negligence, Negligence Per Se, Premises Liability, and Strict Liability legal principles.  Its is important to contact an experienced St. Louis Dog Bite Lawyer who understands how each legal principle applies to your case.  If you have been injured by a dog bite, contact our lawyers immediately at (314) 448-0934 or by completing the online case contact form.  The original MSN Money article can be found by visiting MSN.com. 

 

A young Seymour Missouri boy was injured this past weekend in a Pit Bull dog attack.  The boy's father claims that his son was playing in front of the family's home when he was called next door to visit a neighbor.  Upon entering the neighbor's property the boy was attacked by a pit bull.  The boy was rushed to Cox hospital in Springfield Missouri where trauma surgeons stitched up the deep lacerations in the boy's face with over 15 sutures.  Doctor's claim that the injuries to the boy's face will result in permanent scaring.

Animal attacks involving the Pit Bull breed are a growing problem in the State of Missouri.
The laws in Missouri that provide for recovery to those injured in animal attacks involve negligence, negligence per se, premises liability, and strict liability legal principles, as well as local leash law ordinances.  The standard in Missouri is 'whether the owner knew, or should have known, of the animal's dangerous propensities."  It is important to note that despite common belief, the animal laws in Missouri do NOT allow for "one free bite" before an owner is held liable for the personal injuries its animal causes to third persons.

Dangerous propensities can be proven with evidence of:

• lunging at humans
• growling
  
• nipping
• previous attacks on other animals
• aggressive disposition when humans are within close proximity
• aggressive barking
  

Given the interplay between several Missouri legal principals invoked by this type of personal injury, it is important for anyone injured in an animal attack to contact St. Louis Injury Attorney Stephen Schultz for a free consultation.  He understands what it takes to beat the standard in Missouri and obtain fair compensation for his clients who are injured by a dog bite.  Stephen Schultz and his Missouri injury lawyers can be reached at (314) 448-0934 or toll-free at (866) 840-3636, by email at stephen@schultzlegalgroup.com, or by the completion of our online case contact form.