Recently in Personal Injury Category

A serious Jefferson County car accident temporarily closed Highway 30 early Saturday morning.  The crash took place in the westbound lanes of Highway 30 in Imperial Missouri as a Ford Taurus was being operated by 44 year-old Harrison Lane was traveling in the wrong direction.  68 year-old Virgil Isaak of Dittmer was traveling westbound on Highway 30 and apparently did everything he could in attempting to avoid the head-on crash.  Isaak was seriously injured in the head-on collision and was transported to St. Anthonys Medical Center directly from the accident scene.  Both cars sustained total damage in the crash and had to be picked up by a local wrecker service.

Head-on collisions caused some of the most catastrophic injuries of any type of impact.  Only the broadside, or "t-bone", type car accident causes similar bodily injury.  Even low-speed head-on collisions can caused soft-tissue injuries.  These types of injuries can progressively get worse as time goes on, which is why it is critical to seek appropriate medical care, starting at the accident scene.  Selecting the appropriate physician is also important.  For example, soft-tissue injuries require the attention of a orthopedist and neurologist.  Seeking care from a chiropractor is not advised, at least not until an orthopedist and neurologist has had the opportunity to first diagnose the root injury. 

Car accidents are serious and require aggressive and experienced legal representation.  Contact the Jefferson County car accident lawyers at Schultz Legal Group at (866) 840-3636 for an immediate consultation with an injury attorney.  You may be entitled to substantial compensation for your serious injury claim.

A Missouri American Water dump truck driver was seriously injured when another vehicle failed to yield and encroached upon his lane of traffic.  The car accident took place at Interstate 270 on the Gravois Road exit ramp.  The driver of a smaller passenger vehicle exited the highway onto Gravois, but failed to yield to the truck driver.  The Missouri American Water dump truck was fully loaded and towing a trailer, which would have resulted in an increased stopping distance.  The truck driver likely had little to any time to react to the other vehicle, let alone stop the 40,000+ pound loaded dump truck.

Persons who are injured while working in the course and scope of their employment have the right to file a Missouri workers compensation claim.  However, most injured workers do not know that they may also recover compensation from the third party person or persons who caused the injury.  In the case of a pizza delivery driver, truck driver, or courier, the injury victim can file a workers compensation claim and may also be able to file a 'third-party case" against the tortfeasor.

The St. Louis accident lawyers at Schultz Legal Group focus on serious injury cases.  Our injury lawyers can be reached at (314) 448-0934 to discuss the merits of your claim and how to recover all forms of compensation available pursuant to Missouri law.

Car accidents are serious and often result in permanent injury.  Even a "soft-tissue" injury can be deemed serious and any first-rate orthopedist will opine that soft-tissue disc trauma is in fact a permanent injury.  Victims of car accidents are vulnerable. This creates a potential issue when it comes time for the victim to discuss the claim with an insurance claims adjuster.  The victim, having little to no knowledge of the law, enters into any conversation with an insurance adjuster on an unequal footing.  Insurance adjusters are highly trained and do have a general knowledge of the law in Missouri.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the adjuster plans to share that knowledge with the victim.  Our St. Louis car accident attorneys find that often times an insurance adjuster will misguide the victim into believing that the claim must be settled immediately or else "the file will be closed."

Big insurance companies bet on the odds that most injury victims will not retain a car accident injury lawyer to represent their claim.  The victims that eventually do retain a lawyer are benefited many times over by legal representation.  Most people do not understand all of the types of compensation that are available under Missouri law.  As such, never discuss your car accident with an insurance claims adjuster.  Never accept a settlement without first consulting with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer. 

Attorney Stephen Schultz is a lifetime member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and rated a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Missouri by the American Trial Lawyers Association.  Don't be victimized twice.  Contact the lawyers at Schultz Legal Group for an immediate consultation by calling (866) 840-3636.

Injury victims of serious car accidents and truck accidents often wonder what types of compensation they are entitled to pursuant to Missouri law.  Unfortunately there is no simple answer.  While car accidents and truck accidents both take place on roadways, the similarities between the two end there.  Persons who are seriously injured in car accidents are entitled to compensation for past medical bills, future medical bills, past pain & suffering, future pain & suffering, past lost wages, future lost wages, loss of earning capacity.  Legal spouses of injury victims are also entitled to compensation under the doctrine of loss of consortium.  The surviving family members of those who are fatally injured are entitled to certain types of compensation pursuant to Missouri's Wrongful Death Statute, Mo. Rev. Stat. 537.080. 

Injury victims should keep detailed records from the date of the injury through maximum medical improvement (if such exists).  Some victims are so catastrophically injured that they require a lifetime of medical care.  Economic damages (such as medical bills) are compensated upon proof of the loss, or "expense".  Missouri does not all plaintiff's to recover compensation based upon speculation.  Itemized medical bills are required. 

Tractor-trailer accidents commonly cause severe and permanent injuries.  These types of unfortunate incidents may necessitate a lifetime of 24 hour medical care from professionals.  Juries are reluctant to award a plaintiff compensation for future medical care in a tractor-trailer injury claim unless a certified life-care planner writes a detailed future medical report as evidence.  This traditionally requires the attention of a licensed physician, otherwise the life-care plan may be stricken as unreliable. 

If you have questions on the types of compensation you can claim in a car accident injury claim or truck accident injury claim, call the injury lawyers at Schultz Legal Group for an immediate consultation.  A St. Louis Accident Injury Lawyer is available live by calling (314) 448-0934 or (866) 840-3636.  Don't be victimized twice.

St. Louis Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer Stephen Schultz was recently inducted into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  Attorney Schultz was awarded a lifetime membership into both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  Membership requires a trial lawyer to obtain a single verdict or settlement in excess of one million dollars and in excess of two million dollars.  This elite organization was founded in 1997 and to-date has just 3000 members nationwide.  Fewer than 1% of trial lawyers in the United States share this distinction. 

Tractor-trailer accidents require exceptional legal representation from a lawyer who is focused in this practice area.  Truck accidents involve a complicated body of federal statutory authority entitled the "Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations."  These Federal Regulations set the minimum safety standards that commerical motor carriers and professional truck drivers must follow.  These laws are designed to protect other motorists who share our nation's highways with trucks that can exceed 60,000 pounds each. 

An experienced St. Louis truck accident lawyer can investigate the circumstances of the crash with its own accident reconstruction team.  It is well-known that commercial motor carriers dispatch insurance teams to the scene of a serious tractor-trailer accident within hours.  Evidence such as driver log books, trip sheets, fuel receipts, bills of laiding, and other critical documentation may be purposely or accidentally misplaced.  These types of documents are necessary for an injury victim or wrongful death claimaint to receive full and fair compensation from the negligent truck driver and negligent trucking company.  Don't be victimized twice.  Contact a lawyer immediately by calling toll-free (866) 840-3636, locally at (314) 448-0934, or by email.

An unidentified tractor-trailer fled the scene of a serious accident late Thursday afternoon near Warrenton Missouri.  The tractor-trailer allegedly sideswiped a Jeep SUV, causing the Jeep to spin out of control into another vehicle that was parked on the side of the Interstate.  The sliding SUV struck a parked Chevy Blazer, causing a subsequent impact with a pedestrian who was standing next to the Blazer.  The tractor-trailer that started this chain reaction of events was traveling westbound on Interstate 70 near the Route F exit in Warren County.  The chain reaction caused serious injuries to Chandlier Scronce of Hawk Pointe and Jessica Richardson of Overland Park Kansas.  17 year-old Scronce (the pedestrian) sustained catastrophic injuries and was required to be airlifted to the level-1 trauma unit at St. Johns Medical Center in St. Louis.  The identity of the tractor-trailer driver or the company he/she was hauling for is yet to be determined.  Authorities are urging any witnesses to come forward who may have information to assist in bringing the truck driver and commercial motor carrier to justice.

Many serious tractor-trailer accidents involve improper lane change/improper lane usage.  In this specific case, it is alleged that the truck driver merged into the lane of the Jeep SUV, without warning, causing this crash.  Improper lane usage by a commercial motor vehicle is in the top 4 of contributing circumstances to serious truck accidents each year according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and its 2006 Large Truck Crash Causation Study.  Improper lane change is a serious safety violation according to Federal Regulations.

Serious tractor-trailer crashes require serious legal representation. Contact a Warren County truck accident lawyer today to discuss your legal options.  A lawyer is available day or night by calling (866) 840-3636, or locally at (314) 448-0934.  Don't be victimized twice.     

32 year-old Christina Girard of Marshall was involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer last Wednesday evening.  The serious crash occurred on the Route J exit ramp off of eastbound Interstate 70 in Saline County.  The Peterbilt tractor-trailer was partially blocking the exit ramp.  Unsure whether the truck driver was in his sleeper berth at the time of the crash, the investigation will continue forward.  The identity of the truck driver has not yet been released.  Girard was transported to a local hospital in Marshall before being airlifted to University Hospital in Columbia due to the severity of her injuries.  Girard's Dodge minivan was destroyed and had to be removed from the scene by a flatbed wrecker.

Commercial motor carriers and truck drivers are required to pull completely off the highway when stopping for rest or to address mechanical problems.  They are required to use flares and reflective triangles when there are potential mechanical issues with the truck or trailer.  Tractor-trailers that are partially stopped on the highway or exit ramp present a real danger to passenger cars and other commercial motor vehicles.  These trucks may be large, but at night they can blend in with surroundings and become indiscrete to other drivers.  Drivers of passenger vehicles or other tractor-trailers may not notice a large parked truck until it is too late.

Time is of the essence in any tractor-trailer accident when serious personal injuries or death is involved.  Evidence at the scene is critical and often times the initial responders do not know what to look for in the way of contributing causes to the crash.  A Marshall tractor-trailer accident lawyer will dispatch his own crash investigation team to the scene.  Even if a few days have passed since the crash, a truck accident injury lawyer will still be able to inspect the truck and conduct an ECM (electronic control module) download to pull data that will prove useful when presenting a claim to the trucking company and its commercial insurance carrier.  Call (866) 840-3636 to speak to a lawyer immediately. 

Authorities responded to a fatal head-on car crash in Franklin County late Sunday evening.  18 year-old Jeremiah Nolting of Union Missouri was apparently attempting to pass another vehicle on westbound Highway 50 when he crashed into the front of a Chevy Suburban that was traveling eastbound.  Nolting was killed in the crash.  The driver and two passengers in the Suburban were seriously injured and two were transported to the level-one trauma center at St. Johns Medical Center in St. Louis for treatment.  Jacob Carman and Stephanie Dierberg were transported by helicopter due to the catastrophic nature of their injuries.  Kristen Dierberg was taken to St. Johns Mercy in Washington.  It appears that this fatal head-on crash could have been prevented. This fatality represented the third roadway death this year for Troop C of the Missouri Highway Patrol.

In cases involving life-threatening injuries, it is crucial to discover all possible avenues of financial recovery.  This enigma is compounded when you have several victims claiming the serious injuries.  Whether it is liability coverage, uninsured coverage, or underinsured coverage, most persons driving in the state of Missouri are grossly UNDERinsured.  Therefore, it becomes important for a Missouri car accident lawyer to investigate all areas of coverage and all possible parties that share legal responsibility for the cause of the crash.  Those entities can include anyone from a driver to the Missouri Department of Transportation (defective road design).

Call the Franklin County car accident lawyers at Schultz Legal Group for more information on what types of claims for compensation can be presented and what entities may share legal responsibility in your case.  Our lawyers can be reached day or night by calling (314) 448-0934 or toll free at (866) 840-3636.  Don't be victimized twice.

Authorities report that a Western Star Diesel Tractor-trailer was backing up on Westbound 160th Street near Canton Missouri early Monday morning when it crashed into another vehicle.  The tractor-trailer was being driven by 43 year-old Daniel Fahser of Canton.  A GMC truck heading southbound on Route B impacted the tractor-trailer, causing a serious collision.  66 year-old Wayne Priebe, also of Canton, sustained catastrophic injuries in the collision with the tractor-trailer.  Priebe was airlifted from the scene by Air Evac, and taken to Blessing Hospital for emergency treatment.  His GMC truck was completely totaled and taken from the scene by a flatbed wrecker.

This serious crash raises questions of whether the Star Diesel Truck had the appropriate truck and trailer markings as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Missouri state law.  Did the truck driver have a spotter?  Could Mr. Priebe even see that the large truck was backing up at the time of the crash?  Federal regulations and Missouri state law require that commercial motor vehicle operators exercise the highest degree of care when operating a truck over 26,000 pounds.  These regulations are very particular with respect to trailer lighting and reflectors.  Because this crash occurred very early in the morning, just after sunrise, lighting and reflectors may very well have contributed to the cause of the crash. 

A truck accident injury attorney will be able to assist in the investigation and determine what circumstances contributed to the cause of the collision.  If it is determined that the driver of the Western Star Diesel Truck failed to exercise due care or failed to have the proper lights or reflectors on his dump bed trailer, the victim may be able to file a truck accident injury claim.  Call (866) 840-3636 for an immediate consultation with a Canton truck crash injury lawyer. 

Statistics prove that almost every person will be involved in a car accident at some point in their life.  The nature of a car accident itself is traumatic, even when there are no serious injuries reported by persons involved.  Dealing with property damage and negotiating with car insurance companies is unfamiliar to most people.  The gravity of the situation is increased when injuries are involved. 

Car accidents cause both physical injuries and emotional injuries.  Recovery from the injury itself, substantial medical bills, lost wages, damaged credit, and compromised family relationships cause the injury victim to become emotionally vulnerable.  Car insurance claims adjusters often prey on this vulnerability and use it as an opportunity to force injury victims into accepting a low ball settlement offer.  Insurance companies play the odds that most injury victims will not hire an car accident lawyer to file an injury claim against them.  Historically the gamble has paid off for the insurance industry, which even in an economic downturn continues to turn billions of dollars in profits.

If you have been injured in a St. Louis car accident, contact the lawyers at Schultz Legal Group to discuss your legal rights.  Don't be victimized twice by an insurance claims adjuster.  Call (314) 448-0934 or toll-free at (866) 840-3636 for an immediate consultation with an aggressive Missouri injury lawyer.