Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
AARP Addresses Safety for Older Drivers
Even with decades of experience behind the wheel, it’s important for drivers to understand the many changes that occur over time that may impact their ability to stay safe on the road. In order to help drivers over the age of 50, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has developed the Smart Driver Course. These classes can be taken online or in person at a local classroom. The classes provide the following benefits:
Cars have changed dramatically in the past 50 years.
The car you are driving is most likely very different from the first vehicle you learned to operate. Modern cars offer a wide range of safety features, including on-board technology and other devices that can become distracting and dangerous.
Documenting Your Losses after a Missouri Car Accident
What you do after being in a Missouri car accident can affect your ability to receive compensation for your injuries. Once you have called the police, collected evidence, and obtained prompt medical attention, you must document your losses. Keeping track of your losses will help determine the value of your claim.
Victims of negligent drivers have the right to seek financial compensation for all their losses. You can document your losses by keeping every medical bill you have received since the crash. Track days of work you missed due to injuries. Keep a daily journal documenting your level of pain, the activities you have missed, and jobs around the house you can’t complete. If you cannot mow the lawn and had to hire a gardener for the job, document that.
Five Important Pieces of Evidence that Need Be Preserved after a Missouri Truck Accident
To receive fair compensation after a Missouri truck accident, it is important to secure certain documents from the truck driver and the truck company. Driver logs, delivery receipts, bills of lading, any other similar documents can help prove your case against a negligent truck company and its driver. The more evidence you secure, the better your chances are of recovering the money you are entitled to for your injuries.
Additional evidence includes:
- Physical evidence from the crash. This may include roadway debris, photos of any skid marks, damaged property, and evidence of environmental conditions at the time of the crash. If you cannot secure evidence because of your injuries, have someone gather it for you.
Five Tips to Drive Safely in Icy Conditions
Missouri is in the midst of Winter Storm Maximus. According to a recent report on The Weather Channel, we can expect “multiple waves of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.” Many of our roadways will be covered with ice hidden by layers of snow. Make sure to use extra care when driving in these treacherous conditions.
When the roads are icy, it is best to stay indoors. However, if you must drive in these conditions, follow these five tips to increase your chances of making it home safely:
Keeping Your Child Safe in the Car: An Overview
A child’s safety is the first priority of nearly every parent and caregiver. However, while parents and caregivers want the kids in their care to stay safe, they often lack the information needed to make the safest possible decisions for their children. Some of the greatest dangers to children are found in cars, but many don’t know it until an accident has happened.
When working to keep your kids safe in the car, consider the following tips from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):
- Kids are safest in the back seat. Although older children can be safely restrained in the front seat of a vehicle, kids should stay in the back until they are large enough to ride without a booster seat.
Understanding Common Car Accident Injuries
Even a relatively “minor” accident can cause lingering injuries that impair your ability to function for days, weeks, or even months. While a car accident can cause a wide range of injuries, some car accident injuries are more common than others. An aggressive Missouri car accident attorney like John Page can help you determine exactly what factors in a crash caused your injuries.
Brain and Head Injuries
A brain or head injury can result if the head strikes the seat, the frame of the car, or another part of the vehicle in an accident. Even if no blow to the head occurs, a concussion or other traumatic brain injury might result from the shaking or jostling of the brain inside the skull.
Protect Your Friends: Tips for Avoiding Impaired Driving This Halloween
Halloween is the highlight of fall for many Missourians. Dressing up in great costumes, heading out to parties, and enjoying fall treats – including, for adults, the occasional drink – can all be a great way to celebrate the end of fall and kick off the winter season.
No matter where you’re going or how you plan to party, you can help protect yourselves and others from a serious accident by keeping these safety tips in mind:
- Find a sober way home before you head out. Whether you decide to drink or not, you’ll be covered if you have plans before you leave the house. Choose a designated driver, look up taxi companies in your area, or walk to nearby parties to avoid driving if you’ve had a drink.
Census Data Paints a Sobering Picture of Fatal U.S. Car Accidents
The U.S. Census Bureau collects data on a number of dangerous and deadly accidents suffered in the United States each year, including the rates of fatal U.S. car accidents. Data collected in recent years offers both good news and bad news. While the total number of deaths in auto accidents nationwide has been dropping in recent years, more than 30,000 people still lost their lives in car accidents as recently as 2009.
Car accidents remain one of the leading causes of death among younger Americans, including children and young adults. Although occupants of regular motor vehicles suffer most of the deadly injuries car accidents inflict, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and others outside the vehicle also lose their lives in crashes each year.
Why You Need More Than Missouri’s Minimum Auto Insurance
Missouri law currently requires drivers to carry certain types of auto insurance and minimum amounts of coverage. These include minimum limits of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $10,000 per accident for property damage.
While this minimum insurance provides valuable protection in many accidents, it isn’t enough to ensure you’re fully covered if you’re in an auto accident, either within Missouri or elsewhere in the U.S. Accidents involving animals, certain injuries, and accidents with uninsured or underinsured drivers may leave you vulnerable to astronomical costs for medical bills, auto repair, and other losses.
What to Do If You’re in a Car Accident
The moments immediately following a car accident are frightening ones. What should you do to protect yourself and the people in your vehicle? How can you protect your legal rights as well? Many aggressive Missouri car accident attorneys offer tips, such as the following:
- Stay calm. Taking a few deep breaths can give you space to calm down and think. The ability to stay calm and in control can be crucial when it comes to making decisions that can help others.
- Make sure you and your passengers are okay. If someone needs medical help, contact emergency medical services by calling 911 or your local emergency number.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an
accident? Contact Page Law 24/7
1-800-CAR-CRASH
1(800) 227-2727 or (314) 322-8515