What Is the Role of the Insurance Adjuster?

After you get into an accident, you are contacted by an agent from the insurance company. His job is to gather the facts and evidence from you, other witnesses, police reports, and hospital records to report back to his employer. The facts and evidence that he gathers are used to negotiate how much money you can receive when you turn in your claim for damages and injuries.

His job is to make the lowest offer possible.

I’m sure this comes as no shock. The insurance company wants to pay you  as little as possible and the adjuster, as the company’s agent, gathers the knowledge to do so. Business is just business, after all.

Norm Stewart’s Granddaughter Killed in Auto Accident in Columbia

The granddaughter of legendary basketball coach Norm Stewart died in a car accident on Saturday in Columbia, Missouri. Around 3 a.m., Jennifer Stewart crashed into a tree at, what appears to be, a high speed. The vehicle caught file and Jennifer was dead when police arrived on the scene. According to police, Jennifer was not wearing a seat belt.

My thoughts go out to Jennifer’s family during this painful time. Jennifer was only 29 years old. Tragedies involving young people strike a certain chord in the hearts of parents everywhere. Since the crash did not involve any other drivers, it will be important for Jennifer’s family to look elsewhere for fault.

Until the final police reports come back, the cause of the accident cannot be properly identified but there are some other factors surrounding her situation. Jennifer was driving an older Jeep, which could be reason to suspect a deficiency with her vehicle. She was also driving a curve at the time of the crash which lends itself to many theories on the physical conditions of the scene.

Whatever the cause may be, it will be vital for Jennifer’s family to find it and get the proper justice for this tragedy. They would be well-advised to contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in traffic fatalities.

Texting Ban Goes Into Effect for Young Missouri Drivers

One month ago today, I wrote an article on the new texting while driving ban in Missouri. I also included the news in my newsletter. The law went into effect on Friday and it seems to not been met with much opposition. That is not to say there aren’t questions on where this law will take us—but mostly everyone can acknowledge that it is a dangerous habit.

More staggering statistics have been released in support of the law. According to an article from the Independence Examiner, a study showed that 80% of all traffic crashes involve some form of distraction to the driver. There is no doubt that texting is a distraction, considering the 5-10 seconds that is usually required when reading or sending a text.

Missouri is the 23^rd state in the country to make a move against texting. And the ban carries real consequences—a fine of up to $200 and possible points on your license due to its status as a moving violation.

Perhaps the more staggering number is the amount of Google results I got this morning for “Texting While Driving Accidents in Missouri.” Page after page of results has news stories about accidents interlaced with news on the new law. As a serious injury attorney, I have paid particular attention to the damages texting while driving can cause.

If you have been the victim of an accident with a driver who was texting, there is now more solid ground for your defense. Because this is now a legal violation, it changes the nature of your case and the likelihood that you will receive fair compensation. If you have been in an accident, it is vital that you contact an auto accident attorney immediately.

Accident on Blanchette Bridge May Be Result of Drunk Driving

Early Wednesday evening, it was reported that a 22 year old driver, who was suspected of drinking and drug possession, hit a man working on the Blanchette Bridge. The man was working on contract for the state Department of Transportation. After hitting the man, the young driver crashed into a truck that was also doing work on the site.

Drunk driving never ends well. It is inherently dangerous and it is unfortunate that this man has possibly become the victim of a drunk driver. If the driver had indeed been drinking, he or she could be facing several consequences.

There may be criminal charges for the drinking. The accident also must have occurred in a construction zone, which should have caught the attention of the driver immediately. There are other possibilities for tickets, whether the driver had been drinking or not, that all surround the same idea: the driver failed to keep a proper look out.

This idea has been a theme through the last couple posts—and it’s no coincidence.  Drivers are distracted by their cell phones, billboards, screaming children, other drivers, etc. It only takes a second with your eyes off the road to be the next story on the Post-Dispatch crime report. And the driver may have been drinking along with all those distractions? Whew. That isn’t a chance I would take.

Since this case has so many facets, it will be hard to understand which documentation is important to keep track of and which mistakes could permanently damage his case. The injured worker would be well-advised to contact an attorney who is experienced in injuries on the job and traffic accidents in order to get the proper compensation for his trauma and injuries.

Multi-Car Accident on Highway 55 Results in Fire and Highway Shut Down

According to an article on KPLR, there was an accident involving a tractor-trailer 4 other vehicles on Highway 55 near downtown St. Louis. Elizabeth Warren of Collinsville was a passenger in the car that was struck by the tractor-trailer from behind. Warren was killed in the accident and the driver remains in critical condition.

A Chevrolet Cobalt was caught in the accident leaving the driver in serious condition. A Grand Prix was also caught in the accident and the two women inside are stable. The crash also caused a fire, causing Interstate 55 to be shut down for several hours.

An accident that caused the death and injuries of so many strikes a chord with St. Louisans everywhere. This accident was a real tragedy and my thoughts are with the families of the victims.

I think of the hardship that has fallen on these families and hope that they can get the compensation they deserve. The mounting medical bills and expenses for these families will only be harder if they cannot negotiate with the insurance companies.

Proving who is at fault for this accident will be of particular importance. If the tractor-trailer driver had been negligent or distracted, he is violating his duty to keep a proper look out. As the investigators and accident reconstruction teams gather evidence, the families of these victims should keep careful track of injuries and expenses in order to make the proper claim.

The families would be well advised to speak with an attorney with experience in multi-vehicle accidents and traffic fatalities. That may be the only way for the families to negotiate with the insurance companies skillfully and get the compensation they need to survive these hard times.

Woman Dies After Bulldozer Crash in St. Charles County

According to an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a woman was injured and later died in an accident on Highway D in St. Charles County. Judith Ulery and mother Elsie Sherman were driving near Sneak Road when a bulldozer fell off a truck’s bed and crushed her car. The accident occurred July 8 and Judith Ulery passed away this past Friday. Her mother Elsie is still recovering. The investigation for the exact cause of the crash is ongoing.

My thoughts are with the family of Judith Ulery and Elsie Sherman. An accident that injures more than one member can be particularly hard on a family—in more than one way. Not only are the emotions overwhelming but the hospital bills incurred by both Judith and Elsie are probably a lot to handle also.

Considering the investigation is still ongoing, I would imagine they are having trouble determining the exact cause of the accident. If the police cannot confirm the cause, then the insurance companies have more bargaining power. The Ulery family could be left with massive hospital bills and not enough insurance to cover them.

If the bulldozer was not attached to the truckbed, it may show negligence on the driver’s part. This would help their case. The family of Judith Ulery and Elsie Sherman would be well-advised to contact an attorney who specializes in negotiating with insurance companies. This time certainly isn’t easy for them, but it could get harder if they are not given fair compensation for their loss.

Accident in Ladue leaves Bicyclist and Driver Injured

A St. Louis Post Dispatch article reported an accident between a bicycle and a pickup truck yesterday evening. The bicyclist rode into the path of the truck on South McKnight Road. Though the truck stopped as soon as possible, the bicyclist was still hit and suffered serious injuries. The driver was also taken to the hospital for treatment of a pre-existing health condition.

While it may seem like the crash was the bicyclist’s fault, accidents like these cannot be blamed 100% on one person. Missouri has a principle woven into the law called, “duty to keep a look out.” It may have been a bad idea for the bicyclist to dart out into traffic, but it is also the responsibility of the pickup driver to keep a proper look out on the road.

It will be important for the bicyclist and the pickup driver to properly document their stories. Since it is not clear who is at fault, they would be well-advised to contact an attorney who is experienced in traffic accidents.

Accidents occur every day because drivers are not looking out. Though some are unavoidable, there are many accidents that could’ve been avoided had either driver been paying proper attention.

I hope this story serves as a good reminder of the responsibility of driving. You have a responsibility to yourself and other drivers to always be watching the road (perhaps this is the idea behind the new texting restrictions…).

Be careful out there.

Woman Struck by Car and Killed in South St. Louis

A woman was struck by a car and killed late last week in the 6400 block of Chippewa in South St. Louis city, according to an article from the Post-Dispatch. Dolores Carr, 26, suffered head injuries and died shortly after. The driver was in a Pontiac Grand Am and claimed to be blinded by the sun and unable to see the woman crossing the street.

My thoughts are with the Carr family during this hard time. While the accident reconstruction team is finalizing its report, it will be important for the family of Dolores Carr to fully understand what happened.

If the woman was crossing at a crosswalk, the driver of the Grand Am could be facing charges. Crosswalks are meant to give a pedestrian the right of way and raise the awareness of drivers for them. While I’m sure this accident was not intentional, there are certain responsibilities one must take on when operating a motor vehicle.

It will be important for the Carr family to understand the legal ramifications involved in the accident and fight for the proper compensation. They would be well-advised to contact an attorney who specializes in traffic fatalities in order to get everything to which they are entitled. There are certain mistakes that will be fatal to her case.

Lenzburg Woman Killed in Head on Collision

Frances Koon of Lenzburg, IL died this morning after a head on collision in Freeburg. The Post-Dispatch reported that Koon collided with a Dodge Pickup carrying four young people as she headed to work on Route 13. The passengers of the dodge, ages between 19 and 21, were injured; three of them had to be taken to the hospital by helicopter.

My thoughts are with the family of Frances Koon and the families of the injured persons in the Dodge Pickup. Head-on collisions often cause very serious injuries and, as in this case, fatalities. It will be important for all families involved to know the cause of this accident. Since there has been no official report released listing the cause, there are many possibilities. If the driver of the dodge had been drinking, there may be criminal charges involved, which would change the nature of her case. Though it may not ease the pain of Frances’ passing, it may provide some closure for her family to be able to determine the proper cause and receive the proper settlement. The families would be well-advised to contact an attorney who specializes in traffic fatalities. A lawyer of this nature would be able to understand the details of the accident and properly level the playing field between the victims and the insurance companies involved.

Car Crash Kills Cottage Hills Teenager

A Post-Dispatch article reported that Michael Hapgood was killed in a car accident on Hillcrest Drive near Sheppard Street yesterday. The 17 year old was a passenger in a car that ran off a curve, hit a tree, and overturned. The other passengers escaped with minor injuries. The accident happened at 1 a.m. Michael was rushed to Barnes Jewish Hospital and died there around 4:30 a.m.

My condolences go out the Hapgood family. As a parent, I know how scary it is to let our teen drivers out of our sight. There are mistakes that can be made that will be detrimental to receiving the proper treatment from the insurance company and the legal system. In this emotional time, it will be important for Michael’s family to get the proper evidence and information to bring justice to this saddening situation. If the vehicle is shown to have a deficiency or the driver was proved to be negligent, it will be important for all of the families involved to get into immediate contact with an attorney who specializes in fatal car accidents.