Zoo’s Safety Improvements Are Inspired by Luke Maue

The zoo has started a multi-million dollar project to improve the safety of visitors. They are building a foot bridge that will allow zoo visitors to walk over Wells Drive by the South parking lot and avoid any traffic. The new safety precautions were inspired by Luke Maue, a 7-year-old from St. Peters who was hit by a drunk driver and killed while on the sidewalk of Wells Drive in 2001. Luke’s mother, Angie Maue, appeared on FOX news to discuss her appreciation for the new precaution and her hopes that the Zoo will provide some kind of memorial for Luke. The memorial would be meant to remind visitors why their safety is essential and honor Luke’s memory.

Many of St. Louis’ residents remember the chilling news of the accident involving Luke Maue. It is tragic to hear of a child’s death, especially one that took place where many of our children visit every day. The heightened emotions and confusion that follows after the death of a child are hard to handle.  In this case, it was very important for Angie Maue to act quickly in hiring the right attorney for her son’s case. While the driver may have been at fault for his intoxication, the other information involved in the case could have been manipulated to lessen his sentence. If your child or a child you love has been injured or killed in an accident, contact an attorney immediately who specializes in children’s fatalities.

Update on Fatality in St. Ann Involving Young Boy

LaTeshia Chambers, mother of the 5 year old DahSean Mabry who was recently killed after being hit by a car, is reeling from the death of her son. With the impending funeral arrangements and her traumatic feelings, Ms. Chambers may be overwhelmed. Despite her trauma, she seems to be critical of the police’s assessment of the situation…and for good reason. Many other factors come in to play if the woman who hit DahSean was driving as slowly as police are saying. With crowds of people from the released softball game no doubt lining the sidewalks and streets, was the woman watching? As the reports continue to come out, negligence seems more likely. It will be important for Ms. Chambers to contact an attorney that is experienced in children’s auto injuries and fatalities.

Fatal Accident involving 5 year old boy in St. Ann

On Wednesday evening, 5-year-old  Dahsean Mabry was hit by a car is St. Ann and killed while trying to cross the street in a group of children. The accident happened near the 10000 block of Livingston Avenue and Sims Avenue. The child was under no parental supervision. The driver was not drinking or speeding but the area was particularly congested due to a softball game. The boy was taken to the hospital where he passed later that evening.

My heart goes out to the family of Dahsean Mabry. Accidents are always tragic but, when they claim the life of a child, it is particularly hard to find consolation. Understanding what happened will be important for the family to get through this terrible trauma.

Because of the high level of emotion involved in the death of a child, it is hard to fully understand and cope with the situation. The family would be well-advised to have a fatal accident attorney who specializes in the delicate scope of children’s injury. Although the driver is not being charged with a crime, there may be evidence of negligence. If the family hired a car accident lawyer who deals with children’s serious injury or fatality, they may be able to gather the right evidence and fully understand the legal options they have.

Texting While Driving Could Cause Serious Injury

This just in: texting is a hazard to your driving. No kidding. According to a report from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch released this week, texting while driving is an even bigger distraction than previously thought. The time that people take to look and read their texts, typically five seconds, seems to be quite enough distraction time to cause an accident. According to the article, a study showed that a driver is eight times more likely to crash when texting as opposed to not texting. Some legislators tried to prevent this risk through legislating a ban on texting for all drivers, but for now the law only bans those under 21 from texting while driving.

This story exposes a serious and relevant point. When left up to their own devices, many drivers make poor decisions and are not prepared to handle the consequences. I see countless drivers on my way to work steering with one hand and texting with the other. And where are their eyes? On their phones, of course. The information age has made us rely on our phones a little bit more every day. While I understand the need to constantly be linked, it is all for naught if we are not safe.

The injuries that can be caused from these reckless driving habits are serious.  A recent example is the horrific fatal car accident involving Illinois State Highway Patrolman. Uncovering the fact that Trooper Mitchell was texting right before causing the fatal crash will be crucial in obtaining a just award in the personal injury case for Jessica and Kelli Uhl and Kelly and Christine Marler. Someone who has been seriously injured in an automobile accident should understand that this fact could have easily been overlooked without the help of an experienced automobile accident lawyer. 

Anyone who has been seriously injured in an accident must be careful not to make a mistake that could be fatal to their case.  Many times, someone involved in a serious car accident is not even thinking clearly.  Do they remember all of the facts?  Should they talk to an adjuster?  What items should they document to have the best chance of proving their case?  An experienced St. Louis personal injury attorney knows exactly what needs to be done in the first several days following a serious car crash to avoid the most common fatal mistakes.  If the injuries aren’t serious, a car accident lawyer may not even be needed, but knowing the facts and what to do is crucial.  You can obtain a FREE accident fact sheet by calling our office at 314-241-3008

Illinois Trooper E-Mailing Before Fatal Car Accident

According to a lawsuit filed in Belleville, IL, an Illinois State Trooper was sending and receiving e-mails just seconds before his patrol car violently crashed into an oncoming car on a southwestern Illinois highway killing two teenage sisters.  The lawsuit also alleges that Trooper Matt Mitchell was talking on his cell phone to his girlfriend before the incident.

Investigation of the fatal car crash shows that Trooper Mitchell was recklessly driving his patrol car more than 100 miles per hour when he lost control and slammed into the other vehicle.  Mitchell has been charged with reckless homicide and reckless driving.

Killed in this fatal car accident were Jessica Uhl, 18, and Kelli Uhl, 13, of Collinsville, Illinois.  Seriously injured in the motor vehicle crash were Kelly and Christine Marler of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Although this is an ongoing case and the allegations against Trooper Mitchell must be proven, this incident shows that when your attention is taken away from safely maintaining your motor vehicle by talking on the cell phone, texting or answering e-mails, sever injuries and even death can result from such tragic auto accidents.

I hope that the families are able to find the support they need to get through this difficult time.  I also have my heart go out to Trooper Mitchell’s family as I am sure, as an officer of the law, he had no intention of causing such devastating injury.

Unfortunately, these are the exact types of cases which seem to have to happen before rules are put in place to prevent the reckless use of electronic devices while driving.

Metropolis Illinois Toddler Seth Robertson Drowns In Swimming Pool

Seth Robertson, a 2-year old toddler in the southern Illinois town of Metropolis died Wednesday evening after a drowning accident in a relative’s swimming pool.

Massac County Coroner Greg Russell states that the child passed away at a hospital Wednesday night shortly after being found in the pool submerged for approximately 15 minutes.  The Robertson family had been swimming and the toddler was able to slip away unseen when no one was in the pool.

My heart goes out to the Robertson family and friends who knew Seth in this time of tragedy.  I wish the family the very best in their effort to recover from this tragic swimming accident.

I am certain the family is feeling responsible for this accident.  However, the design and safety of the swimming pool itself should be looked into to determine if there was a defect that could have been avoided which ultimately led to this event. If there is a design defect that was partially to blame for such accidents, the swimming pool manufacturer could be held liable to Seth Robertson’s death.

The Robertson family would be well advised to contact an experienced Southern Illinois personal injury lawyer who is successful in handling catastrophic injuries to children and partnering with the most successful product design and defect attorney in the country.