St. Louis Personal Injury Blog

What puts you at risk for a fatal rollover crash?

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

Car crashes make the headlines nearly every day, but there are some that just sound scarier than others. Among the scariest of those crashes are the dreaded rollover.

There’s good reason to be terrified by the idea that your vehicle would ever roll onto its side or roof. Rollovers cause a disproportionate number of serious injuries and fatalities. Only about 3% of all crashes are rollovers, but they lead to about 30% of all traffic deaths. So what puts you at risk of suffering a rollover like the one that recently took place on I-70?

Studies examine media bias in articles on bicycle-vehicle crashes

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC posted in personal injury on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

It is apparently a coincidence that two recent studies tackled the same issue at the same time, but it is no coincidence that they arrived at basically the same conclusion. The studies both looked at inaccuracy and bias in mainstream media reports on crashes involving drivers and bicyclists.

The studies both concluded that journalists too often use questionable, victim-blaming phrasing when reporting on the collisions between motor vehicles and bicycles.

Turning semi-trailers can be hazardous for other drivers

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC on Saturday, May 11, 2019.

Because of their large size, semi-trailers have limitations when maneuvering. A semi-trailer’s turn radius is one of those limitations. Right turns require a tighter turn than left turns, so right turns can be especially difficult for a truck driver to execute.

Because of how long semi-trailers are, the rear tires follow a narrower path than the front tires follow when turning. To safely complete a right turn, the cab of a semi-trailer must swing wide, so that the rear tires of the trailer do not jump the curb. Alternatively, a truck driver may start a right turn from a left lane.

May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC posted in motorcycle accidents on Thursday, May 9, 2019.

After a long, cold winter, spring has finally broken in St. Louis and across Missouri. One of the surest signs that the seasons have changed is the reappearance of motorcycles and their riders. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents, injuries and fatalities also reappear at this time of year.

Because May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, the National Safety Council is urging everyone to increase their focus on traffic safety. That means that motorcyclists and those who are behind the wheels of four-wheeled vehicles both have important roles to play until the weather again turns cold and cycles are stored away.

Recovery is possible

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC on Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

If you’ve ever been involved in a car crash, you know how scary they can be, and you know how suddenly everything can change. In a split-second, an injury can change your life forever. But the story of a young woman from O’Fallon reminds us that recovery is possible.

KSDK-TV recently featured the story of a woman who was struck by a car while she was jogging. She was severely injured and needed multiple brain surgeries. She lost her ability to speak, and her doctors said she would never walk again. Six years later, she had learned how to speak again, and she was able to join her sisters for an alumni soccer game. She scored two goals.

Missouri texting ban proposal aims to curb distracted driving

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC posted in car accidents on Tuesday, April 30, 2019.

The U.S. is down to just three states that permit people to text while driving. You guessed it: Missouri is one of the states, along with Montana and Arizona. It should be noted that Missouri does restrict drivers age 21 and under from texting while behind the wheel.

The dangers of distracted driving are well documented, of course. By now, everyone should understand that using electronics while driving dramatically increases the risks of causing a motor vehicle crash, injuries and fatalities.

What goes into a Missouri State Highway Patrol accident report?

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

Listen to the news long enough, and you’re bound to hear that there’s been a crash on a Missouri highway. Each time there’s a crash, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper will visit the scene and fill out an accident report. That report can then go on to play a major role in any legal battles that follow.

Missouri uses the "fault" system to assign personal and financial liability in the wake of a crash, and the courts and insurance companies often rely upon the details of an accident report to decide how much each party is at fault. But did you ever wonder what goes into one of these reports?

Study: Americans understand and ignore distracted driving dangers

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC posted in car accidents on Friday, April 26, 2019.

What do motorists here in St. Louis and across the nation think is the biggest threat to their safety on the road? A new national study by the Harris Poll determined that more than half believe distracted driving is now the biggest threat.

Here's the real problem, however: while people understand that distracted driving is risky behavior that can cause motor vehicle accidents and injuries, more than 90 percent of those polled admitted to talking on their phones while they're behind the wheel.

Is an undiagnosed sleep disorder making your commute hazardous?

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC on Sunday, April 21, 2019.

Drowsy driving can be extremely dangerous for you and for everyone else on the road. Being tired can negatively impact your reaction time, ability to focus and awareness of surroundings, and sleepiness leads to numerous motor vehicle collisions every year.

Most people can prevent being dangerously tired by sleeping at least seven hours every night, but it may not always be that simple. If you are often tired during the day, you may have an undiagnosed sleep disorder.

Investigators: Trucker didn't slow before deadly interstate crash

On behalf of The Wilbers Law Firm LLC posted in trucking accidents on Friday, April 19, 2019.

The Missouri Department of Transportation signs along the interstate warned drivers that traffic ahead was slow. But the truck rolled past those warnings, just as it rolled past the state trooper parked alongside the highway with his emergency lights on and holding a sign urging drivers to slow down. Vehicles on the highway were indeed slowing and stopping - all but the big rig thundering along Interstate 70 near Columbia.

The tractor-trailer was moving at 57 mph when it hit the first stopped vehicle. It crashed into two more in the horrific November truck accident that killed four people, including the 63-year-old trucker.