Learning to drive is often difficult for new drivers because there are so many things that require drivers’ attention and so many risks. Even with years of experience, many drivers fail to pay sufficient attention or believe that they have more control while driving than they actually do. Whether it is from dangerous roads or weather conditions, a distracted driver or a mechanical failure, there are many different causes of car accidents and drivers should constantly be aware to minimize the risks.
A recent accident in Missouri at the intersection of U.S. 24 Highway and Missouri Highway 224 involved two vehicles. Three people were injured and one person was killed as a result of the accident. According to the patrol report, the cause of the accident was one car pulling in front of the other car. Unfortunately, the passenger who was killed was a ten-year-old girl.
It is probably safe to say that the people involved in this accident likely never saw it coming. And their families and loved ones most certainly did not expect to receive news that their relatives or friends had been hospitalized or killed in an accident. There is often a great deal of shock after an accident. Many people may know what to do next and may not even remember what happened in the first place.
A personal injury lawsuit can help victims and their families move forward after an accident by providing the financial resources they need to pay medical bills or replace income lost during a lengthy recovery. Financial recovery may be possible even if a driver is partially at fault for the accident because Missouri laws recognizes comparative fault. This means that juries divide damages according to the percentage of fault assigned to each driver. In many cases, crash reconstruction can be a critical step because it can help prove fault and reveal what actually happened during the crash.
Source: Kansas City Star, “Girl killed in car accident in Lafayette County,” Dave Helling, April 13, 2014