St. Louis Motorcycle Accidents Increase with Warm Weather

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

More St. Louis motorcycle riders are taking to the roadways now that warm weather has arrived. Unfortunately, more motorcyclists on the road always seem to bring a spate of spring and summer motorcycle accidents. In recent weeks, collisions between motorcycles and cars have resulted in several deaths and multiple serious injuries:

  • A Missouri man was seriously injured when his speeding motorcycle crashed head-on into a pick-up truck in Jefferson County when it turned onto the highway in front of him.
  • In St. Louis County, a Fenton Man was severely injured when his motorcycle collided with a car. He had been attempting to pass the car when it turned left.
  • An East St. Louis man and his 11-year-old daughter both died when their motorcycle ran head-on into a rental car driven by an 18-year-old unlicensed driver at what is known as “Dead Man’s Curve.” Neither he nor his daughter was wearing a helmet.

When St. Louis motorists and motorcyclists share the road, a moment’s inattention or misjudgment can quickly lead to tragedy. Motorcycles offer riders and passengers no protection when accidents occur. When crashes occur, bikers are frequently ejected from their vehicles and traumatic head injuries are common.

The experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman have been successful assisting motorcyclists injured in accidents obtain the compensation they are entitled to. If you or a family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident, call us today for a free consultation.

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Church Van Accident Near St. Louis Kills 5, Injures 6

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

Five adults died yesterday morning and another six were injured when a church van hit the median, crossed back across eastbound lanes and rolled over multiple times as it ran off the highway. The fatal car accident, which occurred near Vandalia, Illinois east of St. Louis, closed I-70 for a while. The Fayette County coroner called the accident “my worst nightmare,” saying it was the worst auto accident he had ever seen.

The van was transporting 11 male members of a Maryland church home from a religious event in California. Nine of the van’s 11 occupants were thrown from the vehicle during the accident. Survivors were transported to area hospitals where at least two remained in serious condition. Police are still investigating the cause of the auto accident but the van appears to have been the only vehicle involved in the crash.

The end of the school year and arrival of summer bring a flurry of church, school, day care, park district, day camp, sports team, youth group and other special outings where people place their lives or the lives of their children in the hands of drivers they do not know. Every year, tragic car, van and bus accidents are caused by car, van or bus drivers who are tired, distracted or unfamiliar with local roads.

If you or someone you love is injured in an auto accident, call Hoffman & Gelfman today at (866) 298-1020 to schedule a free consultation with an expert St. Louis auto accident lawyer.

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Woman Found Guilty of Granddaughter’s Death in St. Louis Drunk Driving Accident

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

Last week, a 49-year-old grandmother was found guilty of killing her 19-month-old granddaughter in a 2011 St. Louis drunk driving auto accident.

After celebrating the July 4th holiday with friends and family, the woman’s blood alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit when she sped off a highway exit ramp at 69 mph, crashing her car. The car landed upside down after crashing in quick succession into a street sign, house, tree and fence. Recovered from the wreck, the car’s black box showed that the woman never touched the brake pedal.

The woman’s tiny granddaughter suffered a severe skull fracture during the St. Louis auto accident that caused massive bleeding and swelling in her brain. Unable to overcome her injuries, the little girl died the next day.

The child’s grandmother was found guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and endangering the welfare of a child. At a sentencing hearing scheduled for early June, St. Louis prosecutors are expected to seek a 20-year jail sentence.

With the first of summer’s three big holidays fast approaching, the St. Louis personal injury attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman encourage people to drink responsibly and designate a driver if they plan to drink over upcoming the Memorial Day weekend. As the grandmother left that 4th of July party two years ago, one of her relatives urged her not to drive. Had someone in the family been more forceful, perhaps tragedy could have been prevented. Something to think about.

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Texting Now Leading Cause of Death of Teen Drivers

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

Texting has replaced drinking as the No. 1 cause of auto accident deaths among teen drivers. The number of teen deaths and injuries related to texting while driving has skyrocketed. Each year, texting while driving results in an estimated 3,000 teen deaths and 300,000 injuries nationwide, according to a recent study by the Cohen Children’s Medical Center. In comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that drinking while driving kills and estimated 2,700 teens and is responsible for an estimated 282,000 teen injuries.

Experts say texting drivers have a higher chance of being involved in serious auto accidents that result in severe injuries or fatalities because texting simultaneously distracts drivers from manual, visual and mental concentration. What is particularly frightening is that laws against texting while driving do not appear to have had any impact on the problem.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, distracted driving of all kinds has become a significant driving hazards. While texting while driving heads the list of distractions connected to auto accidents, other behaviors, including the use of handheld cellphones, are becoming an increasing roadway hazard.

If you are involved in a St. Louis auto accident caused by a distracted or texting driver, contact the expert St. Louis auto accident lawyers at Hoffman and Gelfman today.

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Impaired Driver Plows into Bus Stop Killing Baby, Injuring Mother

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

A baby was killed and her mother seriously injured when a driver plowed into a bus stop in St Louis’ Northwoods neighborhood last month. According to news reports, the driver was on his way to dialysis treatment and may have suffered a diabetic seizure, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. Both the driver and mother were hospitalized with serious injuries.

Nothing can compensate a parent for the loss of a child. In such tragic cases, the family’s grief is compounded by worry for the life of the mother. Not only can the tragedy be emotionally overwhelming, families can be financially overwhelmed by funeral costs for the child and medical, drug and rehabilitation expenses for the injured mother. Family members must cope with their own grief and fear while consoling the family’s other children and making arrangements for their care. If the mother worked, the loss of income is another blow to the family.

When serious auto accidents occur, insurance company settlement offers frequently fail to offer sufficient compensation to cover an accident victim’s full loss and accident expenses. Hiring a St. Louis auto accident attorney to handle your claim can ensure that you receive appropriate compensation.

When death results from the conduct of another person, as it did in this case, an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer may be able to file a wrongful death suit on behalf of the person’s family to recover damages for injuries suffered by surviving family members due to the victim’s death.

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Hit and Run Accident Leaves Pedestrian in Critical Condition

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

An 86-year-old man is in the hospital in critical condition after being run down in a north St. Louis hit-and-run accident last week. The man was returning home from a dentist appointment when he was hit attempting to cross the street at the intersection of Natural Bridge Avenue and North Newstead Avenue. The driver, a 21-year-old woman, was captured by police and taken into custody several blocks from the accident.

The human body is no match for a moving automobile. According to the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation, more than 1,500 pedestrians are killed every year in hit and run accidents. When pedestrians survive hit and run accidents they frequently suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries. St. Louis pedestrian accident attorneys say the most common injuries pedestrians suffer in hit and run accidents include whiplash, fractured bones, broken bones, back injuries, spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries.

Such catastrophic injuries typically require months of expensive recovery and rehabilitation and may lead to lifelong impairment. Pedestrian accidents can wreak havoc on the life of the victim and his family. Permanent disability can result in loss of income, job loss, inability to provide for one’s family, lifestyle changes, need for long-term care and other profound changes that change the life of the individual and his family.

The St. Louis pedestrian accident attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman are experienced in handling pedestrian accident and hit and run claims and will fight to protect your rights and obtain fair and adequate compensation for your injuries.

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Why You Need an Attorney If You’re in an Accident

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

A recent East St. Louis accident illustrates why you need a St. Louis personal injury attorney if you’re in an automobile accident or a motorcycle accident.

Here’s what happened: A car and motorcycle approached the intersection of Missouri Avenue and 15th Street from opposite directions. When one driver attempted to turn left, the vehicles collided in the intersection.

The driver of the car filed suit against the motorcyclist claiming that he caused the accident. The motorcycle rider turned around and countersued the driver, saying he failed to yield properly while turning left. The countersuit also charges the owner of the car, a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the accident, with entrusting her vehicle to an incompetent driver. The motorcyclist, who claims to have suffered severe injuries, incurred medical costs and lost wages, is asking for a judgment of $150,000 plus court costs.

The case is an excellent illustration of how a small fender bender can quickly mushroom into a major headache. It is worth pointing out that the motorcyclist did not make a claim of damage or injury until after the auto driver sued him.

When you are in what seems to be a minor St. Louis car or motorcycle accident you never know how the other party is going to respond after he gets home and starts to think things over. A St. Louis attorney can protect your rights so you are fairly compensated for your injuries and not left paying for someone else’s mistake.

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St. Louis Toddler Strangled by Window Blind Cord

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

Two South St. Louis parents are living every parent’s nightmare. As Fox2Now reported earlier this month, they found their 2-year-old son dead in his bedroom, strangled by the pull cord on the window blinds. The boy’s father performed CPR until EMS crews arrived, but it was too late and the boy was pronounced dead at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. The parents were not charged in what police termed “a tragic accident.”

More than 546 children nationwide have died after becoming entangled in the cords from window blinds and roman shades. What seems like a toy can turn deadly if a child slips his head between the cords. As recently as last September, the Consumer Product Safety Council ordered the recall of nearly half a million blinds made by Blind Xpress of Michigan after a 2-year-old girl strangled in the adjustment cord.

Most deaths attributed to window blinds occur when children put their heads inside the pull loop, turning it into a noose. But children have also died when their heads became trapped between the inner cords and slats. Free repair kits designed to prevent strangulation are available from the Window Covering Safety Council.

We do not expect things we buy to decorate our homes to become lethal objects. Nothing can replace a child but holding companies accountable for product safety may prevent other children from dying. For information about our strategy in product liability cases, schedule a free appointment with one of our St. Louis personal injury attorneys.

 

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Cyclist in Alton Hit by an Intoxicated Driver Dies

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

According to a recent news story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the driver of a vehicle that struck and killed a cyclist over the April 13th weekend has been charged with two counts of aggravated DUI. The driver is facing these very serious charges due to the fact that he was under the influence of Marijuana and alcohol when the accident occurred. In a separate story the Post-Dispatch has reported that St. Louis alderman have approved reducing marijuana penalties which unfortunately may lead to more of this kind of incident.
 
The continuing problem of driving under the influence of any drug or alcohol has taken the lives and damaged the health of far too many individuals in the St. Louis area and across the country. This particular case could end up in a wrongful death civil proceeding after the criminal charges are answered for.
 
The deceased cyclist, like other riders of two wheeled vehicles, had just as many rights to the road as an automobile driver. If you are a cyclist or motorcycle rider who has been injured by a driver who was under the influence or negligent you need to seek the help of an experienced attorney.  Visit our website today to set up an appointment with a St. Louis auto accident attorney for advice on how you should proceed to receive damages for your injuries.

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Two Elderly people Fatally Injured in a Head on Collision

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Hoffman & Gelfman

The car crash in St. Peters on Saturday April 13, 2013 that took the life of one of the passengers has now claimed the driver as well. Mr. Donald Gemienhart has died as a result of the injuries he suffered when the car he was driving was hit head on by a car that had crossed over the center line. His passenger that day, Ruth Thimming, had passed away on the night of the accident at the hospital. The St. Louis Post Dispatch has reported, according to the police report, that the driver of the Honda civic that crossed the line, ultimately causing the accident, was not injured seriously.

There is no reason known at this time for the cause of the head on collision. The police are planning a reconstruction of the accident and toxicology tests have been given. If there are any problems with the toxicology findings the matter could become more difficult for the driver.

Wrongful death due to negligent driving devastates too many families in the St. Louis area. If you have been injured in an accident or a family member has been taken from you visit our website and contact one of our St. Louis auto accident attorneys to determine your next step in the legal process.

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