Missouri Injury Attorneys Blog

Lilbourn, Missouri woman pulls into path of another vehicle killing the driver and seriously injuring herself.

On April 18, 2011 at approximately 6:35 am, 37 year old Jonithan Dodson of Catron, Missouri was operating a 1995 Jeep traveling northbound on highway 153. At the said time and place, 19 year old Holly Pruitt of Lilbourn, Missouri was operating a 2007 Pontiac at the intersection of Route Z and Highway 153, five miles east of Bernie, Missouri.

While at the intersection of Route Z and Highway 153, Pruitt failed to yield to Dodson and pulled into the path of the vehicle he was operating. Pruitt's failure to yield caused both vehicles to travel off the highway and caused Dodson's vehicle to overturn.

Dodson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Stoddard County Coroner, Aaron Mathis, and was transported to Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, Missouri. Pruitt, the at-fault driver, suffered moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance to Southeast Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Both vehicles received total damage in the crash and were towed from the scene of the crash by Tillman's Wrecker of Bernie, Missouri. Pruitt, the at-fault driver, was wearing a safety device and Dodson, deceased driver, was not wearing a safety device. This fatality marks the 13th fatality of 2011 for Troop E. The crash was investigated by State Trooper L. E. Rawson and assisted by the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department.

READ A CRASH REPORT

Parents of an eighteen month old boy filed a wrongful death suit against the child's babysitter and her husband after their child died in the babysitter's care.

Eighteen month old Mason Beach died in September of 2009 while in the care of his babysitter, Lisa West. West was running a daycare out of her Wentzville home at the time of the death. The medical examiner and doctors who treated the baby concluded that the injuries that Mason sustained were more than just a fall and were more likely an intentional act on the child. Dr. Mary Case, chief medical examiner for St. Charles County has ruled the child's death a homicide.

Mason's parents have since filed a wrongful death suit against Lisa West and her husband, Scott West. The wrongful death suit contains six different counts which cover alternate theories on how Mason may have died. Count two of the suit alleges negligence against West in that a 'stairwell leading to the basement did not have a barricade and/or a self closing door'. Count four alleges that West left the child unattended in an unsecured highchair and count six alleges that West "intentionally struck, pushed, threw, kicked, shook and/or dropped Mason causing him severe bodily harm and injury resulting in brain damage and ultimately his death."

The attorney for the babysitter and her husband said in court filings that the Wests were not negligent and did not intentionally harm the child. When asked how the boy died, he responded "I am not putting forward a theory on how this child died".

It is not known if Lisa West is still caring for children other than her own. The criminal investigation of this case is ongoing.

READ AN ARTICLE

Potosi, MO man crosses the center line and hit another vehicle head-on, killing the occupant of his vehicle and seriously injuring himself and the driver of the other vehicle.

On April 9, 2011 at approximately 7:40 pm, 17 year old Andrew Thurmond of Cadet, Missouri was operating a 1994 Jeep Cherokee traveling southbound on Route P, about .02 miles north of Ridgely Road. At that said time and place, 31 year old Bobby Revelle of Potosi, Missouri was operating a 1998 Jeep Cherokee traveling northbound on Route P.

At the above said time and place, while traveling southbound on Route P, Thurmond crossed over the center line and collided with Revelle's vehicle (northbound) head-on.

Thurmond's passenger, 18 year old Trevor Wild, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the Washington County Coroner, Brian Declue. Thurmond, the at-fault driver, suffered serious injuries and was transported by Arch Helicopter to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Revelle, the driver of the other vehicle, also suffered serious injuries and was also transported by Arch Helicopter to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

Both vehicles received total damage in the crash and were towed from the scene of the crash by Elliott Motor Company. Thurmond, the at-fault driver, was wearing a safety device but his deceased passenger was not. Revelle, the driver of the other vehicle, was also not wearing a safety device. The crash was investigated by State Trooper J. Coleman of Troop C.

READ A CRASH REPORT

A Springfield, Missouri woman was hit with a heavy box while standing in line at a checkout, ultimately leading to a 1.6 million dollar settlement.

On October 6, 2001, Beverly Bottoms of Springfield and her 9 year old son were waiting in a checkout line at office supply store Staples. At that time, a Staples employee was pushing a 30 pound boxed folding table on a dolly. He stopped behind her to pick debris up off the floor and at that time the box fell forward and struck Ms. Bottoms in her lower back.

Initially after the incident, Beverly Bottoms thought she was going to be fine. However, shortly after the incident Bottoms developed radicular pain in her leg and experienced that pain over the next two years. In January 2004, Bottoms underwent an L4-L5 laminectomy and underwent a fusion of the L4-L5 and S1 vertebra the following November.

Bottoms and her physician eventually agreed that the table incident led to her latest injuries and she decided to seek legal counsel at that point. Bottoms saught representation from Steve Garner of The Strong-Garner-Bauer firm in Springfield. When she approached Garner, she simply said "I just want to make sure my medical bills are paid for". Garner made numerous attempts to reach an agreement with the insurance carrier in which Bottoms' medical bills would be covered; however Staple's insurance carrier would not cooperate.

Garner said the insurance company contended because Bottoms already suffered from degenerative disk disease and because her previous spinal injuries left her unable to work as a hair stylist. In the opinion of the insurance carrier, being hit by the box did not cause her injuries.

To rebut this stance Garner called in an occupational medicine specialist to prove that this incident did in fact cause further damage to her back and will cause her continual pain and accruement of medical bills. Garner said that a 20 year old athlete may not suffer from such an incident, the impact means something entirely different for a woman in her mid-40s who already suffers from spinal problems.

Greene County Circuit Court granted a 1.6 million dollar settlement to the plaintiff, Beverly Bottoms.

Illinois man overcorrects his vehicle, colliding with a Cape Girardeau, Missouri man leaving one dead and the other seriously injured.

On April 4, 2011 at approximately 8:07 am, 39 year old Michael Tompkins of Herrin, Illinois was operating a 1998 Ford F150 traveling eastbound on Route H about .1 mile east of PCR 936. At that said time and place, 44 year old James Buck of Cape Girardeau, Missouri was operating a 2004 Ford F150 traveling westbound on Route H.

Tompkins' right wheel then dropped off the south side of the roadway; he then overcorrected his vehicle causing his vehicle to partially travel off the north side of the roadway. James Buck then swerved off the north side of the road to avoid striking Tompkins' vehicle. The front of both vehicles collided, causing James Buck's vehicle to overturn.

Michael Tompkins (the at-fault driver) was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by assistant coroner Dustin Miller at 8:45am. Tompkins was transported by the Perry County Coroner to Miller Funeral Home. James Buck was transported to Perry County Memorial Hospital from the scene of the crash by Perry County Ambulance with moderate injuries.

Both vehicles received total damage in the crash. Tompkins' vehicle was towed from the scene of the crash by Winklers Towing. Buck's vehicle was towed from the scene of the crash by Andy's Garage. The driver who was killed in the crash was not wearing his safety device. The surviving driver was wearing his safety device.

READ A CRASH REPORT

Kirksville teen lost control of his vehicle and traveled off the roadway killing one and seriously injuring three.

On April 3, 2011 at approximately 2:40pm, 16 year old Steven Owais of Kirksville, Missouri was operating a 2000 Pontiac Van traveling southbound on Youngstown Trail (gravel road) about 5 miles southwest of Kirksville. Owais' vehicle was occupied by himself and 14 year old Steven Calef of Kirksville, Missouri; 18 year old Jacquelyn Hurst of Ballwin, Missouri and 16 year old Drake Truitt of Kirksville, Missouri.

At the above said time and place, Steven Owais lost control of his vehicle and began sliding. Owais then struck the guardrail of a bridge, travelled off the right edge of the bridge and struck an embankment. The vehicle came to rest on its wheels off the right side of the roadway.

Passenger Jacquelyn Hurst was killed in the crash. She was transported by Adair County Ambulance to Northeast Regional Hospital where she was pronounced dead by Dr. Zeman at 3:46pm. Passenger Steven Calef was transported to Northeast Regional Hospital by Adair County Ambulance with moderate injuries. Passenger Drake Truitt was transported by Adair County Ambulance to Northeast Regional Hospital with moderate injuries. At fault driver, Steven Owais, was also transported to Northeast Regional Hospital by Adair County Ambulance with moderate injuries.

The vehicle received total damage and was towed from the scene of the crash by Buck's Towing. The deceased passenger was not wearing her safety device. All other passengers and driver were wearing their safety devices. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was assisted at this crash by Adair County Sheriff's Department and the Kirksville Fire Department. This was the tenth fatality crash for Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop B in 2011.

READ A CRASH REPORT

Four Missourians were seriously injured when one vehicle struck another broadside in Randolph County.

On March 21, 2011 at approximately 1:31pm, 61 year old Fred Nabors of Salisbury, Missouri was operating a 1997 Ford traveling eastbound on US 24 at the west edge of the Moberly city limits. Nabors had no passengers aboard his vehicle. At that said time and place, 62 year old Jerry Hudson of Moberly, Missouri was operating a 2010 Ford traveling westbound on US 24. Hudson's vehicle was occupied by himself and passengers Jesse Dodd, 65 year old of Salisbury, Missouri, and Edward Roelker, 72 year old of Salisbury, Missouri.

At the above said time and place, Hudson turned directly into the path of Nabors' vehicle. Nabors then had no other option to avoid Hudson and collided with him, striking his vehicle in the passenger side.

Fred Nabors was transported by Randolph County Ambulance to Moberly Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries. The at-fault driver, Jerry Hudson, was transported by Randolph County Ambulance to Moberly Regional Medical Center with moderate injuries. Passengers to the at-fault driver, Jesse Dodd and Edward Roelker, were also transported by Randolph County Ambulance to Moberly Regional Medical Center with moderate and serious injuries.

Both vehicles received total damage. Nabors' vehicle was towed from the scene of the crash by Prather's Towing. Hudson's vehicle was towed from the scene of the crash by EBS Towing. All drivers and passengers involved in the crash were wearing their safety devices.

Missouri State Highway Patrol was assisted in this crash by Moberly Police Department, Moberly Fire Department and Randolph County Sheriff's Department.

READ CRASH REPORT