Personal Injury Law

West Plains woman seriously injured in Missouri crash

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Helen Kincheloe, 60, was injured Thursday when her car was rear-ended on Highway 160 as she was trying to turn into a private driveway.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Kincheloe was stopped to make a left turn when her car was rear-ended by a 1999 Dodge pickup, driven by Robert Zastrow, 20. Kincheloe?s 1995 Buick was spun into oncoming traffic and hit by a third car, a 2004 Scion driven by Timothy Rohrer, 54.

Kincheloe was taken to the Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains with serious injuries. Rohrer also sought treatment for minor injuries. The investigating officer did not report any injuries for Zastrow.

While further investigation is needed, under most circumstances Missouri law says that the at-fault driver?s negligence is presumed in rear impact car accidents. This doctrine, commonly referred to as the ?rear end collision doctrine,? is based on the reasoning that all drivers are required to be in control of their vehicles at all times. A personal injury lawyer would need only to convince a judge the doctrine applies to prove negligence.

Read end collisions can generate dangerous forces that are directed to passengers inside the car. These forces can cause very serious injury and death. Whiplash, where the head and neck are injured by snapping back violently, is the most common injury in these types of accidents, but there is always the risk of other serious head trauma. For more information on these types of accidents and other areas of personal injury law, please visit our website.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a Missouri or Illinois car crash, contact us at The Bradley Law Firm and we?ll discuss your case for free. In addition to the free consultation, you?ll never receive a legal fee from us as we are only compensated if we are successful on your case.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on August 22, 2008 (boomark / email).