Personal Injury Law

Pedestrian Fatality on Farm Road 194

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Ronald Chayer, 56, a resident of Rogersville, Missouri was killed after being struck by a 1997 Ford pickup truck driven by Jerry Vanness, 40. Mr. Vanness, also a resident of Rogersville, was traveling eastbound on Farm Road 194, four miles southwest of Rogersville, on Sunday evening when he struck Mr. Chayer who was out walking with his wife, Brenda Chayer, 52. The accident occurred around 6:10 p.m. and Missouri Highway Patrol was on the scene soon after. Greene County Coroner, David Black, pronounced Mr. Chayer dead at the scene. Brenda Chayer suffered minor injuries when the Mr. Chayer was pushed into her after being hit by the truck. Mrs. Chayer refused treatment at the scene. Police are investigating this tragic accident to determine the cause, and the fault, if any. Our sympathies are with Mrs. Chayer during this time of loss.

Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable to substantial injury and death when hit by a moving vehicle. Nearly 6,000 pedestrians lose their lives every year after being struck by a car. While certainly not all of these accidents involved negligence, it is a safe bet to say that a large portion of them were likely caused from inattention, excessive speed or at least some degree of negligent behavior. Although pedestrians are certainly allowed to travel on the shoulder of the highways or roads, an inattentive motorist can turn a daily stroll into a tragedy. Many times, drivers simply fail to yield to traffic signage or signals, or simply abandon safe driving practices. Occasionally, an accident involving a pedestrian is not the fault of the driver behind the wheel. Traffic signage could have become overgrown or obscured or other unsafe road conditions might exist, leading a driver to strike a pedestrian. If the lack of traffic signage causes a pedestrian accident, then the municipality responsible for maintaining the traffic signage and roads could be held partially responsible.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a pedestrian accident, it is important the details surrounding the accident are carefully examined by a Missouri pedestrian accident injury lawyer in order to accurately determine the cause of the accident and the legal issues surrounding the matter. Once the details are determined, liability can assessed. If a life was lost due to such an accident a Missouri wrongful death attorney should be contacted as soon as possible in order to pursue compensatory damages on behalf of the victim. A personal injury attorney can work hard to ensure your rights or the rights of a loved one are not brushed aside by a negligent motorist.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on January 30, 2011 (boomark / email).