Personal Injury Law

Missouri crash kills one and injures three in Barry County

By Ryan Bradley, Esq.

Ricky Taylor, 51, was killed and three others were injured in a three-car Missouri injury accident on Highway 90 in Barry County, Missouri.

Taylor was driving his 2003 Chevrolet Impala westbound, according to investigators, when he came upon a slower moving pickup, driven by David Wickman, 70. Taylor attempted to pass Wickman by going into the eastbound lanes. As he did so, he crossed into the path of a 2007 Honda Civic, driven by Vang Lee, 57. The two cars crashed head-on. The violent impact pushed the Civic into Wickman's pickup, which was also damaged in the wreck.

Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Vang Lee and two others in his car, Pazoe Lee, 15, and Yee Thao, 47, were all injured and taken to Cox South Hospital.

While it is not illegal to pass other vehicles on two lane roads, great care must be taken to ensure you do not attempt this maneuver when an oncoming car is approaching. This should certainly not be attempted on a winding road or over the crest of a hill when you can't see very far ahead of you. If the initial crash report is accurate, it appears that Taylor attempted to pass negligently and caused this accident. If this is true, his liability insurance will be responsible for paying damages to the injured parties.

Unfortunately, insurance companies are not always as concerned with the well being of those injured in Missouri car accidents as they are with their own bottom line. They will often look for ways to reduce the amount they repay injury victims. There are also cases where the at-fault driver's liability insurance simply isn't enough to cover the cost of catastrophic injuries. In these cases, the injured party will have to file a claim against their own insurance policy's 'under-insured motorist coverage'. Working through these issues can be complicated, which is why it is a good idea to consult a Missouri car accident lawyer before talking to the insurance companies. Many attorneys offer a free consultation to discuss your rights as a victim and to better educate you on your options with no obligation to hire the attorney.

Full post as published by Missouri Accident Lawyer Blog on November 13, 2009 (boomark / email).