Over half of all crashes occur at or near intersections, according to the Federal Highway Administration. If you were hurt in an intersection collision in St. Louis, the crash was likely caused by a driver who did not obey the Missouri intersection traffic laws. The driver who broke the law is probably at fault, and you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries and losses resulting from the accident.
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, our St. Louis car crash attorneys know just how devastating intersection collisions can be. We know how to investigate these crashes, determine who is to blame, and hold those parties liable for the harm they’ve caused.
Contact us today for a free consultation with our intersection accident lawyers in St. Louis, and we’ll explain how we can help you demand compensation.
What Can Make an Intersection Dangerous?
Factors such as an intersection’s design, the presence or absence of traffic signs and lights, and simple human behavior all contribute to how potentially unsafe the intersection may be.
One of the most common intersection designs is the conventional stop-controlled style, in which stop signs control traffic on one, several, or all roads approaching the intersection.
Other intersection designs use traffic-signal control approaches with conventional or blinking or flashing lights. Intersections can also be designed with incorporated or separate marked bike lanes, sidewalks, and ramped structures for bicyclists and pedestrians.
In the late 1990s, designs began incorporating roundabouts to reduce intersection accidents. While accidents still occur at roundabouts, the number and severity are less than in conventional designs, according to the Federal Highway Administration. At a roundabout, drivers are forced to slow their approach, don’t have to rush to beat a red light, don’t make any left turns, can’t be confused by a flashing light, or have to worry about who has the right-of-way.
St. Louis Intersection Accident Statistics
According to the Municipality, Crash Severity, and Personal Injury Severity report, in the St. Louis municipality, there were in one recent year:
- 13,130 total crashes
- 9,683 property damage only crashes
- 5,229 injuries
- 3,379 personal injury crashes
- 76 fatalities from 68 crashes
There is no readily available information about how many of these collisions occurred in intersections. However, at the state level, the report presents statistics for five common intersection-type crashes:
- Four-way intersection – 116 fatal, 6,878 personal injury, 11,553 property damage only
- T-intersection – 36 fatal, 2,135 personal injury, 4,711 property damage only
- Y-intersection – 1 fatal, 63 personal injury, 146 property damage only
- Roundabout – 1 fatal, 76 personal injury, 505 property damage only
- 5-way or more – 1 fatal, 61 personal injury, 131 property damage only
Common Causes and Types of Intersection Accidents
A study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) examined the “general characteristics of motor vehicle traffic crashes at intersections by analyzing the association of the critical reason with several crash factors.” The study found that the most frequent critical reasons for intersection crashes were:
- Inadequate surveillance – 44.1%
- False assumption of other’s action – 8.4%
- Turned with obstructed view – 7.8%
- Illegal maneuver – 6.8%
- Internal distraction – 5.7%
- Misjudgment of gap or other’s speed – 5.5%
Common Types of Injuries Caused by Intersection Crashes
Collisions at intersections frequently result in severe injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries and other head injuries, including concussions and skull fractures
- Spinal cord and nerve injuries, which can result in paralysis
- Limb amputations
- Orthopedic injuries including broken bones and dislocated joints
- Soft tissue injuries, including muscle sprains, strains, and tears
- Internal bleeding and damage to internal organs
- Disfigurement caused by scarring from burns and cuts
- Whiplash
Who Is Liable for My St. Louis Intersection Accident Injuries?
If you were injured in a St. Louis intersection car crash, a driver disobeying the intersection driving laws is most likely responsible for your crash-related losses. Failing to obey the law means the driver is negligent, and a negligent driver is liable – that is, legally responsible – for the consequences.
You can seek compensation for the losses they caused you, including:
- Medical bills, including ambulance trips, surgeries, hospital stays, outpatient care, rehabilitation, and medication
- Lost wages, benefits, commissions, and other forms of income
- Diminished earning potential
- Pain and suffering, including both the physical discomfort of the injuries and the emotional trauma they caused you
- Property damage, including the repair or replacement of your vehicle and any personal items damaged in the crash
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, our St. Louis intersection accident lawyers have earned a reputation for helping people injured in these tragically preventable collisions. We have successfully recovered millions of dollars in compensation for injured car crash victims. We want to put our experience to work for you.
How Our St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers Can Help
Our St. Louis car accident attorneys are fully committed to your recovery. We can help you demand justice. If the at fault-driver’s insurance provider doesn’t offer a fair settlement, we are prepared to take your case to trial. Some of the ways we do this are by:
- Communicating directly with you and helping you solve problems related to your recovery
- Gathering and preserving all available evidence from the accident
- Documenting the full extent of your losses, including future anticipated losses
- Collaborating with experts such as accident reconstruction professionals, medical experts, vocational specialists, and financial experts
- Filing and discussing claims with the at-fault driver’s insurer
- Negotiating from a position of strength for a settlement that fairly compensates you for your losses
- Preparing your case for court and taking it to trial if the insurer won’t do the right thing
Contact the Intersection Accident Attorneys at Sumner Law Group, LLC
At Sumner Law Group, LLC, our personal injury attorneys have more than 50 years of combined legal experience helping injured people seek the money and justice they deserve from the people who hurt them. We are focused on delivering outstanding results for our clients, and we look forward to putting our commitment to work for you.
Contact us for a free case evaluation with one of our St. Louis intersection collision accident lawyers.
