Recent Blog Posts in May 2009

Only days before presenting before a jury, the town of Greenwich, CT settled a wrongful death suit for $1.4 million with the parents of a man who died in an apartment fire.

In 2000, firefighters rushed into a fiery apartment building in an attempt to remove anyone trapped inside.  Believing they had removed everyone to safety, the team worked to extinguish the flames.  Hours later, however, the body of the plaintiffs' son was found dead sitting against the inside of his bathroom door.  Autopsy results confirmed he died of smoke inhalation.

The plaintiffs filed their wrongful death suit three years after the incident, claiming that the fire department had been negligent by failing to check inside the bathroom to ensure no one was trapped.  If they had, perhaps their son would have been saved with the other residents.

At first, the defendant's attorney publicly stated he would fight the plaintiffs' claims, saying that the fire fighters "acted appropriately" for the situation and thus held no liability. 

The plaintiff's attorneys, however, were prepared to bring the city Fire Chief to the stand, who had admitted in a prior deposition that the firefighter in question was at fault for not breaking down the bathroom door.  As a result, the defendant settled with the family.

Three other defendants were named, but all three had previously settled.

If the actions or negligence of someone else has caused injury or death to you or someone you know, contact an experienced Wrongful Death Attorney at Page Cagle in St. Louis today for a free initial consultation. 

Although Memorial Day is supposed to be a relaxing holiday weekend, it is also infamously known for fatal car accidents.  The Associated Press released an article this week describing only a few of the fatal crashes that occurred all over the country this weekend. 

One of those tragic crashes occurred in Southern Illinois just after midnight near Keyesport, IL, where a two-vehicle crash took the lives of four people and sent five more to the hospital.  According to the coroner, three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene after being ejected from their vehicles, and one died later at a St. Louis hospital.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Emerald Road and Keyesport Road when a Pontiac Grand Am failed to stop at the stop sign. As a result, it collided with a Cadillac Escalade as it entered the intersection.  The crash caused the SUV to hit a drainage ditch and overturn. 

The Escalade had seven passengers total, three of which were killed.  Every passenger except one was only 21 years old.  The passenger in the Grand Am was also pronounced dead at the scene.

So far no charges have been filed, but police reports did confirm that the driver of the Grand Am was largely at fault for failing to stop at the intersection.  Witnesses, however, put at least some of the group in the SUV at Carlyle Lake earlier that day. 

Accidents such as these remind everyone to always be safe on roadways, especially during busy holiday weekends.  If you or someone you know who was injured because of careless, negligent or reckless driving, do not hesitate to seek legal advice.  At Page Cagle in St. Louis, we can help you sort out the facts in your case and get you the compensation you deserve.  Call a Car Accident Attorney today for a free consultation.

Two different FELA suits are on the docket this week in Texas where the railroads have attempted to enforce a summary judgment maintaining that the plaintiffs are not entitled to sue under the Federal Employers Liability Act.  In order to continue the case, the plaintiffs' lawyers must prove otherwise to the judge or face dismissal.

One suit alleges injury while installing an end-of-train device while working in Dayton.  As a result of the accident, the plaintiff has suffered physical and mental pain, which has had a serious effect on his well-being.  

In the second suit, the plaintiff alleges that during the course of his employment, the defendant failed to provide him with a safe place to work.  Consequently, he was exposed to repetitive trauma injuries while working within, "the scope of his employment."

The suit went on to state that the conditions where he was working did not comply with federal regulations concerning the track and ballast.  Moreover, the equipment he worked for violated the Safety Appliance Act along with other federal regulations designed to maintain safe work environments for rail employees.  Therefore, his injuries were a direct result of the defendant's negligence to provide a safe and hazard-free workplace.

Have you been injured on the job?  If so, call our offices today for a free consultation.  At Page Cagle, our experienced FELA and Workers' Compensation Attorneys will be able to answer all your questions and fight for the compensation you deserve.  Contact us today.

Illinois lawmakers are once again putting forth a bill to the state governor that would raise interstate speed limits to 65 miles per hour for truckers, the exception being in Chicago and surrounding areas.  Put forth three times already to ex-governor Rob Blagojevich who vetoed the measure, lawmakers passed the bill quickly this time to get it to Rob Quinn's desk.

Although the bill seems like a simple concept, it has created quite a safety debate over the benefits and risks of allowing truckers to travel the same speed as other drivers.

On the one hand, slower trucks cause traffic congestion, which increases the rate of accidents between trucks and fast-moving cars. 

On the other side, however, are critics who say that trucks are already driving well-beyond the current 55 mph limit, and that increasing it to 65 mph would only encourage truckers to drive even faster. This obviously raises a major safety concern for other drivers since semis have a limited stopping speed and have the ability to cause catastrophic damage in accidents due to their weight and size.

As of now, Governor Quinn has not yet stated where he stands on the measure.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a semi or big truck, call the law offices of Page Cagle in St. Louis today and speak with an experience Truck Accident Attorney.  We handle cases in both Missouri and Illinois, contact us today!

Among the constant string of reported car accidents in the news lately concerning drivers not paying attention due to cell phones or car radios, comes another case in Illinois of driver distraction taking the life of a motorist.

A Lake Zurich resident was killed while stopped at a yellow light on her motorcycle when the woman behind her failed to stop because she was painting her nails.  The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but unfortunately it was not enough to protect her from the force of the crash after flying several hundred feet.  The woman that hit her stopped to help, and she later admitted to police that she did not see her stop since he was looking down at her nails.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 25% of all traffic accidents are caused by these types of distractions when drivers attempt to multi-talk.  From reading and putting on makeup to text messaging and watching movies, highway patrolman have seen it all. 

According to some studies, the most dangerous activity to do while driving is operating the CD player, with dialing and personal grooming coming in close behind. 

The important lesson for motorists is simply this: avoid doing anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road, or you may end up in Hunt's shoes.  Especially as the warm weather arrives, being conscious of the various road hazzards such as bicycles, motorcycles, and playing children is important to maintaining traffic safety.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a traffic accident due to driver negligence due to distracted or reckless driving, call the experienced Auto Accident Attorneys at Page Cagle in St. Louis today for a free consultation.

A plaintiff recently filed a wrongful death suit in Madison County over the death of her husband, who was killed in a fire while visiting a friend at his home.

The defendant started a bonfire in his backyard that was too close to his home.  When his home caught fire, the plaintiff's husband was trapped and killed inside.

According to the suit, the plaintiff alleges that her husband's death was a direct result of the defendant's negligence to warn her husband of the fire, failure to comply with fire safety codes and for allowing guests to enter his home under unsafe conditions.

As a result of the fire, the plaintiff alleges her husband suffered conscious pain, emotional distress and smoke inhalation before his death.  Furthermore, his children have suffered grief and mental suffering, as well as a loss of society and support.  Finally, the plaintiff incurred medical and funeral expenses.

In the four-count suit, plaintiff seeks a judgment in excess of $200,000 plus costs.

If you sustained an injury while on someone else's property, and the cause of that injury was due to unsafe, hazardous conditions or owner negligence, you may be entitled to a legal claim.  The Premises Liability Attorneys at Page Cagle, a premier St. Louis personal injury firm, have the experience and know-how to successfully litigate your case, and we are available 24/7 for a free consultation.  Call us today!