Let’s face it, even though the Missouri Department of Transportation has tried, in many instances, to create roadways and intersections that are easy to navigate, sometimes drivers can still get confused. But this is incredibly dangerous, as an accident out of Stanton showed recently because it can lead to a person driving down the road the wrong way, putting other lives in danger in the process.
Some of our Kansas City readers may have heard about the series of crashes that took place on the eastbound lanes of I-44 recently near Stanton. According to officers from the Missouri Highway Patrol, a man was accidentally traveling the wrong way down the eastbound lanes at around 4:30 a.m. before he collided with several vehicles. Five people were reported to have suffered moderate injuries in the crashes and were taken to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. The wrong-way driver was not so lucky and was killed.
Though the accident victims may not be considering personal injury claims or litigation at this time, it’s worth noting that this case does present an interesting legal question: who is liable for compensation? In a majority of motor vehicle accidents, the driver who caused the crash is liable for damages and injuries. Anything their insurance policy does not cover, they can be held responsible for. But who is liable for compensation now that the driver who caused the accident is dead?
This is a question the accident victims may want to pose to a lawyer at some point in the near future because it’s a difficult one to answer without knowing all of the details of the crash. Though it’s likely that the man’s insurance will pay compensation to the victims for damages and their injuries, this will depend on the man’s policy and whether his insurance company tries to fight any future personal injury claims. This could turn into a difficult legal matter, which is another reason why seeking legal counsel is highly advised in situations such as this.
Source: Fox 2 News, “One killed in wrong-way crash: EB I-44 closed near Stanton, MO,” Danielle Scruggs, Aug. 6, 2014