Archive for February, 2012

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28
Feb

Missouri Lawmakers Aim To Change Workers’ Compensation Laws

February 28, 2012

State lawmakers in Missouri approved a bill this past Thursday that could create significant changes in the rules that govern the state’s workers’ compensation program. According to reports from STL Today, the Missouri Legislature is under immense pressure to make the changes after the state’s attorney general disclosed that millions of dollars of injured workers’ medical bills are piling up and going unpaid because the funds haven’t been replenished.

Attorney General Chris Koster says the state owes $14 million to 184 injured workers due to the lack of funding. The bill accrues $1.3 million in annual interest that taxpayers pick up as well, and there also are roughly 29,000 pending cases that could cost the state more than $145 million.

Lawmakers are hoping a reduction in litigation costs associated with certain injuries could reduce the overall cost to the state. Bills now in the House and Senate propose regulations against employees suing coworkers for on-the-job injuries. These bills also include new coverage for certain occupational diseases, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or cancers that can be developed from toxic exposure.

The Missouri Workers’ Compensation Attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers have decades of experience helping workers who have been hurt at no fault of their own while working. If you have been injured in an on-the-job accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, call us today for a free consultation of your case.

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21
Feb

Missouri High School Athletes Report 850 Concussions

February 21, 2012

High school athletes in Missouri reported an alarmingly high number of suspected traumatic brain injuries in the past several months. Reports from KMOV 4 News say that 850 suspected concussions have been documented since the start of the school year.

The injuries were recorded as part of a new survey that lawmakers require the Missouri State High School Activities Association to fill out each year since enacting a bill aimed at protecting the safety of student-athletes. The association in turn requires each high school to document and submit each incident of head injuries in athletes.

Football players suffered the highest number of head injuries, reporting 653 suspected concussions. Male soccer players were a far second with only 81 head injuries. Other top ranking sports include:

  • Cheerleading (40)
  • Girl’s Softball (40)
  • Girl’s Volleyball (29)

As part of the survey, educational materials were distributed to coaches, parents, and athletes warning of the dangers of repeated traumatic brain injuries and how to recognize the symptoms of the injury.

It is important to recognize a concussion as repeated brain injuries can lead to edema (brain swelling), permanent brain damage, and even death.

The Missouri Brain Injury Attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers are here to help you if you have suffered from a traumatic brain injury that has caused serious or permanent damage. Call us today for a free consultation with our staff of experienced attorneys if you have any questions regarding your case.

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14
Feb

Indiana Truck Driver Killed In Missouri Highway Crash

February 14, 2012

A 57-year-old truck driver from Vincennes, Indiana, was killed yesterday morning in a tragic, two-vehicle accident. According to KSDK 5 News, the crash happened at approximately 7:30 AM on Lake St. Louis Boulevard, near O’Fallon, Missouri.

Reports filed by troopers with the Missouri state police department say that the tractor-trailer was behind and a lane over from a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu while driving down the four-lane highway. They say that the driver of the Malibu was driving too fast for the slick conditions and lost control of the vehicle when he hit an icy patch in the road.

The Malibu then slid in front of the tractor-trailer, which then hit the Malibu from behind and caused the trucker to lose control of the big rig. The Malibu slid off the side of the road and got stuck in a drainage ditch, and the tractor-trailer slammed into a guardrail before hitting a bridge pillar head-on. The driver of the truck was declared dead at the scene, while the driver of the Malibu was uninjured.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, truckers have the second most dangerous job in the nation, accounting for 631 work-related deaths in 2010. This number was up by four percent over 2009.

The Missouri truck accident attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers would like to send their condolences to the family of the truck driver who was killed in this unfortunate accident.

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7
Feb

$5 Million Settlement For Wrongful Death Of Missouri Teen

February 7, 2012

A settlement has been reached in the wrongful death lawsuit surrounding the death of a 16-year-old St. Joseph, Missouri, boy who was run over by a bus while on his way to school. According to reports from KSDK 5 News, the bus company has agreed to pay the boy’s family $5 million in settlement.

The accident happened in November of 2010, at around 7:30 in the morning near the intersection of St. Joseph Avenue and Grand Avenue. The bus driver had failed to remove frost from the windows of the bus, giving her poor visibility.

It was because of the frost that the driver did not see the boy in a crosswalk on Grand Avenue when she struck him. He died at Heartland Regional Medical Center shortly afterwards.

The driver was subsequently charged with careless and imprudent driving. The 23-year-old woman was sentenced to two years of probation, 15 days of detention, and 200 hours of community service.

The family of the victim says the $5 million will be used to fund a bus driver-training program, as well as a scholarship and baseball field dedicated to the boy’s memory.

The Missouri Wrongful Death Attorneys with Cofman Townsley handles all kinds of personal injury cases all over the state of Missouri. If you have questions regarding your injury or death of a loved one, contact us today for a free initial consultation.

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