Protzman Law Firm - 1100 Main Street, Suite 2550, Kansas City, Missouri 64105

Single Vehicle Crash Leaves Four Injured

On the afternoon of Sunday, December 25, there was a single vehicle crash in Boone County which left four people injured, two seriously.

According to authorities the accident happened on the Interstate 70 near the Rocheport exit when 31 year old Kelly Garrett of Kansas City was driving eastbound in a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer.

For reasons as yet unknown, the vehicle left the roadway, overturned and then ejected two of the occupants – Garret and 10 year old Sanazjia Kelly, neither of whom were wearing seat belts. They were both taken to the University of Missouri Hospital in a serious condition.

The two other passengers in the vehicle were 11 year old Savaghan Kelly and 12 year old Savannah Odoms. They were also moderately injured and were transported to the same hospital.

The accident is still under investigation.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Motorcyclist Killed in Two Vehicle Accident

On Saturday afternoon, November 19, there was a deadly two vehicle accident in Kansas City, Mo.

According to Missouri Highway Patrol, the accident happened at around 1.40 p.m. on westbound 50-Highway near Missouri-131. A Harley Davidson motorcycle being ridden by 59 year old Mary J. Savery of Warrensburg, Mo. was heading southbound on 131 and collided with a Jeep which was westbound on 50. Savery was killed and the driver of the Jeep was not injured.

This particular intersection is notorious for accidents as there was a serious crash at the end of August, and earlier in the year, in March, 15 year old Shirley Tran who was in a Toyota Corolla along with her 20 year old sister and a 20 year old friend, was killed when a 32 year old woman driving a Dodge Avenger, failed to yield at the intersection and pulled out in front of them on Missouri-131 and 50-Highway.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Woman Shot to Death in Road Rage Incident

On Sunday night, October 16, a woman was fatally shot to death in a road rage incident.

According to authorities, Whitney Gray, aged 22 went shopping at a grocery store at 23rd Street and Sterling Avenue and then drove north out of the parking lot being followed by an minivan at high speed. The SUV continued to drive very closely to her and then the two stopped side by side at a traffic signal at Winner Road.

Then according to witnesses a drink was thrown from the minivan window onto the SUV followed by a loud pop. Both vehicles then traveled north on Sterling and the minivan eventually stopped in the 1600 block of Sterling Avenue as the SUV continued north. When police arrived they found Gray had been shot in the chest and she died at the scene, while her 3 passengers, a 16 year old girl, 3 year old boy and 16 month old boy were uninjured.

Following investigations, the police arrested 39 year old Christopher P. Taylor of Independence and he was charged with second degree murder

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

What to do When You Have a Crash in Missouri

When you have been in a crash in Kansas City there are several things you have to do according to Missouri Laws.

You must never leave the scene of an accident as it is a criminal act in Missouri and if someone was badly hurt it may be a felony. You should call 911 for assistance and warn other road users by using flares or a warning triangle and put the car’s hazard lights on if possible.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says if your car is moveable you should “Steer it and clear it” which is also the law throughout the state.

Once the scene is organized you should exchange all of the information necessary with other drivers, passengers and any witnesses and it is helpful to use a special Motorist Information Exchange Card, which is issued by MoDOT.

Never admit liability as that is for the insurance companies to sort out and try to be polite to all involved.

Remember Missouri Law says you must inform the police immediately if anyone is hurt or if the damage to property is more than $500. If for any reason the police cannot attend then you must write your own report and submit it to the Traffic Investigation Department within five days. In addition in Missouri, if one of the drivers was uninsured and the accident caused more than $500 of damage you must report the uninsured driver within 30 days to the Department of Revenue.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Failure to Yield Leads to Fatal Crash

On Monday, August 22, a crash involving failure to yield claimed the lives of a mother and daughter.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 7.30 a.m. on Mo. 50 Highway near Lone Jack. The highway is known as one of the deadliest n the state.

Alicia McGinnis, aged 47 of Blairstown was trying to cross the westbound lanes of the highway when she drove into the path of a Jeep Liberty. Both she and her 8 year old daughter, Kacee McGinnis both died at the scene. The two occupants of the Jeep were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Police went on to say that not only did Alicia fail to yield but she was also not paying attention and said that when motorists try to cross a highway, given the speed of the vehicles on the highway it is very important to look several times in both directions.

Highway 50 has had several fatal accidents over the years with drivers failing to yield and in March this year, only 4 miles west of this accident, 14 year old Shirley Tran was killed when an inattentive driver pulled out in front of the car she was a passenger in.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Crash Involving Semi Trailer and Car Injures Two

On Monday evening, July 25, a crash involving a semi trailer and a car on Interstate 35 sent two people to hospital.

According to authorities the accident happened on the interstate by the Northeast Antioch Road exit in Kansas City north. It involved a Ford Escort and a semi trailer and witnesses said that it sounded as though a bomb had exploded. It appears that there was an explosion on the truck which then rolled down the hill, colliding with the Ford and smashed it entirely.

The driver of the Ford Escort was a 28 year old female and mother of three children. She was taken to hospital suffering from several injuries, including a broken nose. The truck driver was also injured but it is believed his injuries are not life threatening.

Immediately after the crash, investigators thought a homeless man may be trapped under the wreckage but luckily that was not the case.

Hazardous materials crews were called to the scene to deal with spilling diesel fuel from the rig.

The cause of the wreck is still under investigation.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Kansas City Close to Agreement in Fatal Skateboarding Accident

The city of Kansas City, Missouri is now close to an agreement with the families of two children who were killed and injured having been hit by a minivan while skateboarding in Kansas City.

The children, 8 year old Jordan Hale and 6 year old Jesus Gonzalez were skateboarding when they were hit by the van. Jordan was killed and Jesus suffered severe injuries. Their families sued Kansas City alleging that the city should protect pedestrians by installing shoulders, sidewalks and crosswalks.

It now appears that the City is close to agreeing a settlement thought to be in the region of $475,000 which will be voted on on July 7.

In addition, Kansas City’s Public Works Department have plans almost ready to fix the intersection, including adding curbs and sidewalks and they say that the designs should be ready in the next several weeks.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Man From Platte City Died In an All Terrain Vehicle Accident

Early on Sunday morning, May 22, a man from Platte City died in an All Terrain Vehicle accident in rural Platte County.

According to the Platte County Sheriff’s Department, the accident happened at 2 a.m. at Northwest Kisker Road and Oberdiek Lane. So far there are no details as to actually what occurred but when officials arrived there had been an accident involving a four-wheel ATV.

Daniel J. Belk, a 42 year old man from Platte City was dead at the scene and a 41 year old passenger, Donita L. James, also from Platte City, was taken by life flight helicopter to a hospital with serious injuries.

According to the sheriff’s office they were assisted at the scene by Platte County fire and EMS crews and the accident is still being investigated.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Woman Lost Control of Car and Seriously Injured

On Wednesday, April 27 there was chaos when a woman lost control of her car and hit a power pole.

According to witnesses the accident happened near 92nd and Askew and the woman was driving exceedingly fast, at more than 80 mph. She hit a power pole and her car flew into the air and hit a tree. The woman was suspended in her car in the tree and neighbors rushed to help her. One was a nurse who made sure that her neck was stabilized so that there was no more trauma in case of head injury.

Kansas City Power and Light crews showed up to cut power before the car could be towed. The woman was taken to hospital in critical condition but was alert when transferred.

Police do not know what caused the woman to be driving at such a high rate of speed but witnesses say a man believed to be her boyfriend showed up and started yelling at her right after the crash. They say he shouted obscenities at her and had to be corralled by others so the victim could be kept calm.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.

Driver of Tractor Trailer Killed in Single Vehicle Accident

On Thursday, March 24, the driver of a tractor-trailer was killed in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. 50.

According to police the accident happened at around 11.30 a.m. in the westbound lanes of U.S. 50 in Lee’s Summit at the O’Brien Street overpass. It appears that the driver, 46 year old Alan Tate of Kansas City, Kansas, lost control of the truck and went off the roadway to the south where he hit the concrete bridge support for the overpass. Tate died at the scene.

Police closed traffic in both directions on U.S. 50 for several hours while investigators gathered evidence and cleared debris. The highway reopened about 3:30 p.m. while the police continued to work with Missouri Department of Transportation engineers to determine if the bridge remained safe for travel. It was eventually determined that the bridge was safe but the investigation continued to find out why Tate lost control of the rig.

To learn more about your rights and potential compensation after an accident, please call the Springfield accident attorneys of Protzman Law Firm, at 816.421.5100 or contact us online right away to schedule your free consultation.