GRAY SUMMIT, Mo. - On Thursday, August 5^th, two buses carrying high school band students to an amusement park were involved in a freeway accident with a semi tractor and a GMC pickup. Two people were killed - 15 year old Jessica Brinker, a passenger on one of the school buses, and the driver of the GMC pickup, 19 year old Daniel Schatz. Nearly 50 students were treated for mostly minor injuries as well.

The accident occurred on Interstate 44, about 40 miles from St. Louis. A semi cab slowing down for road construction and was struck by a GMC pickup. The two buses carrying high school band students then slammed into that wreck.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board are now in Missouri conducting an investigation into the causes of the tragedy and how to prevent similar accidents. NTSB Vice Chairman Christopher Hunt said, “We’ve been interested for some time in school bus safety,” Hart said. “We’re also interested in construction zone safety.”

Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. Jeff Wilson said it will be up to Franklin County prosecutors to decide whether any charges will be filed against anyone involved in the accident. The NTSB isn’t interested in pointing fingers, saying “We are here to determine the cause of the accident, not looking at blame”.

The NTSB is examining whether seat belts on the bus could have made a difference. Investigators will also consider the possible benefits of accident-avoidance technology for school buses. These technologies could provide some warning to drivers about impending slowdowns and automatically apply the brakes.

It’s unfortunate that it takes this type of calamity to get the National Transportation Safety Board involved. However, if it leads to safety measures which prevent even one similar accident from occurring, then some good will have come out of this sad and tragic event.

Aaron Sachs and Associates is a personal injury law firm. For more information, click autoinjury.com or call us Toll Free at 1-888- 777-2886.

If your Social Security Disability claim is denied, don’t panic – and don’t give up! You only have a short window of opportunity to file an appeal – 60 days from the date your original application is denied – so don’t delay. Although an appeal can be a difficult process, it is highly preferable to giving up on the claim entirely.

Here are the steps to take if you receive a denial letter:

1. Contact the Social Security office where your claim was originally filed and request an appeal. DO NOT WAIT to start the appeal.
2. At this point it is wise to consult with an experienced disability attorney. The consultation is free. Generally, if you hire an attorney, there is no cost up front; you will only have to pay a percentage of the amount the attorney gets for you if your case is successful. An experienced attorney can make a huge difference both to your piece of mind as well as to your chances of success on further appeals.
3. When you receive appeal forms from Social Security – complete them immediately and make copies. Of course, if you have decided to hire legal help, you will be following your lawyer’s instructions.
4. Mail in your appeal.
5. Wait several days to ensure the arrival of your appeal paperwork – then phone the office to make sure it has arrived. If it has not arrived, wait several more days and phone again. If it still has not been received, at that point mail it in again, and keep checking until you find out for sure your appeal is in their hands.

For more information about what you need for your appeal, click on
http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-3441.pdf

Springfield, MO March 22, 2010 — Every year, more than 1,300 people die from traumatic brain injury and 12,000 people are hospitalized or treated for brain injuries according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. These injuries often result from negligence, inattention, or other circumstances that are completely avoidable or preventable. The Brain Injury Association of Missouri fights this growing problem by promoting public awareness, prevention and knowledge through its Points of Light Club, one of its fund-raising arms, which enables groups in fourteen Missouri cities to provide ongoing support to brain injury victims and their family members. The law firm of Aaron Sachs & Associates will be the Host Sponsor for a Seminar the Association will hold March 27, next Saturday, in Springfield. The Southwest Regional Survivor and Family Seminar will take place at the Catherine McAuley Conference Center, a facility of St. John’s Mercy Medical Center, and is open to individuals, their families and caregivers, who cope with traumatic brain injury on a daily basis. The program will feature topics such as physiological manifestation of brain injury, (vision and motor problems); the effect of concussions; the brain-injury potential of substance abuse; and legal issues surrounding guardianship and conservatorship for those persons in charge of the well-being of brain injury sufferers and other special-needs patients. Aaron Sachs, whose law firm has offices in Springfield, Columbia, Joplin and Cape Girardeau, has been a Points of Light contributor for many years to help deal with the effects of traumatic brain injury. He sees this problem in his daily law practice so his firm sponsors a variety of public-service events during the year, such as helmet giveaways for young cyclists and driving-safety seminars for teens. “We need to make the public aware that life can change in a second, not just for the injured person, but everyone in that person’s family and circle of friends,” Sachs says. “Most of our awareness efforts are about prevention because faster than anyone can imagine, life can go from a joyous experience to mere existence. This is often preventable since it results from acts such as driving impaired, driving drowsy, even driving while distracted. The victim doesn’t have to die for his or her life to be effectively taken away.” “Unfortunately, the need is growing for the practical and tangible help we provide to an increasing number of victims and their caregivers, friends and family-members in our State. This is why we so strongly support the BIA-MO in their effort to help over 3,000 people on a continuing basis.” Aaron Sachs and Associates’ personal injury law firm has offices in Springfield, Joplin, Columbia and, now, Cape Girardeau. Their services and community-service outreach programs are covered in much greater detail on their website: http://www.autoinjury.com/areas-of-practice/springfield-office. ####

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month The consequences of traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range from mild to completely debilitating. Up to 3.17 million Americans are in need of long term or lifetime help just to perform the normal activities of daily life, according to an estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These are the leading causes of TBI:
•Falls (28 percent)
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20 percent)
• Struck by/against events (19 percent)
• Assaults (11 percent)
The symptoms of are widely varied, and can include inability to begin or follow through with tasks, difficulty in filtering out background noise, irritability, and a lack of awareness of their own mental limitations, as well as a wide variety of other things. Sometimes a person’s personality is radically altered.

Because of these symptoms, it isn’t always easy for the afflicted person to navigate the complexities of the Social Security Disability system. Help by friends, family, or a professional such as an experienced disability attorney is frequently necessary to start the process, complete the paperwork, and meet any filing deadlines, such as the 60 day deadline to file an appeal if the initial application is denied. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury and you are feeling hopeless about the situation, click here
http://www.caremeridian.com/our-patients/success-stories to read some inspiring stories of how other people have overcome huge odds, to heal and reclaim their lives. For more information on how an experienced attorney can assist you or a family member with a brain injury, please use our convenient Click to Call feature, or simply call our toll free number at 1-888-777-AUTO (2886). There is never a charge for an initial consultation, no pressure and no obligation.

Although whether you drink, and how much you drink, is a personal choice – driving while impaired is both a public safety and a legal issue. Missouri law enforcement officers will be cracking down on “driving under the influence” with increased enforcement during St. Patrick’s Day festivities both on Saturday, March 13, and the actual holiday on Wednesday, March 17th.

Click here for a listing of different parades and events throughout the state:
http://www.st-patricks-day.com/st_patricks_day_parades_united_states_missouri.html

We sincerely hope that no one is involved in an accident during this wonderful holiday.

However, if you or someone you know has been injured, disabled or killed in a Missouri drunk driving accident, please contact our office online , use our convenient Click to Call feature, or simply call our toll free number at 1-888-777-AUTO (2886). There is no charge for an initial consultation, no pressure and no obligation.

Much has been already written about the unfortunate connection between St. Patrick’s Day, and accidents involving drunk driving. Why say it again?

The statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are grim – they report 851 deaths in the past five years from motor vehicle accidents during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday – almost half of these accidents involve either a drunk driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher.

However, if you or someone you know has been injured, disabled or killed in a Missouri drunk driving accident, please contact our office online , use our convenient Click to Call feature, or simply call our toll free number at 1-888-777-AUTO (2886). There is no charge for an initial consultation, no pressure and no obligation.

As reported by KFVS TV today, a three year old girl from Cape Girardeau was killed Friday morning. The crash involved two tractor –trailers in Franklin County, Kentucky and shot down the eastbound lanes between mile markets 48 and 49 of Interstate 64.

The three year old girl was riding in one of the tractor trailers trucks being driven by her 49 year old grandmother. Kentucky State Police say alcohol was a factor. Evidently, the Kentucky State Police had stopped a vehicle for drunk driving, when one of the semi trucks crashed into the other tractor-trailer. It is very sad to hear of a wrongful death caused by drunk driving.

Cape Girardeau , MO February 15 2010 – Attorney Aaron Sachs was interviewed during the morning news on KFVS – 12, the local Cape Girardeau CBS TV station this morning, Monday, February 15, 2010. “After an accident, it is important to know your rights”, Sachs says. “Hiring an attorney after a car wreck is an important decision, and sometimes you don’t know if you need an attorney, until you discuss you situation and find out your options, “Sachs continues. An example is in the area of under insured coverage. Since there is no state statute mandating coverage, insurance companies are free to build into your insurance contract exceptions and loop holes that can result in a denial for coverage. If you settle the underlying liability claim with the other drivers insurance and don’t satisfy the terms of your insurance contract for under insured coverage, you may be out of luck when you make a claim for UIM. Often, it costs nothing to find out if a personal injury lawyer can help since the initial consultation with most attorneys is at no cost.
Sometimes, people don’t want to talk to attorney, but first want information. The Sachs law firm offers a free DVD, “What To Do After An Accident.” To get a free DVD, just call the Cape Girardeau office telephone number at (573) 334-7959. Attorney meetings are by appointment only. Another source of information about Aaron Sachs and Associates’ personal injury law firm’s services is to visit the firm’s website at http://www.autoinjury.com/areas-of-practice/cape-girardeau-office
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The Toyota recall has been in the news almost daily, with headlines covering the various statements about the causes of the sticking gas pedals (are we certain yet?), Toyota’s halt of the manufacturing of certain models, and, most recently, the Secretary of Transportation telling folks to stop driving their Toyotas, then saying he didn’t mean that.
Car accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes death. Even so-called minor accidents can cause a host of problems, such as neck and back injuries, broken bones, brain injuries, etc. Auto accidents can ruin lives.
So here’s my two cents worth on the Toyota Recall: Do not mess around with it. Get your car fixed today!
Yes I know it’s inconvenient; car repairs always are. Who’s got the time? Who’s going to drop you off, pick you up? What about getting to work? Getting the kids from school? Getting to the gym?
I’ve got news for you: None of that matters in the face of the damage that car accidents do to people’s lives.
I know what I’m talking about. I represent people injured in Missouri vehicle accidents, including car accidents, and motorcycle accidents. As a Missouri injury accident lawyer, I cannot stress enough how important it is to get your gas pedal fixed TODAY.
And though Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood took back his comment, I’m willing to say it loud and clear: Please don’t drive your car until you get it fixed.

Kings highway was closed this afternoon because of an auto accident at Independence and Kings highway in Cape Girardeau. The cars were pretty smashed up, but thankfully there were no fatalities.

That got me thinking about the tragedy from a couple of weeks ago when a young Cape Girardeau man who worked at the Red Cross was killed in a truck accident when the vehicle he was riding in collided with a semi tractor trailer. When a truck is part of any accident, fatalities are often involved.

On the last day of 2009, two people were killed in a 12./31 wreck in Poplar Bluffs, Mo, One of the two cars also struck a tractor trailer. The truck driver had only minor injuries, but the two drivers of the others cars were pronounced dead at the scene. These deaths brought the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop E region fatality count to 73 for the year. I remember thinking then that I hope the new year will have far fewer fatalities and truck accidents than 2009 did.

Losing 28-year- old Cape G Red Cross worker Jonathon Chamberlain in a fatal accidentin the third week of the new year was a sad and discouraging start for 2010. Let’s work on keeping February – and the rest of the year – fatality free in Cape G, Poplar Bluffs, and the whole southeast Missouri area.