Drivers in Missouri are expected to pay attention to the road when behind the wheel. However, the truth is that given the number of ways in which a driver can be distracted, it is unavoidable that there will be crashes because of a distracted driver. This is not something that is limited to civilians. Anyone out on the road, including law enforcement, is vulnerable to car accident injuries stemming from a distracted driving crash. They too have rights to seek compensation in a legal filing.

A State Trooper who was on the side of the road assisting a vehicle that had stalled was injured when his vehicle was rear-ended by a 1996 Ford Ranger pickup truck. The accident happened in the early afternoon at about 1:20 p.m. The patrol car’s overhead lights where on. The officer, 40, was taken to the hospital for treatment. The driver of the pickup, a 35-year-old man, is believed to have been texting and driving and did not slow down before hitting the officer’s cruiser. The vehicle was pushed on to the left shoulder of the road.

The number of distracted driving crashes is exploding across the nation despite attempts to educate and dissuade people from taking part in the practice. When there is a car accident, the first thought is that a driver was distracted. This is becoming a major issue with severe injuries, fatalities and lost wages as a result. Lives can be changed drastically due to any kind of a car crash, but a crash due to a distracted driver is especially egregious because it did not have to happen. When there is an accident with a person who was working at the time, there are many issues that should be considered such as workers’ compensation and lost income. A legal professional is essential to dealing with the case.

A crash involving an apparent texting driver and a law enforcement officer did substantial damage to the vehicle and sent the officer to the hospital. Although the officer’s injuries are not believed to be serious, that does not mean that he will be ready to get back to work immediately. Some injuries take time to manifest and he could be psychologically scarred because of this accident. He should protect his interests by discussing a legal case with an attorney immediately.

Source: stltoday.com, “Trooper injured when driver slams into back of Missouri Highway Patrol car,” Denise Hollinshed, Nov. 12, 2017