St. Louis U-Turn Accident Attorney

Every driver has found themselves in a position where they’ve had to make a U-turn to correct an error, such as missing a turn or passing the entrance ramp to a multi-lane highway; however, U-turns are among the most dangerous traffic maneuvers a driver can make. A U-turn requires the driver to cross multiple lanes of traffic with no way to warn nearby drivers who don’t anticipate the maneuver. Sadly, U-turns are common causes of car accidents in St. Louis and elsewhere. If you’ve been hit, our car accident attorney in St. Louis can handle your claim. Contact us today.

What Are Missouri’s U-Turn Laws?

During a U-turn, a driver turns their vehicle around to drive back in the opposite direction in a maneuver shaped like the letter U. Under Missouri 304.341., the state law states the following:

“It shall be unlawful for the driver of any vehicle to turn such vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction at any intersection controlled by a traffic signal or police officer; nor shall such turn be made at any place unless the movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic…”

In other words, U-turns are illegal at intersections controlled by traffic signals or when police direct traffic at an intersection. In addition to the general law, city ordinances may prohibit U-turns under any conditions, with or without posting signs.

Because the law places the responsibility for making a U-turn only when one can be accomplished safely on the driver, a driver who makes an unsafe U-turn and causes an accident is at fault for the accident and liable for damages to injury victims, including economic damages like property damage to a vehicle, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering.

Proving Liability in a St. Louis U-Turn Accident Claim

Missouri is a fault-based car accident state where it matters who is responsible for the accident under the state’s pure comparative negligence system. An injury victim seeking compensation for their losses files a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance. While it may seem as though the driver who made an unsafe U-turn is 100% at fault, it’s not uncommon for an insurance company to use tactics to undermine an injury victim’s claim, such as pointing a finger at the injury victim and attempting to assign them a portion of fault for the accident. To prove liability, the claimant must present evidence that proves the at-fault driver meets the following standards of liability:

• They had a legal duty of care to the injury victim, requiring them to follow the state’s traffic laws and pay vigilant attention to traffic conditions
• They violated this duty of care through negligent or reckless actions
• The negligent violation of duty directly caused the accident and injury
• The injury victim suffered damages from the injury

Damages to U-turn accident victims can range from a single emergency room bill and a few days of lost pay to lifelong disability, depending on the severity of the injury.

Common Injuries In U-Turn Accidents In St. Louis

Drivers making U-turns may use a turn signal, but turn signal lights are only meant to indicate a right or left turn. Vehicles do not have a means to signal that a driver intends to make a U-turn and drive back in the opposite direction. For this reason, an unsafe U-turn can cause a serious accident with injuries such as the following:

• Broken bones
• Soft-tissue injuries, such as sprains, strains, torn ligaments, like the MCL or ACL in the knee, or tendon damage
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), ranging from mild concussions to severe diffuse axonal injuries
• Internal organ injuries
• Spinal cord damage
• Traumatic amputations
• Burns
• Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions

In the worst cases, a driver who makes an unexpected U-turn into fast-moving traffic can cause wrongful death.

What Damages Can I Recover After a St. Louis U-Turn Accident?

If you or a close family member suffered injuries caused by a driver’s unsafe U-turn, you have the right to recover compensation for your available damages from the at-fault party’s insurance. Common damages recovered in St. Louis U-turn accident cases include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical costs for scheduled procedures or ongoing care
• Out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury
• Lost wages
• Future income loss or diminished future earning ability
• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Catastrophic injury damages (in some cases) for permanent injuries, such as loss of limb, scarring, disfigurement, organ loss, loss of one of the senses, or diminished quality of life

If you lost a close family member, like a spouse, parent, or child, in a U-turn accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be able to recover compensation through a Missouri wrongful death claim. In these cases, a family member could recover compensation for the loss of a provider’s wages, as well as compensation for their grief and anguish.

What Will a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer Do For My U-Turn Accident Claim?

Insurance companies have a retinue of tactics they use to undermine claims, such as claiming that your doctor’s recommended treatment wasn’t necessary for your injury, or that you contributed to the accident because you were exceeding the speed limit by a few miles per hour. A car accident lawyer defends your rights and best interests by doing the following:

• Investigating the accident by examining the police report, any traffic camera or dash-cam video, consulting with accident reconstruction experts, and deposing eyewitnesses
• Documenting clear evidence of the negligent driver’s liability
• Carefully calculating the injury victim’s total past and future damages
• Sending their findings to the at-fault driver’s insurance company in a demand package, often for the full policy limits
• Negotiating with the insurance company to recover the maximum compensation available to you

Most personal injury claims end with a low-conflict resolution when a U-turn accident attorney negotiates a settlement; however, an experienced attorney prepares as though for trial throughout the process, remaining trial-ready should the insurance company deny, delay, or devalue your claim.

Contact a St. Louis U-Turn Accident Attorney From Miller & Hine

Insurance companies often undermine claims by assigning injury victims an undue percentage of fault, or by undervaluing an injury victim’s claim. If you or a close family member suffered injuries in a U-turn accident in St. Louis, reach out to an experienced U-turn accident attorney from Miller & Hine to represent your best interests.