Licensed in Missouri and Kansas

Three Most Common Allegations in Crash Cases

Missouri has a list of jury instructions that contain the most common allegations of negligence in various types of personal injury cases. For car crash cases, the list includes several acts of negligence that a jury can use to decide negligence. Here are some of the most common.

1. Failure to Keep a Careful Lookout.

The most common allegation of negligence in a car crash case is the failure to keep a careful lookout. This instruction, numbered 17.05 in the Missouri Approved Jury Instructions book, is used when a crash is caused by someone’s inattention. Since nearly every car crash is the result of someone not paying attention, it is used most often. It applies in any crash scenario where the at-fault driver was not paying close enough attention to the road.

2. Following Too Closely.

This instruction applies when the at-fault driver was driving too closely to you. It’s common because most collisions can be avoided if enough space is given between cars. The Missouri Driver Guide recommends you use the three-second rule. This is where you count the seconds between the car in front of you passing an object and you passing an object. Three seconds should elapse between. This gives drivers a better chance of avoiding a crash even when they’re not paying full attention.

3. Excessive Speed.

Another common act of negligence is driving too fast. This instruction, numbered 17.03, can be used when the at-fault driver was driving too fast. This can be used even when the at-fault driver was driving the speed limit if there was something happening on the road where the driver should have been going slower, like in bad weather or stop-and-go traffic. Like the other instructions, this one is common because it often contributes to a crash. If the at-fault driver wasn’t driving too fast, chances are the crash could have been avoided.

There are plenty of other jury instructions available in Missouri car crash cases. We’ve tried many such cases in Missouri and are familiar with all of the instructions. If you are curious about what instructions might apply in your crash case, please give us a call any time at 816.867.8611.
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