Two lives were lost in an unfortunate car accident in Adair County, Missouri on the afternoon of Friday, July 25.
Around 20 minutes after 12, first responders were called to the scene of the accident on MO 11, three miles east of Winigan. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol report, a 2016 Corolla was traveling northbound as a Jeep Wrangler was traveling southbound in the same northbound lane. The Jeep slammed the Toyota head-on, seriously injuring the driver of the Jeep, who was life-flighted to a local hospital. On top of injuring himself, he also killed a 43-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy, both of whom were passengers in the Corolla. The driver of the same vehicle was moderately injured, and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.
Wrong-way collisions, though statistically rare compared to other crash types, are among the most dangerous and deadly. They often result in higher injury severity due to the combined speeds of both vehicles and the near impossibility of avoiding the crash once a wrong-way driver is seen.
When a crash causes fatalities or serious injuries, the victims or their families may be entitled to pursue claims for compensation. This may include damages for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, funeral costs, and more. In cases where fault can be established, civil claims may proceed even if no criminal charges are filed.