Traffic on State Highway 177 was delayed for over an hour in Cape Girardeau County on a recent Wednesday morning when a serious accident caused traffic to be reduced to one lane only. According to an accident report, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said a collision occurred shortly after 6 a.m. One person suffered serious injuries.

The report notes that a 30-year-old driver from a neighboring state was eastbound on the highway in a pickup truck. For reasons not reported, he apparently crossed into the lanes of westbound traffic. The truck smashed head-on into a van that was operated by a 33-year-old man from Jackson.

Both drivers were rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Authorities said the pickup truck driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, and he reportedly suffered only minor injuries. However, the driver of the van did not wear his seat belt, and his injuries were reported to be serious. There is no mention of any charges filed against the driver who crossed over the center line.

The Missouri driver who suffered serious injuries in this crash will be facing unanticipated medical and other expenses while likely also having to cope with the pain and suffering of the injuries. Financial relief may be pursued by filing a personal injury claim in a civil court. Once financial liability is established by appropriate proof of negligence, documented claims for financial and emotional damages will be considered by the court for inclusion in a monetary judgment.

Source: kfvs12.com, “UPDATE: 2 hurt in Hwy. 177 crash in Cape Girardeau Co.“, Christi Reynard, March 23, 2016