Mayer Law Office Mayer Law Office2026-11-03T04:34:49Zhttps://www.mayerlawoffice.com/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1102988/2019/05/cropped-fab-32x32.pngOn Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[How do the police test a driver’s blood alcohol concentration? ]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=517002026-11-03T04:34:49Z2026-11-03T04:34:49ZWhen the police suspect a driver is inebriated, chemical testing to determine their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is almost certainly going to be performed.
Tests that evaluate a driver’s BAC can help the police determine if a driver has exceeded the statutory limit to establish “per se” or legal intoxication. However, even when a driver’s BAC is below the limit, a positive BAC may still lend credence to the prosecutor’s claim that the driver was too impaired to be behind the wheel.
Blood, breath and urine are the keys
Typically, officers will use a “breath test.” Many drivers are somewhat familiar with so-called “breathalyzer” devices that can calculate their blood alcohol content from the amount of alcohol molecules in their breath. While the police often have small, handheld devices with them at the roadside, these preliminary breath tests (PBTs) are generally not admissible in court.After a tentative judgment has been made and the driver has been arrested, the breath test will generally be conducted at the police station or jail using a stationary machine. That test result is typically used in court.The other two types of field sobriety tests are done using blood tests and urine tests. These tests must be conducted by medical professionals and are rarely used. They may require either the consent of the driver or a warrant from a judge to gather the bodily fluids.
BAC limit in Missouri
A driver is considered drunk if their blood alcohol content exceeds Missouri’s legal limit. Missouri has several BAC limits, including the following:
21 years of age or older: 0.08%
Younger than 21 years of age: 0.04%
Commercial drivers: 0.02%
Drivers who exceed the applicable legal limit can lose their license and face jail time and fines. Commercial drivers who exceed the legal limit can potentially lose their professional license. If a driver exceeds a BAC of 0.15%, they may face much harsher criminal punishments due to their higher level of intoxication, since that puts others at additional risk. Professional legal guidance can help drivers who are facing DUI charges regardless of their situation and BAC readings. ]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[Critical evidence to secure for a motor vehicle accident claim]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516922026-10-26T11:29:57Z2026-10-26T11:19:28ZDocumentation to preserve after a vehicle wreck
Motorists should build an organized record of the incident immediately to support their legal position. Having proper documentation of the following key evidence helps prove fault and connects bodily harm directly to the crash event:
The official police report: Motorists must contact law enforcement to report collisions involving injury or significant property damage under state accident reporting laws. Responding officers document motorist information, weather conditions and objective findings at the scene. This report may establish baseline facts for early insurance settlement discussions.
Photographs of the collision scene: Clear pictures preserve visual proof that could disappear once tow trucks clear the roadway. Motorists should capture vehicle damage, roadway debris and nearby traffic control signs. Visual records can also verify physical injuries before cuts and bruises heal.
Witness contact details and statements: Independent bystanders often provide credible accounts that might resolve conflicting stories about the crash. Motorists should collect full names, phone numbers and email addresses before witnesses depart. Insurance adjusters may place weight on unbiased witness observations during claim reviews.
Medical records and treatment expenses: Prompt doctor visits create a verifiable link between the wreck and bodily harm. Diagnostic scans, rehabilitation plans and billing statements can confirm health care costs. Consistent treatment records also potentially prevent insurance companies from minimizing genuine physical injuries.
In addition, motorists should secure available dashcam footage, nearby commercial surveillance video and electronic vehicle data before property owners erase the files. Furthermore, official pay stubs and tax records help prove lost wages when motor vehicle crash injuries force an employee to miss work.
Seeking to safeguard personal stability and long-term recovery
A serious crash threatens the financial security and daily physical independence of injured motorists. With legal guidance, motor vehicle accident victims may better navigate the complexities of their personal injury claims. Additionally, having legal counsel may help them counter aggressive settlement tactics as they seek to safeguard their stability and long-term recovery.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[How serious is a drug charge in Missouri?]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516882026-10-20T21:53:25Z2026-10-20T21:53:25ZPossession of an illegal substance can lead to serious criminal charges, including fines and incarceration. However, not all drug offenses carry the same penalties. In Missouri, some drug offenses are misdemeanors, while others are felonies that can result in lengthy prison sentences.So, what determines how serious a drug charge will be? Several factors can influence the charges a person faces and the potential penalties. Here are three of the most important.
What type of drug was found?
Controlled substances are divided into five categories called schedules. These classifications are based on factors such as a drug's potential for abuse, its accepted medical uses and its potential for dependence.Schedule I substances have a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use under federal law. Schedule II substances also have a high potential for abuse but have accepted medical uses under strict controls. Drugs in Schedules III, IV and V generally have a lower potential for abuse.The type of drug involved can significantly affect the charges and penalties. However, even possession of a small amount of a controlled substance can result in felony charges in Missouri.
How much of the substance was found?
The quantity of a controlled substance can also influence the severity of criminal charges. Generally, larger amounts can lead to more serious charges, particularly when prosecutors believe the drugs were intended for distribution.Missouri law also establishes specific quantity thresholds for certain drug trafficking offenses. Depending on the substance involved, exceeding those thresholds can result in substantial prison sentences.
What was the defendant using the drug for?
There is a significant legal difference between possessing drugs for personal use and possessing them with the intent to sell or distribute them.Someone accused of possessing a controlled substance for personal use may face less severe charges than someone accused of manufacturing or distributing drugs.A large quantity of drugs, packaging materials, scales or other evidence may lead prosecutors to allege an intent to distribute. Certain quantities can also trigger trafficking charges under Missouri law, even without evidence that drugs crossed state lines.The circumstances of each case matter. Understanding the specific charges, the evidence against you and the potential penalties is essential when facing drug allegations. Experienced legal guidance can help you explore your defense options and protect your rights.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[Pedestrian accidents often lead to traumatic brain injuries]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516842026-10-07T20:01:07Z2026-10-07T20:01:07ZWhen a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, it can produce severe head trauma. Even low‑to‑moderate speeds can generate forces strong enough to damage the skull and underlying brain tissue.
Many experience immediate symptoms, while others develop complications over hours or days. An accurate medical evaluation is essential because traumatic brain injuries can evolve quickly.
How impact mechanics lead to skull fractures
In a vehicle-pedestrian impact, the head may absorb a significant amount of force, leading to linear or depressed skull fractures. They occur when external force exceeds cranial bone strength, allowing it to crack or compress inward. Skull fractures often appear alongside other injuries, so clinicians rely on imaging to determine the exact injury pattern and severity. Prompt diagnosis is essential, especially when fragments or swelling threaten underlying brain structures.
Diffuse axonal injury in pedestrian impacts
One of the most serious forms of traumatic brain injury in pedestrian collisions is diffuse axonal injury. It develops when rapid acceleration or deceleration causes the brain to shift within the skull. The movement stretches and tears axons, which are the long fibers that allow brain cells to communicate. Diffuse axonal injury can occur even without a direct blow to the head because the force of sudden motion alone can disrupt neural pathways. Individuals often require intensive monitoring, neurological assessment and long‑term rehabilitation due to the widespread nature of the damage.
Building a strong injury claim
Accident claims involving severe head trauma require thorough documentation. Medical records, diagnostic imaging and specialist evaluations help establish the full scope of the injury. Important steps include:
Immediate emergency care
Follow‑up neurological testing
Consistent symptom reporting
Rehabilitation documentation
Accident scene evidence
Along with experienced guidance, this evidence helps demonstrate how the injury occurred and its impact on daily life, strengthening the odds of fair compensation.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[Can AI diagnose your injuries after a car accident?]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516782026-09-21T22:24:28Z2026-09-21T22:24:28ZIf you have been in a car accident, you could be suffering from serious injuries. However, seeking medical care at a hospital or your primary care doctor can be expensive. You may not want to be billed for your medical care and face thousands of dollars of debt. Instead, you may consider using AI to diagnose your injuries.
Using AI to diagnose medical conditions can impact your right to compensation after a car accident. Here is what you should know:
Why AI can not replace your doctor
AI is a tool that can be used to answer questions. AI may provide very accurate answers for some questions. However, AI cannot replace the professional experience provided by a doctor. Doctors are able to provide extensive medical examinations, diagnose medical conditions and provide the care needed to patients. AI cannot provide the same level of care as doctors. AI may provide misinformation that could worsen your injuries. Because AI cannot provide an official medical diagnosis, you may not have accurate medical records for an insurance claim. Insurance companies may not accept an insurance claim without an official diagnosis and treatment from a medical specialist. This can cause you to receive a smaller settlement for a car accident. If you seek compensation for your injuries and losses in court, a medical diagnosis created by AI can impact your case. The information provided by AI may be questioned in court and impact your right to damages.It is crucial to seek medical care after a car accident to protect your health and your legal rights. Professional legal guidance can help you recover compensation for your medical bills and losses.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[What to do after a car accident in Missouri]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516322026-09-08T00:50:21Z2026-09-08T00:50:21Zwhat to do after a car accident can help to protect you from serious financial losses associated with this kind of harm.
Seek emergency help
You should call the police immediately after a car accident. After you call the police, a police officer should arrive at the scene of the accident to make a report. A police report is an essential piece of evidence that can help protect your rights when you’re filing a car accident claim.
Typically, paramedics will arrive at the scene of the accident after you call the police. You may want to consider speaking to paramedics about the accident and having a medical exam. A medical report can help you if you discover whether you have been seriously injured, even if your injuries initially seem minor.
Gather evidence
Before and after the police arrive, you should consider gathering evidence of the car accident. You may want to take pictures and videos of any damage to vehicles and injuries. You may also want to speak with your attorney about securing video evidence from dash cameras, street cameras and surveillance cameras. Video evidence of the accident can help prove who was at fault for the collision.
Notify your insurance company
You should inform your insurance company about your accident. An insurance claim can help you recover damages for medical bills and vehicle repair costs. It’s generally best to take this step only with the assistance of your attorney, though. Insurance companies aren’t always forthcoming.
Professional legal guidance can help you to recover maximum compensation for your losses and to hold liable parties accountable for their actions.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[Protections afforded under Missouri’s Good Samaritan Law]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516282026-08-28T11:09:07Z2026-08-28T11:09:07ZMissouri Good Samaritan Law can protect both the person requesting assistance and the person experiencing the emergency. However, this protection applies only in certain circumstances and does not provide immunity from every criminal offense or legal consequence.
Who can receive protection
You may receive protection when you seek medical assistance in good faith for someone experiencing a drug or alcohol overdose or another medical emergency. The law can also protect you when you seek emergency assistance for yourself. A person experiencing an overdose may also qualify for protection when another person makes a good faith request for medical assistance on their behalf.
What qualifies as medical assistance
Seeking medical assistance is broader than calling 911. It can include reporting an overdose or other medical emergency to law enforcement, a poison control center or a medical provider. Protection can also extend to assisting someone who reports the emergency or providing care to the affected person while waiting for emergency assistance to arrive.
Which legal consequences are covered
When the statutory requirements are satisfied, you generally cannot be arrested, charged, prosecuted, convicted, subjected to civil forfeiture or otherwise penalized for certain specified offenses when evidence of those offenses resulted from seeking or obtaining medical assistance.
Protected conduct includes certain controlled substance and alcohol offenses identified by Missouri law. The statute can also provide protection for certain violations of restraining orders and violations of probation or parole. This protection can be significant when evidence of an offense becomes known to police only because someone requested emergency medical help.
If you face criminal consequences after seeking emergency assistance in good faith, consider seeking legal guidance. Understanding whether the state’s Good Samaritan statute applies to the evidence and alleged offense can be an important part of evaluating your criminal defense options.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[Can you recover damages without being hospitalized?]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516262026-08-20T15:21:44Z2026-08-20T15:21:44ZThe severity of your injury matters
The nature and severity of your injury matter more than whether you spent a night in a hospital. Some injuries require ongoing care without requiring admission, while others may interfere with your daily activities even after an emergency room visit or doctor's appointment.
For example, a back injury could require physical therapy and follow-up visits while still allowing you to return home after your initial evaluation. The fact that you did not need inpatient care does not erase the effects of that injury.
Your medical treatment can support your claim
Prompt and appropriate medical care can help document what happened to you and the treatment your injury requires. Depending on your condition, that care could include:
Doctor visits
Diagnostic tests
Prescription medication
Physical therapy
Missouri law allows evidence of the actual cost of medical care when the treatment was reasonable, necessary and resulted from another person's negligence.
Your losses can extend beyond medical care
The financial impact of an accident can reach beyond your medical bills. If your injury prevents you from working, you may lose income while you recover. You may also experience pain, discomfort or limitations that affect your normal activities.
These effects can matter when assessing the damages connected to your injury, even if your treatment never required hospitalization.
Consider the full impact of your injury
You do not need a hospital stay to take an accident-related injury seriously. Reviewing your medical records, treatment history and losses with an attorney can help you understand whether your circumstances support a personal injury claim. They can also guide you on what steps you can take next and how you can pursue your case even while you are recovering.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[What happens if you ignore a traffic ticket in Missouri?]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516242026-08-07T23:10:05Z2026-08-07T23:10:05ZMissing the deadline can lead to additional penalties
Every Missouri traffic ticket includes instructions explaining how and when a driver must respond. Ignoring that deadline does not make the ticket invalid. Instead, the court may treat the failure to respond as a separate legal issue. Depending on the circumstances, the court may:
Assess additional fines and court costs
Enter a judgment against the driver
Schedule additional court proceedings
Issue notices requiring further action
The longer a citation remains unresolved, the more expensive and complicated the situation can become.
What should you do after receiving a Missouri traffic ticket?
The appropriate response after receiving the ticket depends on the nature of the citation and the driver's circumstances. Possible next steps include:
Reviewing the citation carefully for response deadlines
Paying the fine if appropriate
Requesting a court hearing to challenge the allegation
Determining whether the offense requires a mandatory court appearance
Acting before the deadline can provide more flexibility than attempting to resolve the issue after additional penalties have been imposed.
A traffic ticket that begins as a relatively minor matter can lead to significant legal consequences simply because a driver fails to respond. Addressing a citation may help protect driving privileges, reduce unnecessary penalties and provide a clearer path toward resolving the matter under Missouri law.]]>On Behalf of Mayer Law Office<![CDATA[New law raises stakes for those charged with fatal DWI crashes]]>https://www.mayerlawoffice.com/?p=516222026-07-25T23:30:48Z2026-07-25T23:30:48Zsurviving parent or guardian who is raising a child. They generally are to continue until a child turns 18. However, if the child is attending college or has a disability, they may be ordered to continue until they turn 21.
If the driver is sentenced to prison, they do not have to begin making payments until a year after they have been released. However, they have to make up for the payments they missed during that time. The new law also raises the minimum sentence for someone convicted of DWI in a fatal crash to five years.
How the amount of support is determined
Courts determine how much support is owed similarly to how they do in traditional child support cases. They are to consider factors including:
The financial needs of the child (including physical and mental health care, educational and child care needs)
The financial resources of the surviving caregiver(s)
The child’s standard of living prior to the parent’s death
The law notes that the driver can still face civil liability from surviving loved ones. However, “the child maintenance order shall offset the judgment awarded in the civil action.”
This new law raises the stakes even more for those charged with causing a fatal crash while driving while intoxicated. And, that’s just one reason why it’s critical that anyone who is facing this charge gets experienced legal guidance as early as possible to protect their rights and determine the best way forward.Bottom of Form
Ce]]>