Woman Suffers Serious Injuries in Towboat Accident on Missouri River

A woman on a towboat suffered serious injuries last week when part of her clothing got snagged in engine room equipment . The accident occurred on a towboat on the Missouri River.

The 47-year-old woman was apparently working in the engine room on a barge when part of her shirt got caught in the drive shaft of the engine room’s machinery. The woman got tangled and dragged into the equipment. Her clothes were torn off and she sustained injuries.

Initially, it was reported that her injuries were not very serious, and consisted mainly of abrasions. But since then, her family members have responded to some news reports on the accident. They say that her injuries are a lot more serious than abrasions. According to her family, she has suffered a spinal cord injury, neck injury, crushed jaw, broken shoulder, collapsed lung, shattered hip and pelvis, and severe burns to the stomach, leg, and chest. She is also reported to be in a medically induced coma.

The seriousness of the accident was compounded by the fact that rescue operations were delayed. It was hard for fire personnel to rush to the scene of the accident, because recent flooding and snowfall had made the river difficult to navigate.

Additionally, the lack of a dock or marina made recue even more difficult. Ultimately, rescue personnel managed to use rope to access the barge and rush the victim to the hospital.

The maritime law attorneys at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers represent towboat workers who have been injured in accidents.