Car Accident Lawyer Lee’s Summit MO

Car Accident Lawyer in Lee’s Summit, MO, Missouri. After you have been injured in a car accident, Burger Law is here to ensure you are made whole again by demanding your complete compensation. Consult an experienced car accident lawyer for free now at (314) 500-HURT or online.

More Information About Lee’s Summit, MO Car Accident Cases

Scroll down to keep reading or go directly to a car crash topic of interest below to learn more. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a car accident in Lee’s Summit, MO, consult an experienced Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer right away. The attorneys of Burger Law provide case consultations at no cost to you. Call (314) 500-HURT to speak to a lawyer about your case today.

Hurt in a Car Accident? Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Lee’s Summit, MO

After you have been seriously injured in a Missouri car wreck, you should not be left to worry about things like whether or not you can afford the medical care and treatment you need for your injuries or the time you need away from work to heal.

You should not have to be subject to a difficult, technical and often frustrating fight with the insurance company and their lawyers just to get the compensation needed to make you whole again. Unfortunately, insurance companies are out to protect their bottom dollar, not your health. Take your recovery into your own hands.

Your health, future well-being and financial stability are all at stake and the insurance company is unlikely to willingly play fair and pay you adequately for your damages. You need someone to fight for you, and our Missouri personal injury legal team is prepared to fight tooth and nail in your name. Gary Burger and the Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyers of Burger Law hold insurance companies and negligent individuals accountable for their actions. We fight for the rights of the injured and demand a full recovery in your Missouri car accident case. Our law firm gets great case results. We have secured $200 million for those who have been harmed in Missouri and will fight dilligently to help you obtain nothing less than maximum compensation. Contact us now.

How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for My Car Accident in Lee’s Summit, Missouri?

After you or a family member are involved in a car accident, the countdown begins. That is why it is very important that you begin taking legal action toward your recovery right away. You only have a certain amount of time to make a claim, and that time limit is determined by your state’s statute of limitations. Missouri has a five-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. The five-year countdown usually begins on the day the accident occured. However, there are certain exceptions.

Missouri Revised Statute §516.140 states that there is a five-year limitation on any actions for any “injury to the person or rights of another, not arising on contract,” and not otherwise mentioned in the states’ statutes.

So, in order to file a lawsuit for your injuries that resulted from a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, product liability claim, or any other type of negligence, you have five years from the date the negligence occurred to file an initial complaint in court. If you attempt to file a claim after the five-year deadline, the person you are filing a claim against can enter a “motion to dismiss,” which will be granted in most cases.

While the statute of limitations applies to court filings, making a claim with the insurance company quickly after your injury is still vital. It is much more difficult to negotiate a good settlement after the five years has passed, as the other side will not have the threat of an expensive and lengthy trial hanging over their heads.

What are the Exceptions to Missouri’s Five-Year Statute of Limitations in Personal Injury Claims?

There are four significant exceptions to Missouri’s personal injury statute of limitations:

1. Missouri Revised Statute §516.170 — If you were under the age of 21 or were “mentally incapacitated” at the time the negligence occurred, you have five years from the date of your 21st birthday or the date the disability was removed.
2. Missouri Revised Statute §516.200 — If the person you are making a claim against leaves the state of Missouri after the negligence occurred, their time out of state does not count against the five years.
3. Missouri Revised Statute §537.100 — Wrongful death claims must be brought within three years of your loved one’s death.
4. Claims Against the State Government — Any claim against a government entity in Missouri must be filed within 90 days of the accident with the Missouri Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division.

If you are afraid that the statute of limitations for your claim may have passed, contact a car accident attorney in Lee’s Summit, MO to find out if you have any other options to pursue compensation.

Why Should I Pursue Compensation After My Lee’s Summit, MO Car Accident?

Nobody who is injured in a car accident is glad to go through the painful ordeal of waiting, negotiating and battling in court just to receive fair compensation for their damages. Many of us are dubious about even filing a claim or pursuing a monetary settlement after being injured in a car accident in Lee’s Summit, MO.

It is normal to feel unsure about the prospect, but the truth is that Missouri civil tort law is designed to protect you and anyone else who has been injured or suffered damages when someone else acted with negligence. You did not deserve to be injured in a motor vehicle accident, and you should not be stuck having to figure out how to pay for your medical care and make up for the monetary expenses and losses that follow. It would be unfair and may not even be possible to expect you to foot the bill after you have already needlessly suffered and have not done anything wrong.

Or perhaps because your injuries were so catastrophic or your experience so emotionally taxing, it may seem unfair or even dirty to accept a settlement for your experiences. Money, in any amount, wil not take away the suffering and anguish you have lived through. Nothing can keep you from suffering the trauma or sustaining the injuries of that accident, but being compensated in your Lee’s Summit, MO car accident case can make a major difference in your life after the collision. A settlement can:

• Ensure you get the medical care and rehabilitative treatments you need to recover fully, such as ongoing therapies to help you manage your condition
• In your daily life, help you budget and meet your ongoing daily life needs, replacing income lost in your time away from work
• Make you whole again, with money acting as the next-best substitute for your well-being
• Ease the stress of wading through the legal claim process, allowing you more energy to heal
• Offer validation of your experiences and suffering
• Restore your faith in the US justice system
• In a wrongful death case where your family member was killed in a car accident in Missouri, your claim can ease the financial burden of losing a source of financial support so that you and your family can grieve in peace

Whatever the case or your reason for filing a claim, to receive a settlement or court judgment at a value that does your pain and loss justice and makes umakes you adequately whole again, you should work with a veteran Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer who will fight day after day to bring you justice.

For their side, the insurance company has an entire team of legal experts at their disposal dedicated to minimizing their financial responsibility and they often fight hard to avoid paying a fair settlement for your Lee’s Summit, MO car accident. You deserve legal counsel of the same caliber demanding the full compensation possible in Missouri. You need an experienced Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer to protect your rights and maximize your recovery. Our Lee’s Summit, MO personal injury law firm has been working together to hold the negligent accountable and collect recoveries for the injured for over 20 years and will demand that you receive full compensation for your damages from the negligent driver’s insurance company. We do not rest until they pay. Get a free consultation from a successfull Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT.

Should I File a Car Accident Claim in Lee’s Summit, MO if My Friend or Family Member Was At Fault?

When dealing with the already difficult legal process of obtaining a recovery after a car accident, things can be made even more difficult when it was your own friend or family member who was responsible for the accident. Do not let that stop you. In truth, the pros far outweigh the cons and any time you have injuries and other damages, it is almost always best to file the claim no matter what.

Note that simply filing a claim after the accident is NOT the same as filing a lawsuit or suing the person you care about. A claim is just a document requesting that the liable party’s insurance company compensates you for the damages you incurred at the fault of their covered customer. We all pay for insurance for this very reason. We pay premiums every year so that, in the event of an accident, the insurance company is there to cover emergency expenses. Regardless of whose fault it was and what your relationship to them is, when you are seriously injured in a car wreck, you should not be on the hook for your medical bills and other damages.

Understanding Missouri Car Accident Insurance Rules

Missouri state law requires vehicle owners to have car insurance so that, if a crash does occur, any injured car accident victims have the means to collect a recovery for the expenses and damages incurred as a result of the auto accident. Missouri is considered an “at-fault” state rather than a “no-fault” state. When you get in an accident in Missouri, it is the at-fault party’s responsibility to pay for your damages. Some states, by contrast, require everyone to maintain personal injury protection insurance. If you are in an accident in one of these such states, you would use your own insurance policy to cover your damages, regardless of who is responsible for the collision.

The insurance policy you choose comes with specific policy limits. Policy limits refer to the maximum amount of money your insurance company will pay out for an auto accident. To make sure that the at-fault driver has an insurance policy that will adequately cover your Lee’s Summit, MO car accident damages, Missouri law requires drivers to carry liability insurance with policy limits of at least:

• $25,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per person
• $50,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 (Missouri)/$20,000 (Illinois) minimum coverage for property damage

If your friend or family member is in compliance with the law and has liability insurance in Lee’s Summit, MO, their insurance policy will cover your injuries and other damages. If you have suffered more than the policy limits in damages from your car accident, an auto crash lawyer in Lee’s Summit, MO like those at Burger Law will pursue all possible means of compensation, such as an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.

Whatever the circumstances, you must speak with a car accident lawyer in Lee’s Summit, MO first. Each case is unique, and our experienced and reputable Lee’s Summit, Missouri car accident lawyers have the knowledge and skill to get you the best possible settlement by pursuing all available forms of compensation and using the law to your benefit. Get in touch with a car accident lawyer in Lee’s Summit, MO online or call (314) 500-HURT now.

Our Lee’s Summit, MO attorneys fight for the injured in many kinds of Missouri injury claims. Learn more about our areas of expertise below.

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri

How Much Can I Recover for my Missouri Car Accident Case?

The dollar amount of your settlement depends on the value of your damages and a whole host of other factors. For example, depending on the total value of your damages, the payout from the insurance company could be limited by the policy limit, which is the maximum amount an insurance company will pay per accident and per person based on the policy. Comparative fault rules can also affect your recovery. If you shared some blame for the events leading to your injuries, your recovery will be lessened by the percent for which you were at fault for the car accident.

One of the most important variables in your Missouri car accident recovery is if you hire a lawyer and who that lawyer is. An experienced and diligent Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer will help you maximize your recovery and get the compensation you truly deserve. To find out what you might be able to receive in your Missouri car accident injury case, explore our free online personal injury calculator.

Average Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Lee’s Summit, Missouri

Auto accidents are costly. Data gathered by the Insurance Information Institute tells us that expenses from deaths, injuries and property damage in traffic accidents cost $474 billion in 2020. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, auto accidents cost society an estimated $7,300 per second in loss of productivity.

It will not do you a lot of good to think about your case or frame your expectations in terms of the average car accident settlement. There are so many variables involved and there are many complex variables that play into the value of your damages and, ultimately, the dollar amount of your settlement.

Calculating an accurate average settlement figure is futile and irrelevant. A significant number of cases are resolved confidentially, where all involved parties enter into a legally binding nondiclosure agreement barring them from discussing the terms of the settlement. This may be a condition of the settlement itself.

However, we do know that many car accidents that involve an injury settle in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. Cases involving more severe injuries that require significant medical care often reach $25,000 to $100,000, while injuries resulting in permanent disability or, in the worst cases, wrongful death, can settle for around $150,000 to millions of dollars. Because there is no Missouri law that puts a cap on damages in car accidents and other personal injury claims, these settlements are not limited by law, but rather by the coverage available and other relevant factors.

How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated in Missouri?

The settlement you receive in your Lee’s Summit, MO car accident case is calculated based on a combination of the economic and noneconomic losses you have experienced because of the accident. Economic damages are the sum total of all the money you have lost or spent because of your injuries, for example emergency room bills, cost of surgery, rehabilitative treatment, medications, lost wages due to your inability to report to work, and repair or replacement of your vehicle. Economic damages includes your future medical bills, so if your injuries require a knee replacement, you should also be compensated for how much it will cost to have that replaced in 15 to 20 years.

Noneconomic damages are harder to define, but they seek to compensate you for the intangible ways the accident impacts you. Many refer to this collectively as “pain and suffering.” Noneconomic damages compensate you for anything from physical pain in the weeks, months or years after your accident, to any permanent disfigurement, to mental anguish and loss of your ability to enjoy life. There are different methods used to figure the value. One of the more common methods is multiplying your economic damages by a number between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of your injuries.

For example, if your economic damages were $5,000 and you agree on a multiplier of three, your total damages would be $15,000. However, say you love playing the piano, and now have limited use of your right hand because of nerve damage from the accident. That has a profound effect on how you can enjoy your life and live the life you want to live. In that case, if your economic damages were $200,000, you would receive up to $1 million in damages based on a multiplier of five.

Factors That Determine Your Car Accident Settlement in Lee’s Summit, MO

As the purpose of a car accident settlement is to fairly compensate you for your injuries, the severity of those injuries the the driving factor in how much your settlement might be. Other factors include how your injuries have impacted your life, the insurance policy in question, if you bear any responsibility for your accident and the abilities of your Lee’s Summit, MO car accident lawyer:

• The severity of your injuries — As more severe injuries lead to higher medical expenses and more time lost from work, they lead to higher settlements, especially when factoring in the pain and suffering multiplier.
• How your injuries have impacted your life — The greater the effect on your mental, emotional and physical well-being, the higher the noneconomic damages will be.
• The insurance policy — both Missouri and Illinois have minimum insurance requirements for bodily injury, and while a skilled car accident lawyer may be able to get you more, there are times where you will be limited by the negligent driver’s and/or your insurance policy limits.
• If you are partially to blame — You can still receive a financial recovery if you were partially to blame, however the amount will be less. For example, if you are awarded $100,000 in damages but it is found that you are 30% to blame for your accident, you would receive $70,000. While in Missouri you can still receive compensation if you were 99% at fault, Illinois does not allow recoveries for people who are over 50% to blame.
• Your car accident lawyer — Insurance companies use a lot of tricks to try and devalue claims, and you need a skilled and aggressive attorney to combat those claims and make sure you get the money you deserve. Your car accident lawyer will also need to investigate your accident, prove liability on the part of the other driver and have a network of Lee’s Summit, MO medical and economic experts to precisely value your claim. If the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement in negotiation, you will need an experienced trial lawyer that will stand by your side and argue your case in front of a jury.

Contact Burger Law’s Lee’s Summit, MO Car Accident Lawyers

At Burger Law, we have been standing up for the injured for over 30 years and know how to get results for our clients. We know how to fight back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and get our Lee’s Summit and Missouri clients the financial settlement they are owed.

You deserve to be made whole after being injured in a car accident in Lee’s Summit, MO. Our team of experienced car accident lawyers will stop at nothing to bring you justice. Best of all, there is no upfront cost to you. We finance your case and get to work right away. You only pay when we win your case and secure maximum compensation. There is nothing to lose except the chance to recover fully. Contact us now.

Client Reviews

What our clients are saying about us

Juanita Matthews

Year of 2023

This law firm is absolutely amazing. They took on my case, when nobody else would! They fought hard for me when it seemed there was no hope. They kept me informed and always asked for my input before making decisions on my case. Gary puts himself into every case unlike most law firm owners. Gary and his team really care about every one of their clients, and fights hard to get you a fair settlement. They actually won my case out of court, and then reduced my fees to make sure I could get my car fixed and be able to get back to some normality. I would recommend Burger Law over and above any other firm! If you go somewhere else you aren’t getting the best!

Shaunda S.

7 months ago

I am very happy with the staff at Burger Law. I mostly worked with Michael Sheldon, and he did an amazing job. I trusted him completely with my case, and he did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend this team if your ever in need of good attorneys.

Emelia M.

3 months ago

Burger Law Firm is fantastic. Laura and Genevieve were so amazing and helpful throughout the entire process. They helped me with my personal injury case every step of the way and succeeded at getting me the results I desired.

Helen L.

a year ago

We had a great experience with Burger Law for representing us after a serious car accident. Truly impressed by how professional and supportive the entire team is. And, many thanks to Genavieve and Laura – you are amazing!

Judy M.

a year ago

They did an amazing job on my case! Communication with them was great!!! Kept me informed and in the loop with everything that was going on!!! Will definitely be the 1st ones I’ll call if ever I’m in another accident!!! Thank you very much!!!

Chelsea C.

5 months ago

Let me tell you something about Burger Law.. they are so attentive and kind. Jennifer is my savior!! I love the whole team!!! They are truly a miracle team!! I appreciate their business and would recommend it to others.

David D.

2 months ago

Absolutely the best law firm in the St. Louis area. No matter the size of your case you are treated as if you are the only client on the roster. Will explain anything thoroughly and they work around your availability. Very impressed and appreciative of the service.

Lisa B.

11 months ago

Gary and Casey took great care of me for 2.5 years as my lawsuit was finally settled. I feel he helped me achieve justice for me and my 4 children after their father died from medical malpractice and neglect. Thanks to Gary, my kids now have a great start to their college and adult lives. Thank you Gary and Casey, for fighting for us so hard at our most trying and difficult time in our lives thus far. Love and God bless from my family to yours!

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