Car Accident Lawyer in Oakville, Missouri

Car Accident Lawyer in Oakville, MO, Missouri. After you have been injured in a car accident, The Burger Law injury firm will ensure you are made whole again by demanding a full recovery. Consult a skilled car accident lawyer at no cost to you at (314) 500-HURT or online.

More Information About Oakville, MO Car Accident Cases

Scroll down to keep reading or select 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 Oakville, MO, reach out to an experienced Oakville, MO car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The attorneys of Burger Law offer 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 Oakville, MO

When you have been injured in a Missouri car crash, 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.

Your physical recovery and financial security should not hinge upon a lengthy and aggravating fight with the insurance company regarding the car accident. Unfortunately, insurance companies are often more motivated to look out for their own bottom line than they are your well-being and recovery. Take your recovery into your own hands.

There is so much at stake when your health and financial well-being are on the line and chances are high that the insurance company will be unwilling to offer you an adequate settlement for your damages. You need someone to fight for you, and Burger Law’s team of personal injury lawyers in Missouri is prepared to take on the insurance company in your name. Led by founder and prinicple attorney Gary Burger, the Oakville, MO car accident lawyers of Burger Law hold insurance companies and negligent individuals accountable for their actions. We defend the rights of the injured and work to deliver the maximum recovery for you after your Missouri car accident. Our legal team gets great settlement and trial results. Our team has won $200 million for our clients and will work dilligently to get you the full recovery you deserve. Contact us now.

How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for My Car Accident in Oakville, Missouri?

The timer on obtaining a recovery usually begins as soon as the car accident takes place. That is why it is imperative that you begin taking legal action toward your recovery right away. The law limits how long after being injured you can make a move to recover compensation, which is decided by the statute of limitations under state law. In personal injury claims, the statute of limitations in Missouri is five years. The five-year timer typically begins the date of the accident. There are, however, exceptions to this rule.

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 injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, product liability claim, or any other case, you must file an initial complaint with the court within five years of the act of negligence. If you miss this deadline and try to file anyway, the defendant can enter a “motion to dismiss. In most cases, the judge will grant this motion. Without filing within the statute of limitations, you do not necessarily have a rightful claim to compensation

While the statute of limitations applies to court filings, filing a claim with an 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.

Exceptions to the Five-Year Statute of Limitations in Missouri 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 your claim has surpassed the statute of limitations, consult a car accident lawyer in Oakville, MO to learn if you have any other options to pursue compensation.

Why Should I Pursue Compensation After My Oakville, MO Car Accident?

After being through a serious car accident, no one wants to go through months of waiting, negotiating and battling in court just to get the financial recovery they need. Many of us are dubious about even filing a claim or attempting to make a recovery after being injured in a car accident in Oakville, MO.

It is common to be hesitant about the idea, but remember that Missouri civil tort law was written to protect you and anyone else who has been injured or suffered loss when someone else acted with negligence. You did not deserve to be hurt in a motor vehicle accident, and it should not fall on you to cover the monetary expenses and other damages that follow. It would be unfair and perhaps even impossible for you to foot the bill after you have already needlessly suffered and have not done anything wrong.

On the other hand, when your injuries and other damages are severe, you may think it unfair that writing a check can make this go away for the liable party. Money, in any amount, wil not take away the suffering and anguish you have lived through. Though it will not undo the trauma or reverse the crash from happening, receiving a cash settlement in your Oakville, MO car accident case can help make your life much easier following the accident. Receiving fair compensation can:

• Ensure you get the medical treatment and care necessary for you to return to full strength and health, such as chronic therapies to help you manage your condition
• In your daily life, help you budget and meet your ongoing daily life needs, making sure you are compensated for the time you were forced to be away from work
• Restore you to wholeness, with money acting as the best-available substitute for restoring your well-being
• Make room for you to recover mentally and physically by reducing practical and financial stress
• Provide a sense of closure and acknowledge your experience
• Renew your sense of justice and the law
• If you lost a family member in a fatal car accident in Oakville, MO, a wrongful death case can help alieviate the burdens of planning a funeral, losing a source of income and other financial concerns so that you and your family can grieve in peace

Regardless of the reasoning behind your decision, to collect a settlement or court judgment for a sum that does your pain and loss justice and adequately restores you to wholeness, you must work with a veteran Oakville, MO car accident lawyer who will fight day after day to bring you justice.

For their side, the insurance company has a team dedicated to minimizing their financial responsibility and they often fight hard to avoid paying a fair settlement for your Oakville, MO car accident. You should have the same dedicated and tactical support in demanding the maximum compensation you are allowed under Missouri law. You need an experienced Oakville, MO car accident lawyer to protect your rights and maximize your recovery. Our Oakville, MO personal injury law firm has been winning claims for car accident victims for over 20 years and will demand full payment from the at-fault party’s insurance company. We do not rest until you are paid. Get a free consultation from a successfull Oakville, MO car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT.
Should I File a Car Accident Claim if My Friend or Family Member Was At Fault?

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

Navigating your injury claim after a car accident is difficult enough, and this can be made even more uncomfortable when it was your own friend or family member who was responsible for the accident. Still, the benefits are much more rewarding than the risks are hindering, and any time you have significant injuries, in most cases filing a claim against your at-fault friend or loved one is the best option.

Filing an injury claim does not mean you are filing a lawsuit or suing your friend or loved one. 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. It may suck to file an insurance claim, but this is the entire purpose of insurance. 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, the insurance company of the liable party should cover your medical costs and other damages.
Understanding Missouri Car Accident Insurance Rules

Understanding Missouri Car Accident Insurance Rules

Missouri state law requires vehicle owners to have car insurance so that, if a crash does occur, those who are injured have the means to collect a recovery for the burdens and damages incurred as a result of the auto accident. Missouri falls under the category of an “at-fault” state as opposed to a “no-fault” state, which means that state law requires drivers to carry liability coverage and, when you get in an accident, it is the at-fault party’s responsibility to pay for your damages. Other statesthat follow the “no-fault” rule require all drivers to instead obtain personal injury protection insurance. If you are in an accident in one of these such states, you would use your own insurance company.

When you select an insurance policy, your policy will have certain policy limits. Policy limits refer to the maximum amount of money your insurance company will pay out for an auto accident. The cost of a car accident varies wildly, but states create policy limit minimum requirements to ensure each driver carries enough insurance to cover another person in the event that they cause someone harm. 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 following the rules, they will have enough coverage to compensate you for your damages. If your damages exceed their policy limits, an auto crash lawyer in Oakville, MO like those at Burger Law will pursue all possible means of compensation, such as an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company.

No matter the circumstances, it is critical that you consult a car accident lawyer in Oakville, MO first. Every case is has its own considerations, and our experienced and savvy Oakville, Missouri car accident lawyers know how to maximize your financial recovery by pursuing all available forms of compensation and exercising your legal rights. Contact a car accident lawyer in Oakville, MO online or call (314) 500-HURT now.

Our Oakville, 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?

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 may 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 partial blame for the events leading to your injuries, the settlement you receive will be lessened proportionally. For example, if you hold 10 percent of the liability in your car accident, the payment you receive from the other party’s insurance company will be reduced by the 10 percent for which you were responsible.

One of the most critical variables in your Missouri car accident recovery is if you hire a lawyer and who that lawyer is. Burger Law’s dedicated, compassionate and unrelenting Oakville, MO car crash lawyers make sure you get the highest possible settlement to make you whole again. To learn what you can expect from your Missouri car accident injury case, explore our free online personal injury calculator.
Average Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Oakville, MO

Average Car Accident Settlement Amounts in Oakville, Missouri

Car accidents are costly. Data gathered by the Insurance Information Institute tells us that deaths, injuries and property damage in motor vehicle 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 is difficult and unwise to think about Missouri car accident settlements in terms of the average settlement figure. This is largely because each car accident is unique and there are multiple, complex details that affect the value of your damages and the outcome of your claim.

Calculating a useful 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, many car accidents with some sort of injury settle in the $15,000 to $20,000 range. Cases involving more severe injuries that require significant medical care often reach a settlement range of $25,000 to $100,000, while injuries resulting in permanent disability or, in the worst cases, wrongful death, can result in damages of 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, how extensively your injuries have disrupted your life and caused you pain and other important factors.
How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated in Oakville and Missouri?

How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated in Missouri?

Oakville, MO car accident settlements are generally a combination of the economic and noneconomic losses you have sustained because of the accident. Economic damages refer to all of your financial losses and expenses, for example emergency room bills, surgery, physical therapy, assistive devices such as crutches or wheelchairs, lost wages due to your inability to report to work, and property damage to your car. Economic damages includes your future medical bills. Your Oakville, MO car accident lawyer will work with medical experts to anticipate the future costs of your care, such as the need for another knee replacement surgery in 15 years or ongoing therapy for chronic symptoms.

Noneconomic damages are less concrete and can be harder to understand and calculate, but they seek to compensate you for the intangible ways your injuries have affected you. This is commonly referred to as “pain and suffering.” Noneconomic damages cover 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 factor of anywhere from 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 Oakville, 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 Oakville, 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 Oakville, 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 Our Oakville, MO Car Accident Lawyers

Get a Free Consultation Today

Contact Burger Law’s Oakville, MO Car Accident Lawyers

For nearly thirty years the lawyers of Burger Law have been delivering justice to the injured. We know how to fight back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and get our Oakville and Missouri clients the financial compensation they are owed.

You deserve to be made whole after a Missouri car accident harms you and disrupts your way of life. 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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