Car Accident Lawyer Missouri

Car Accident Lawyer in St. Louis and Missouri. They broke the rules of the road, and now you are left to pick up the pieces. You do not have to pay because someone else was negligent. Call a Burger Law Missouri car accident lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation and to start on your road to recovery.

The damage that selfish and irresponsible drivers can cause is often staggering, and they need to be held responsible for their actions. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has dedicated their lives to standing up to bullies and standing up for the injured and vulnerable in Missouri to get them the financial recovery they need to move forward and get their life back. If you were injured by a negligent driver, we know you are angry — you should be. You are also likely worried about the financial implications of medical bills and lost wages, not to mention the physical and emotional pain that accompanies your injuries. The law offers you a path to restitution; our Missouri car accident lawyer team is here to guide you through it and fight by your side until there is nothing left to fight and you are fully compensated for the damage someone else's negligence caused. You do not have to wait any longer to be made whole again. We charge no fees until we win your case.

In over thirty years of practice, our car accident lawyer team has secured over $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Missouri clients. If you were hurt because someone else broke the rules of the road, see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

How Common Are Car Accidents in Missouri?

In Missouri, car accident fatalities increased 12% between 2019 and 2020, even though there were fewer people on the road because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2018 study found that Missouri ranked 12th in the nation in fatal road accidents, with 58 percent of those fatalities occurring on rural roads. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 36,033 car accidents that resulted in personal injury and 923 fatal car crashes.

If you were one of the many in Missouri to be injured on the road because of someone else's negligence, call a car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT.

What a Missouri Car Accident Lawyer Can Do For You

With some standard fender-benders, you may be able to be fully compensated without the help of a lawyer. But when you are injured in an accident, you often need a car accident lawyer to fight by your side and ensure that you get the best results in your case. When you hire a Burger Law Missouri car accident lawyer, we will:

• Investigate your case and gather evidence, such as:
• Photographs
• Surveillance footage
• Police reports
• Official eyewitness statements
• Your medical records
• Ensure you get the full medical care you need
• Offer you sound and personalized legal guidance
• Utilize our network of St. Louis and Missouri experts to help build your case
• Handle all communication, documentation, litigation and negotiations
• Demand that you receive a fair settlement offer
• Take your case to trial when we do not secure a fair settlement

You can trust a Burger Law car accident lawyer in Missouri to aggressively and passionately demand justice in your case. We have dedicated our lives to helping the injured in St. Louis and Missouri in their recovery and in being made whole again. Our consultation and initial investigation are free, so there is no reason not to talk to us. Call a car accident lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT to discuss your case.

Take a look at some of the links below to see the great results Burger Law's Missouri car accident lawyer team has gotten for our clients:

• $2 million Multi-Vehicle Collision Settlement
• $765,000 Wrongful Death Car Accident Settlement Against Fire Department
• $327,000 Settlement for Rear-End Collision
• $250,000 Settlement for Crash After A Driver Ran a Red Light
• $205,000 Settlement After Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign
• $125,000 Settlement After Rear-End Collision at a Stop Light
• $100,000 Settlement for Distracted Driving
• $100,000 Settlement for Head-On Collision
• $90,000 Settlement for an Injured Passenger

Missouri Car Accident Lawyer: Frequently Asked Questions

Most of our St. Louis and Missouri clients have never had to hire a car accident lawyer before, and naturally have a lot of questions about their rights and the legal process. Below are some of the most common questions we are asked in relation to car accident claims:

Who Is Liable in My Car Accident?

That depends on the specifics of your case. Some of the most common reasons our car accident lawyer team sees for claims in Missouri are:

• Drunk Driving or Drug Impaired Driving
• Distracted Driving, such as Texting and Driving Accidents
• Hit and Run Accidents
• Intersection Accidents
• Speeding Accidents
• Multi-Car Accidents
• Carpoool and Rideshare Accidents

Every car accident lawyer at Burger Law has seen it all, and we know how to prove negligence and win every type of motor vehicle case.

How Do I Prove a Car Crash Case?

In order to win your case, your car accident lawyer will need to prove the five elements of negligence found in tort law. Those elements are:

1. Duty of Care: Missouri Revised Statute §304.120 states that drivers are "to exercise highest degree of care." So anybody who gets behind the wheel automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of Duty: The driver broke a law or otherwise did not drive safely.
3. Cause in Fact: Also called "causation," you must prove that the driver's breach of duty directly caused your injuries.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what ultimately determines liability and refers to the underlying cause of your injuries. A drunk driver is clearly liable, but if a vehicle's brakes do not work, the proximate cause is malfunctioning components and the driver may not necessarily be negligent.
5. Damages: That your injuries caused some form of loss, such as property damage, medical bills and/or lost wages.

Can I Still Receive Compensation If I Was Partially at Fault?

Yes. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state. That means that if you are found to be partially at fault for the accident, your compensation will be diminished by the percentage of blame you share. For example, if a jury awards you $100,000 for an accident, but finds that you were 30 percent at fault, the final amount you receive would be $70,000.

How Much is My Car Accident Claim Worth?

That depends on the severity of your injuries, how they have affected your life and the skill of your car accident lawyer. With the help of your lawyer, you will be able to receive compensation for:

• Economic damages, including:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Medical expenses, including:
    • Emergency room visits
    • Subsequent doctors appointments
    • Surgeries
    • Physical therapy and/or rehabilitation
    • Medication costs
    • In-home medical care
    • Assistive devices such as crutches, wheelchairs or necessary improvements to your home or vehicle
    • Future estimated medical expenses, such as further physical therapy or medication, or replacement costs for assistive devices
  • Transportation costs to and from medical appointments
  • Damage to your car
• Noneconomic damages, which the state of Missouri defines as:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Inconvenience
  • Physical impairment
  • Disfigurement
  • Loss of capacity to enjoy life
  • Loss of consortium

In rare cases in Missouri, such as drunk driving accidents, your car accident lawyer may be able to help you secure punitive damages.

How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?

It is hard to put a number on intangible consequences of an accident such as mental anguish. Noneconomic damages are usually calculated using one of two methods:

1. The Per Diem Method: "Per diem" means "per day" in Latin. In this method, you are given a daily amount for each day you suffered. The amount is typically equal to your daily wage, the idea being that a day of pain or mental anguish is at least worth a day's work. This method is not used for permanent injuries as there is no way to know how many days your injury will affect you.
2. The Multiplier Method: In this method, your economic damages are multiplied by a number, usually between 1.5 and 5, and the product will be your total compensation. Three is the most common multiplier, and four and five are typically reserved for cases that result in disability or permanent impairment.

Your Burger Law car accident lawyer in Missouri will make sure that an insurance adjuster or jury knows the full extent that your injuries have affected you and compensate you for all of it.

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How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Missouri?

In general, according to Missouri Revised Statute §516.120, you have five years from the date of your injury to file your personal injury claim in St. Louis or elsewhere in Missouri. If you were under 21 at the time of the injury, you have five years from your 21st birthday. That might seem like a long time, but it is important to reach out to a car accident lawyer right away for the best results in your case.

What Mistakes Can Hurt My Claim?

People who have not spoken with a car accident lawyer might accidentally do or say things that hurt their claim. Some common mistakes we see are:

• Not Calling the Police: According to Missouri Revised Statute §300.110, you must report an accident to the police "as soon as reasonably possible" if it results in injury. Police are trained to determine fault in accidents and their police report will be invaluable in your case.
• Not Documenting the Scene: Take pictures of both vehicles and the surrounding area and ask for witness contact information. This will also be very helpful in your case.
• Not Seeking Medical Attention: In order to be fully compensated for your injuries, you need to have them recorded and treated. Always be 100 percent honest with your doctor about any aches and pains you have.
• Believing the Insurance Company: Insurance adjusters use a lot of tricks to pay you as little as possible; that is their job. Do not believe anything they say or make any recorded statements before talking to a lawyer.
• Accepting the First Settlement Offer: If you need the money quickly, it may be tempting to take what you can get now. It is far better in the long run to wait for the full compensation you truly deserve.
• Not Hiring a Burger Law Car Accident Lawyer: Every Burger Law car accident lawyer in Missouri has dedicated their life to pursuing justice for the injured in Missouri. When someone does not want to admit liability or the insurance company is not being fair, we step in and demand that you are treated fairly and get the full financial recovery you are owed.

How to Avoid Auto Accidents | Missouri Car Accident Lawyer

More than 75 percent of people killed in car accidents are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen firsthand the devastation that a negligent or reckless driver can cause. While you cannot always control other people's actions, there are several measures you can take to ensure your own safety as well as the safety of others on St. Louis and Missouri roadways.

• Always wear a seatbelt. In 2017, seatbelts saved an estimated 14,955 lives. Over 83 percent of drivers and passengers who are completely ejected from the vehicle die, and most of the rest suffered serious, life-altering injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of death by 45 percent and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Know the laws and best driving practices. The Missouri Department of Revenue offers a Driver Guide for anyone on St. Louis and Missouri roads. Simple tips like driving slower and increasing following distance in winter conditions not only go a long way in keeping you and everyone else on the road safe, but they also protect you from liability or being partially blamed for an accident if you do find yourself in one.
• If you drive a motorcycle, wear a helmet. While neither St. Louis nor Missouri has laws obligating motorcycle drivers to wear helmets, they are literal life-savers. In 2017, helmets saved 1,872 lives.
• Put away your cell phone. While you can always call someone back, you can never take back the effects of an auto accident. Pull over safely if you need to make an urgent call. If you use your phone for directions, put the volume on high and turn the music off so you can clearly hear the directions and do not have to look.
• Have the right attitude. No one owns the road, and we all need to be courteous and respectful to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Understand that you are in control of thousands of pounds of metal moving at high speeds. Safety needs to be your priority. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost a quarter of motor vehicle deaths are people under the age of 25. Maturity is likely a contributing factor.
• Drive with both hands on the wheel. Just having one hand on the wheel can significantly diminish your control of the vehicle. Quickly changing the A/C settings is probably OK, but both hands should be on the wheel the majority of the time.
• Call a taxi or ridesharing service if you have been drinking. Not only does alcohol significantly impair your ability to drive safely, but it also boosts your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you might think driving while drunk will be fine. Your brain may trick you into believing you can drive home safely, but it is never true.

You can take every possible precaution when you get behind the wheel, but unfortunately, the reckless actions of irresponsible drivers can still cause you injury. When you get hurt because someone else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to maximum compensation for all of your damages. Every St. Louis-based Missouri car accident lawyer at Burger Law takes on and wins the tough cases.

You only have one chance for a full financial recovery. Do not let it slip. Our Missouri car accident lawyer team fights back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and negligent drivers who do not want to take responsibility for their actions. We know the financial consequences of being injured are sudden and severe. That is why we have dedicated our lives to seeing the injured and vulnerable in Missouri compensated and made whole again. You do not have to go through these trying times alone. To protect you and your family's future, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.