Car Accident Lawyer Oak Grove, MO

They broke the rules of the road, and now your life is upended. You do not have to pay because another person was irresponsible. Call a Burger Law Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer immediately at (314) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a free case review and to start on your road to being made whole again.

The damage that unthinking and negligent drivers can cause is often cataclysmic, and they need to be held responsible for their actions. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has pledged their life to standing up to bullies and defending the rights of the vulnerable in Oak Grove, MO to deliver them the compensation they need to heal and return to the life they know. If you were injured by a negligent driver, we know you are angry — you should to be. You are also likely anxious about the economic burden of medical bills and lost work, in addition to the physical and emotional anguish that comes with your injuries. The law offers you a bridge to reparation; our Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer team is here to guide you across it and fight for you until there is nothing left to fight and you are fully repaid for the destruction another person’s negligent behavior caused. You do not have to wait another instant to start on your road to recovery. We charge no fees until you collect the compensation you are owed.

In more than 30 years of practice, our car accident lawyer team has won upwards of $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Missouri clients. If you were hurt because somebody else was careless, see how much your case may be worth by filling out our free personal injury calculator.

Car Accident Statistics in Missouri

In Missouri, car accident fatalities rose by 12% between 2019 and 2020, despite there being not as many people on the road because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2018 study reported that Missouri ranked 12th in the nation in fatal road wrecks, with over half of those fatalities transpiring on country roads. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 36,033 motor vehicle wrecks that resulted in personal injury and 923 fatal motor vehicle collisions.

If you were one of the many in Oak Grove or anywhere in Missouri who was injured on the road because of someone else’s irresponsible behavior, call a car accident lawyer right away at (314) 500-HURT.

How a Car Accident Lawyer in Oak Grove, MO Can Help

With some standard fender-benders, you may be able to be fairly compensated without legal representation. But when you are harmed in a crash, you generally need a car accident lawyer to fight for you and make sure that you get the best results in your case. When you hire a Burger Law Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer, we will:

• Investigate your case and obtain evidence, for example:
  • Photographs
  • Surveillance video
  • Police reports
  • Official eyewitness testimony
  • Your medical records
• Make certain you receive the full medical treatment you need
• Provide you with trustworthy and personalized legal guidance
• Utilize our network of Oak Grove, MO experts to help establish your case
• Manage all the legal aspects of your case so you can focus on healing
• Insist that you receive a fair settlement offer
• Take your case in front of a judge and jury when the insurance company will not give you a fair offer

You can count on a Burger Law car accident lawyer in Oak Grove, MO to aggressively and fervently demand justice for your damages. We have devoted our lives to helping the injured in Oak Grove, MO in their recovery and in being made whole again. Our consultation and primary investigation are free, so there is no reason not to talk to us. Contact a car accident lawyer today at (314) 500-HURT to go over your case.

Check out some of the following links to see the great results Burger Law’s Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer team has delivered 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

Oak Grove, MO Car Accident Lawyer: Frequently Asked Questions

Most of our Oak Grove, MO clients have never needed to hire a car accident lawyer before their crash, and unsurprisingly have many questions about their rights and the legal procedure. The following are a few of the most common questions we get concerning car accident claims:

Who Is Liable in My Car Accident?

That hinges on the specifics of your case. Some of the most common reasons our car accident lawyer team sees for claims in Oak Grove, MO 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 every kind of accident imaginable, and we know how to demonstrate negligence and win every variety of motor vehicle case.

How Do I Win a Car Crash Claim?

In order to win your claim, your car accident lawyer must show the five elements of negligence found in tort law:

1. Duty of Care: Missouri Revised Statute §304.120 dictates that motorists are “to exercise highest degree of care.” So anybody who in control of a vehicle necessarily 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 known as “causation,” you need to demonstrate that the driver’s breach of duty directly caused you harm.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what ultimately decides negligence 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 defective parts and the driver may not automatically be to blame.
5. Damages: That your injuries caused some type of loss, such as damage to your car, medical expenses and/or lost wages.

Can I Still Recover Compensation If I Was Partially to Blame?

Yes. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state. What that means is that if you are found to be partially to blame for your crash, your compensation will be diminished by the portion of culpability you are responsible for. For instance, if a jury awards you $100,000 for a crash, but determines that you were 30 percent at fault, the final total you collect would be $70,000.

How Much is My Car Accident Claim Worth?

That hinges on on the severity of your injuries, how they have impacted your life and the willpower of your car accident lawyer. With the help of your attorney, you will be able to recover compensation for:

• Economic damages, including:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential
  • Medical bills, such as:
    • Emergency room visits
    • Subsequent doctors visits
    • Surgeries
    • Physical rehabilitation
    • Medication costs
    • In-home medical treatment
    • Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or necessary upgrades to your home
    • Future estimated medical expenses, such as further physical rehabilitation or prescriptions, or replacement expenses for assistive devices
  • Transportation costs related to your 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 uncommon cases in Oak Grove, MO, for example drunk driving crashes, your car accident lawyer may be able to help you secure punitive damages.

How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?

It is difficult to put a dollar amount on intangible effects of a wreck like loss of capacity to enjoy life. Noneconomic damages are typically determined using one of two methods:

1. The Per Diem Method: “Per diem” means “per day” in Latin. In this method, you are awarded a daily amount for every day you were impacted by your injury. The daily amount is usually equal to your daily wage, the thought being that a day of suffering or mental anguish has at least the same value as a day’s work. This method is not employed for permanent injuries as it is impossible to know how long your injury will impact 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 usually saved for cases that cause disability or permanent impairment.

Your Burger Law car accident lawyer in Oak Grove, MO will make sure that an insurance company or jury recognizes the full extent that your injuries have affected you and reimburse you for all of your damages.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Oak Grove, MO?

In most cases, following Missouri Revised Statute §516.120, you have five years from the day your injury occurred to bring your personal injury claim in Oak Grove or elsewhere in Missouri. If you were under 21 at the time of the collision, you have five years from your 21st birthday. That might appear a long time, but it is vital to contact a car accident lawyer right away for the best results in your case.

What Mistakes Can Hurt My Claim?

Oak Grove, MO residents who have not talked to a car accident lawyer could accidentally do or say things that make their claim harder to win. Some common mistakes your car accident lawyer in Oak Grove, MO sees are:

• Not Calling the Police: According to Missouri Revised Statute §300.110, you need to report an accident to the police “as soon as reasonably possible” if it lead to an injury. Police know how to ascertain fault in crashes and their police report will be invaluable in your claim.
• Not Documenting the Scene: Take photographs of both vehicles and the nearby area and obtain witness contact information. This will also be incredibly useful in your case.
• Not Seeking Medical Attention: In order to be fully compensated for your injuries, you need to have records of them and have them treated. Always be 100 percent frank with your physician about any pains you have.
• Trusting the Insurance Company: Insurance adjusters employ a lot of deceptive tactics to reimburse you for as little as possible; that is how they make money. Do not trust anything they say or make any recorded statements until you have talked to an attorney.
• Taking the Initial Settlement Offer: If you need the money quickly, it might be appealing to take what they are offering you now. It is a much better idea in the long term to wait for the maximum compensation you are owed.
• Not Hiring a Burger Law Car Accident Lawyer: Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has committed their career to deliver justice for the injured in Oak Grove, MO. When someone declines to admit fault or the insurance company will not be fair, we step in and insist that you are treated fairly and get the full compensation you are owed.

How to Avoid Auto Accidents | Oak Grove, MO Car Accident Lawyer

More than 75 percent of people killed in traffic accidents are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen personally the damage that a reckless driver can cause. While you cannot always control what other people do, there are many actions you can take to protect yourself in addition to others on the Oak Grove, MO streets.

• Always use 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 sustained severe, life-altering injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that wearing a seatbelt lessens the risk of death by 45 percent and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Be familiar with the rules of the road. The Missouri Department of Revenue provides a Driver Guide for anyone on the Oak Grove, MO roads. Simple suggestions like driving at lower speeds and increasing following distance in poor weather not only do a lot to keep you and everyone else on the road safe, but they also shield you from liability or being partially blamed for an accident if you do find yourself in one.
• If you ride a motorcycle, wear a helmet. While Oak Grove, MO does not have laws obligating motorcycle drivers to wear helmets, they can save your life. 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 a motor vehicle wreck. 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. We all share the road, and we all need to be polite to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Understand that you are controlling several tons of metal moving at high speeds. Safety needs to be your priority. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost a quarter of traffic deaths are people under the age of 25. Maturity is probably a contributing factor.
• Keep both hands on the wheel. Only having one hand on the wheel can substantially lessen your control of the vehicle. Quickly changing the A/C settings is likely OK, but you should mostly be driving with both hands.
• Call a taxi or ridesharing service if you have been drinking. Not only does alcohol significantly impede your ability to operate a car safely, but it also boosts your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you could think driving while drunk will be fine. Your brain might trick you into believing you can drive home safely, but it is never the case.

You can take every possible precaution when you get behind the wheel, but regrettably the negligent behavior of irresponsible drivers can still cause you harm. When you get hurt because somebody else broke the rules of the road, you deserve full compensation for all of your damages. Every Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer at Burger Law takes on and wins the tough cases, and knows how to get great results

You only have one shot for the best possible financial recovery. Do not let it go. Our Oak Grove, MO car accident lawyer team pushes back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and careless drivers who do not want to take responsibility for their behavior. We know the economic implications of being injured are immediate and severe. That is why we have dedicated our lives to seeing the injured and vulnerable in Oak Grove, MO reimbursed and made whole again. You do not have to go through these difficult times by yourself. To protect you and your family’s future, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer in Oak Grove, MO right away at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.