Saint Joseph Car Accident Attorney

They broke the rules of the road, and now your life is turned upside down. You should not have to pay because someone else acted carelessly. Call a Burger Law St. Joseph, MO car accident lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT or complete our online form for a free consultation and to start on your road to recovery.

The damage that selfish and careless drivers can cause is often shattering, and they need to be held responsible for their behavior. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has committed their life to standing up to bullies and defending the rights of the injured in St. Joseph, MO to get them the compensation they need to move forward and get their life back. If you were hurt by a careless driver, we know you are angry — you should to be. You are also probably apprehensive about the financial burden of medical costs and lost work, in addition to the physical and emotional pain that accompanies your injuries. The law provides you with an avenue to recompense; our St. Joseph, MO car accident lawyer team is here to guide you through it and fight on your behalf until there is nothing more to fight and you are entirely repaid for the destruction someone else’s carelessness caused. You do not have to wait another second to begin on your road to recovery. We do not charge anything until we win your case.

In over 30 years of practice, our car accident lawyer team has secured more than $175 million in verdicts and settlements for our Missouri clients. If you were harmed because someone else broke the rules of the road, see the value of your case by using our free personal injury calculator.

How Common Are Car Accidents in St. Joseph and Missouri?

In Missouri, car accident fatalities rose by 12% between 2019 and 2020, even though there were not as many people on the road owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2018 study found that Missouri ranked 12th in the nation in fatal auto wrecks, with over half of those fatalities occurring on country roads. The Missouri State Highway Patrol stated 36,033 car collisions that resulted in personal injury and 923 deadly motor vehicle accidents.

If you were one of the many in St. Joseph or anywhere in Missouri to be harmed on the road because of another driver’s carelessness, contact a car accident lawyer straight away at (314) 500-HURT.

What a Car Accident Lawyer in St. Joseph, MO Can Do For You

With some typical fender-benders, you might be able to be fairly compensated without the aid of a lawyer. But when you are harmed in a collision, you often require a car accident lawyer to fight on your behalf and make sure that you get the best possible outcome in your claim. When you hire a Burger Law St. Joseph, MO car accident lawyer, we will:

• Conduct and investigation your crash and gather evidence, including:
  • Photos
  • Surveillance video
  • Police reports
  • Official eyewitness statements
  • Your medical records
• Make sure you receive the full medical care you need
• Provide you with sound and individualized legal advice
• Use our network of St. Joseph, MO experts to help establish your case
• Handle all the legal aspects of your case so you can focus on healing
• Insist that you are given a fair settlement offer
• Take your case to court when the insurance company will not give you a fair offer

You can trust a Burger Law car accident lawyer in St. Joseph, MO to aggressively and passionately demand justice for your damages. We have committed our careers to helping the injured in St. Joseph, MO in their recovery and in being made whole again. Our case evaluation and initial investigation do no cost anything, so there is no risk in talking to. Get in touch with a car accident lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT to go over your case.

Check out some of the links below to see the great results Burger Law’s St. Joseph, 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

St. Joseph, MO Car Accident Lawyer: Frequently Asked Questions

Most of our St. Joseph, MO clients have never needed to hire a car accident lawyer before their crash, and naturally have many questions about their rights and the legal process. The following are some of the most frequent questions we are asked about car accident claims:

Who Is Liable in My Car Accident?

That depends the specifics of your case. Some of the most common reasons our car accident lawyer team sees for claims in St. Joseph, 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 it all, and we know how to demonstrate liability and win every sort of motor vehicle case.

How Do I Win a Car Accident Claim?

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

1. Duty of Care: Missouri Revised Statute §304.120 specifies that motorists are “to exercise highest degree of care.” That means that whoever gets behind the wheel automatically owes you a duty of care.
2. Breach of Duty: The driver is in violation of a statute or otherwise did not operate the vehicle safely.
3. Cause in Fact: Also known as “causation,” you have to prove that the driver’s breach of duty directly caused your injuries.
4. Proximate Cause: This is what finally establishes negligence and refers to the underlying source of your injuries. A drunk driver is plainly liable, but if a vehicle’s brakes do not function properly, the proximate cause is defective parts and the driver may not necessarily be at fault.
5. Damages: That your injuries resulted in some form of loss, for instance property damage, medical expenses and/or lost wages.

Can I Still Be Awarded Compensation If I Was Partially to Blame?

Yes. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state. Meaning, that if you are found to be partially culpable for your wreck, your compensation will be decreased by the percentage of blame you are responsible for. For instance, if a jury awards you $100,000 for a crash, but establishes that you were 30 percent at fault, the your final compensation would be $70,000.

How Much is My Car Accident Claim Worth?

That is contingent on the gravity of your injuries, the consequences they have had your life and the skill of your car accident lawyer. With the help of your attorney, you will be able to collect compensation for:

• Economic damages, such as:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential
  • Medical bills, for example:
    • Urgent care
    • Follow-up doctors visits
    • Surgeries
    • Physical therapy
    • Medication expenses
    • In-home medical treatment
    • Assistive devices such as crutches or required upgrades to your house
    • Future estimated medical expenses, for example further physical rehabilitation or prescriptions, or replacement costs for assistive devices
  • Transportation costs related to your medical care
  • 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 St. Joseph, MO, for instance drunk driving collisions, your car accident lawyer may be able to help you collect punitive damages.

How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?

It is tough to put a figure on intangible effects of a collision like loss of capacity to enjoy life. Noneconomic damages are generally computed through one of two formulas:

1. The Per Diem Method: “Per diem” stands for “per day” in Latin. In this method, you are granted a daily amount for every day you were impacted by your injury. The daily amount is generally equivalent to your daily wage, the thought being that a day of pain or emotional distress has at least the same value as a day’s work. This method is not employed for injuries causing impairment as there is no way to know how long your injury will affect you.
2. The Multiplier Method: In this method, your economic damages are multiplied by a number, generally between 1.5 and 5, and the product will be your final compensation. Three is used most often, and four and five are generally saved for cases that lead to disability or permanent impairment.

Your Burger Law car accident lawyer in St. Joseph, MO will make sure that an insurance adjuster or jury realizes every way that your injuries have impacted you and compensate you for all of it.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in St. Joseph, MO?

In General, under Missouri Revised Statute §516.120, you have five years from the day your injury happened to file your personal injury claim in St. Joseph or anywhere in Missouri. If you were under 21 at the time of the crash, you have five years from the day you turn 21. That might seem like a long time, but it is imperative to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible for the best outcome in your case.

What Mistakes Can Hurt My Claim?

People who have not spoken with a car accident lawyer might mistakenly do or say things that make their claim harder to win. Some common mistakes your car accident lawyer in St. Joseph, MO sees are:

• Not Calling the Police: Following Missouri Revised Statute §300.110, you have to report an accident to the police “as soon as reasonably possible” if it lead to an injury. Police know how to ascertain liability 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 obtain witness contact information. This will also be incredibly useful in your claim.
• Not Seeking Medical Attention: In order to be wholly compensated for your injuries, you need to have records of them and have them treated. Always be totally honest with your physician about any pains you have.
• Believing the Insurance Company: Insurance companies employ a lot of deceptive tactics to compensate you with as little as possible; that is how they make money. Do not believe anything they say or make any recorded statements until you have spoken with an attorney.
• Taking the First Settlement Offer: If you need the money fast, it might be appealing to take what they are offering you now. It is a far better idea in the long run to wait for the fair financial recovery you truly deserve.
• Not Hiring a Burger Law Car Accident Lawyer: Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has dedicated their life to pursuing justice for the injured in St. Joseph, MO. When someone does not want to admit culpability or the insurance company will not be fair, we step up and demand that you are treated fairly and get the fair compensation you deserve.

How to Avoid Auto Accidents | St. Joseph, MO Car Accident Lawyer

More than 75 percent of people who die in auto crashes are drivers. Every Burger Law car accident lawyer has seen personally the damage that a careless driver can cause. While you cannot always control other people’s behavior, there are many measures you can take to protect yourself as well as others on the St. Joseph, MO roads.

• Always wear a seatbelt. In 2017, seatbelts saved an estimated 14,955 lives. More than 83 percent of drivers and passengers who are entirely thrown out of the vehicle die, and the majority of the rest experienced significant, life-changing injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that wearing a seatbelt lowers the chances of death by almost half and moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
• Know the rules of the road. The Missouri Department of Revenue provides a Driver Guide for St. Joseph, MO drivers. Fundamental tips like driving at lower speeds and increasing following distance in winter conditions not only do a lot to keep you and other drivers and passengers safe, but they also shield you from fault or being partially blamed for a wreck if you do find yourself in one.
• If you are a motorcyclist, use a helmet. While St. Joseph, MO does not have laws forcing motorcycle drivers to use helmets, they can save your life. In 2017, helmets saved 1,872 lives.
• Put down your cell phone. While you can always text somebody later, 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 do not listen to music or podcasts so you can clearly hear the directions and do not have to look down at your phone.
• Have the right attitude. No one owns the road, and we all should be courteous 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 prime concern. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, almost 25 percent of auto deaths are people under the age of 25. Maturity is likely a contributing factor.
• Drive with both hands on the wheel. Just driving with one hand can considerably lessen your control of the car. Quickly changing the radio 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 substantially impede your ability to drive safely, but it also raises your confidence and makes you feel more powerful, so you may 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 driving, but regrettably the reckless behavior of irresponsible drivers can still injure you. When you get hurt because someone else broke the rules of the road, you are entitled to complete compensation for all of your damages. Every St. Joseph, MO car accident lawyer at Burger Law takes on and wins the tough cases, and knows how to get great results.

Car Accident Lawyer St. Joseph, MO

You only have one opportunity for the best possible financial recovery. Do not let it go. Our St. Joseph, MO car accident lawyer team fights back against bullies like resistant insurance companies and careless drivers who do not want to take responsibility for their behavior. We know the economic hardships of being injured are unexpected and harsh. That is why we have committed our lives to seeing the injured and vulnerable in St. Joseph, MO restituted and made whole again. You do not have to go through these taxing times by yourself. To protect you and your family’s future, call a Burger Law car accident lawyer in St. Joseph, MO now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.