St Louis Car Accident Lawyer

St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer Near You

When a driver breaks the rules of the road and injures or kills another person, they should be held responsible. If you are injured in a car accident, your case may have difficult legal, insurance and damage issues that require a seasoned car accident attorney to resolve. Burger Law knows how car crashes impact our clients’ physical and financial health and will help you get the compensation you deserve. We are a St. Louis personal injury law firm that has successfully recovered millions of dollars to compensate car accident victims and their families. To get started on your recovery and protect yourself and your family, call Burger Law at (314) 500-HURT or complete our contact form.

Why Burger Law is Your Best Option for Your Car Accident Case?

• We have more than 100 years of combined litigation experience in St. Louis.
• We’ve recovered over $200 Million for our clients winning complex personal injury cases, including car accident cases in St. Louis, MO.
• Our legal team will review your case at NO CHARGE.
• NO FEE unless we’ve achieved success for you.
• Our team has earned many distinctions and peer-reviewed awards for our work in civil litigation and trial work in Missouri. A few of the honors we have earned include the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate
• Forum and the Top 100 Trial Lawyer Award.
• Once you hire Burger Law, we take care of everything – obtaining medical records, contacting doctors, tracking down evidence, negotiating with the insurance company, everything. We focus on your case
• while you focus on your recovery.
• Our firm is one of the most- and best-reviewed law firms in St. Louis, with a 4.9 Positive rating on Google and over 600 (and counting) five-star reviews, in addition to over 100 video reviews on our website and YouTube channel. We measure our success by the satisfaction of our clients.

Here are some car accident cases we’ve won for our clients in St. Louis

• $1,250,00.00 Settlement. Attorney Gary Burger won this settlement for a client who sustained injuries in a rear-end accident.
• $2,500,000.00 Settlement. Attorney Gary Burger won this settlement for a client who lost his life in a high-speed car accident collision.
• $7650,00.00 Settlement. Attorney Gary Burger agreed to a settlement on behalf a client who was walking to the top or a ridge to flag oncoming vehicles when he was hit and killed.
• $327,500.00 Settlement. Attorney Gary Burger was able to get a large settlement for a man involved in a rear-end collision.
• $300,000.00 Settlement for a client who was rear-ended by a vehicle going 60 mph.

If you were injured through no fault of your own in St. Louis or anywhere in Missouri, see how much your claim may be worth by using our free personal injury calculator.

Choosing a St. Louis, MO Car Accident Lawyer

When you are in a car accident, your body is subjected to extreme stress. You are very seriously injured, but the damage extends beyond the lacerations, bruises or broken bones you can see. In addition to medical bills, these injuries can have a number of financial, physical and emotional consequences, making it critical that you take action right away.

Burger Law´s car accident attorneys set themselves apart by winning full compensation for car accident victims in St. Louis, Missouri, and other places throughout the Midwest. If you have been injured in an auto accident, act now and contact us to recover your damages. This may include medical expenses and treatment, property damage, lost wages, reduced future earnings, long-term disability, pain and suffering and other damages. Our St. Louis and Missouri car accident lawyers answer all legal questions for free. Your dedicated car crash lawyer will help you understand your legal situation and guide you through the process.

Check out: 6 Questions You Must Ask Before Hiring A Car Accident Injury Lawyer

Burger Law has received numerous awards, honors and accolades from our peers and from the people we serve. As the highest- and most-reviewed law firm in the Midwest, we are proud to offer the injured and vulnerable throughout Missouri the prowess of a big firm with the personalized attention of a small firm. In our 30 years, we have handled hundreds of cases in trial, and your claim will be directly overseen by our found and principal attorney

What Damages Can I Recover in a St. Louis, MO Car Accident Claim?

When someone else injures you because they broke the rules of the road and did not care about your safety, you deserve a full financial recovery for all of your damages, not just the damage to your car and a visit to a Missouri or St. Louis emergency room. Car accident injuries can carry an immense physical and emotional toll, and in order to be whole again, you need fair and maximum compensation for all of them. In general, there are two types of damages you can receive in a personal injury case: economic damage and noneconomic damage. In some cases, you may also seek punitive damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are essentially compensation that can be objectively verified and do not change depending on how an insurance company or jury evaluates them. Your  Burger Law  auto crash lawyer will help you receive compensation for:

• Property damage (such as damage to your car)
• Lost wages
• Lost earning potential
• Medical expenses, past and future, including:
  • A St. Louis or Missouri emergency room visit
  • Medications (such as prescribed pain killers)
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Other doctor appointments
  • Assistive devices such as crutches or a wheelchair
  • In-home care
• Out-of-pocket expenses

While in some cases where injuries are not too severe the valuation of economic damages is as easy as totaling medical bills, mechanics’ bills and how much time you had to miss from work, more serious injuries can be much more complicated. For example, if you needed a hip replacement after your car accident, that will likely need to be replaced at some point in the future. Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer’s  auto crash lawyer team’s network of St. Louis and Missouri medical and economic experts will calculate and demonstrate how often you will need a new hip replacement and how much it will cost, adjusting for inflation. If you need assistive devices such as a wheelchair, we will determine how much money you will need for those replacements. Similarly, if you were a construction worker and can now no longer safely lift more than 20 pounds, that will severely limit your ability to work in the future. Your Burger Law crash lawyer will make sure that you are compensated for every dime of the financial impact your injury has had on your life.

Noneconomic Damages

Non-economic damages are harder to quantify, and often receiving maximum compensation for them will require the evaluation of a jury. They refer to the impact of your injuries on your emotional health and ability to enjoy life. Missouri Senate Bill 239 defines noneconomic damages as:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Inconvenience
• Physical impairment
• Disfigurement
• Loss of capacity to enjoy life
• Loss of consortium

Your noneconomic damages will be higher if you sustain a “catastrophic personal injury,” which Missouri Senate Bill 239 defines as:

• Quadriplegia, or losing function of all four limbs
• Paraplegia, or losing function of two limbs
• Loss of two or more limbs
• A brain injury that results in permanent cognitive impairment
• An injury that causes irreversible failure to one or more major organs
• An injury that results in legal blindness

Noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering are often difficult for a St. Louis or Missouri jury to know how to calculate. At Burger Law | St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer, our auto crash lawyer team consistently hones its trial skills and knows how to win over juries. We help juries relate to you as a person and see exactly how devastating an impact your car accident injuries have had on your life. We will secure you full financial compensation for all of your noneconomic damages. You deserve maximum compensation for the full scope of the consequences you have experienced as a result of your injury.

Time is of the essence. If you are hurt and need help, it is important to call our Car Accident Lawyers as soon as possible. In a car accident case (or any case that involves an accident with injury), every second counts. The more time our lawyers have to fight for your rights and better understand the details of your case, the better your financial recovery will be.

You do not have unlimited time to make a car accident claim and attempt to recover compensation after you have been injured. Each state has its own laws on how long you have after the accident takes place to make a claim for damages. The Missouri statute of limitations is five years. You can learn more about the time limit, or statute of limitations, for each state here. Burger Law car accident attorneys have represented clients injured in car accidents in Missouri for more than twenty years and have won more than $170 million in verdicts and settlements for our injured clients. When you hire a Burger Law car accident lawyer to fight on your behalf, you can rest assured that we handle all legal motions and paperwork meticulously and always file on time. Let us help you win your car crash case today. Get a free review of your case with a qualified St. Louis car accident lawyer at (314) 500-HURT now.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are meant to punish a defendant for incredibly dangerous actions and deter future reckless behavior. For example, when we sue drunk drivers, we do it so they think twice before getting behind the wheel and intoxicated again. In the state of Missouri, Senate Bill 591 stipulates that to win punitive damages, your accident lawyer must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant intentionally harmed the plaintiff without just cause or acted with a deliberate and flagrant disregard for the safety of others

While these cases may be rare, our accident lawyer team has seen them before and fought to make sure that reckless people who cause other St. Louis and Missouri residents’ injuries know exactly how dangerous the actions were.

How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated in St. Louis?

Car accident settlements are typically calculated by multiplying your economic damages by a number between 1.5 and 5, depending on the severity of your injuries and how they have affected you.

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.

What Is the Average Car Accident Settlement Amount in St. Louis?

Car accidents are expensive. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 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.

In terms of the cost of paying out the average car accident settlement, it can be difficult to pinpoint an exact figure as many settlement amounts are confidential. But generally, most car accident settlements come in between $15,000 and $20,000. Injuries requiring more extensive medical care often reach $50,000 to $100,000, while injuries resulting in permanent disability or, in the worst cases, wrongful death can result in damages of hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions.

Factors That Determine Your Car Accident Settlement in St. Louis

As the purpose of a car accident settlement is to fairly compensate you for your injuries, the severity of those injuries is 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 St. Louis 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 — Missouri has minimum insurance requirements for bodily injury, and while a skilled car accident lawyer may be able to get you more, there are times when you will be limited by the negligent driver’s and/or your insurance policy limits.
• If you are partially to blame — With comparative negligence, 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.
• Your car accident lawyer — You need a skilled and aggressive attorney to combat the insurance company’s tricks. 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 St. Louis medical and economic experts to precisely value your claim. If the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement in negotiation, you’ll need an experienced trial lawyer who will stand by your side and argue your case in front of a jury.

What Are Common Injuries in St. Louis, MO Car Accidents?

Car Accident injuries can range in severity from minor bumps and bruises to major injuries that can include broken bones, serious concussions and even death. Here are a list of the most common injuries that can result from a car accident:

• W
• hiplash – Whiplash Injuries are one of the most common types of car accident injuries and involve the head and neck. The force is created when a vehicle in motion is struck from a direction that it isn’t traveling. These types of injuries can lead to neck pain, back issues, spinal issues, tenderness in the shoulders and many other medical issues.
• Concussions – Concussions are caused by the forceful motion of the brain inside the skull to the point that bruising or swelling can occur. Concussions can lead to loss of motor functions and loss of memory and can even be paralyzing.
• Broken Bones – Broken Bones are caused by either abrupt force that shatters the bone, or an amount of weight or pressure that causes the bone to bend and break. Car Accidents can easily lead to broken bones due to the force involved in the accidents. Broken bones can take some time to heal and often require lengthy amounts of rehabilitation before they are back to 100%.
• Internal Bleeding – Internal Bleeding is never immediately apparent but can quickly cause death if not seen immediately. Internal bleeding occurs when the organs inside your body are either punctured or ruptured from the force of an accident.
• Spinal Cord Injuries – Spinal Injuries occur when your spine attempts to control the motion of your body against an extreme amount of force. The spinal cord is integral to the motor functions of your body. Any damage to your spine can often result in serious injuries throughout other areas of the body.

Missouri has its own auto accident-related problems, traffic laws and roadway safety efforts. Information about the traffic accidents that occur and the injuries they cause is public information. You can learn more about Missouri safety policies and campaigns to help protect yourself and your family and make the St. Louis and Missouri roads safer for everybody. When you are seriously injured in an auto accident, call Burger Law’s car accident lawyers immediately at (314) 500-HURT.

When you are injured in a car accident, the first step you should always take is to go to a doctor to make sure you are ok. No matter how tough you may think you are, your injury could be life-threatening. After you have received the necessary medical attention immediately after your accident, speak with our car accident firm in St. Louis to make sure that the other party is held fully liable and that all of your bills and needs are taken care of.

What Are Common Causes of St. Louis Car Accidents?

Though there are some potentially dangerous conditions and events outside of our control that can contribute to accidents, you may be surprised to learn that driver error accounts for the vast majority of the auto accidents that take place every year. In fact, a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the Department of Transportation estimates that human operators are responsible for 94% of accidents that take place.

The top five most common causes of car accidents in St. Louis, MO are distracted driving, driving under the influence, aggressive driving, fatigued or drowsy driving and speeding. Learn more about these top five car accident causes below.

The leading causes of auto accidents are:

• Distracted Driving: Distracted driving refers to much more than texting and driving. Even though it is not consistently outlawed yet across the nation, driving distracted is a major hazard. Our world is full of distractions, and we humans are not as skilled at multitasking as we like to believe. Talking on the phone, putting on makeup, daydreaming, eating, looking at a stopped vehicle, etc — these are just a few examples of common distractions while driving. The danger of distracted driving is multitudinous; it slows your reaction time, causes you to miss important information, impacts your decision-making, can cause you to swerve in the direction you are looking and affects your speed.
• Driving Under the Influence: It should be obvious to anyone licensed to operate a motor vehicle that driving while under the influence of mind-altering substances such as alcohol and other drugs is a poor decision that can end very badly. Different substances have different effects on the mind and body, but driving while intoxicated generally impacts a driver’s abilities, including:
  • coordination
  • reaction time
  • concentration
  • cognition
  • vision
  • tracking (the coordinated activity required to stay in his lane, avoid obstructions, and maintain a regular speed

Take a look at some of the following FAQs to learn more about drunk driving accidents:

• • What Should I Do If I Am Hit by a Drunk Driver?
  • Can I File a Lawsuit After a Drunk Driver Was Found Not Guilty?
  • Can I Sue a Bar After a Drunk Driving Accident?
  • Punitive Damages in a Drunk Driving Accident

• Aggressive and Reckless Driving: There are certainly inconsiderate and unaware drivers on the road, which in some cases can give way to aggressive tendencies in others. Aggressive driving is deliberate behavior that disregards others’ safety, such as:
  • Cutting another car off
  • Tailgating
  • Weaving in and out of traffic
  • Running red lights
  • Blocking a car or changing speed prevents another car from changing lanes, passing, etc.
  • Driving very slowly or staying at a yellow light until the last second to prevent another car from passing through the light
  • Refusing to use turn signals
  • Forcing a car off the road
  • Using high beams to interfere with another driver’s ability to see

Whether motivated by spite or a simple desire to get somewhere quickly, abandoning safety and good judgment by committing such behaviors is incredibly dangerous.

• Drowsy Driving
  Driving while fatigued or drowsy has, in recent years, been likened to driving drunk. The CDC released a study that showed that a driver who has been awake for 18 consecutive hours has the same impairments as a driver with a blood alcohol content of .05. In extreme cases, a drowsy driver can fall asleep at the wheel. Even when mildly fatigued, your reaction time, perception, and other senses and functions suffer. Fatigued driving is a major problem for commercial drivers – especially truck drivers. They are pressured by their employers to cover extreme distances in as little time as possible.
• Speeding: Speeding is a very common behavior among drivers in the US. Speeding can not only increase your chances of getting into an accident but can also greatly increase the potential for destruction, injury, and even death if an accident does occur. When you are traveling faster, you have less time to react, impact with a greater force, and can lose control more easily in inclement weather conditions such as ice and rain.

Do I Need a St. Louis, MO Car Accident Lawyer?

If you were injured in a car accident and it was not your fault, it is highly likely that you will need a St. Louis car accident lawyer to represent you. If you are not injured and you feel that the insurance company is being cooperative and fair with you, you may choose to complete your claim without the help of a lawyer. However, if you are hurt, the insurance company is fighting you, or the at-fault party is trying to accuse you of negligence, you need a lawyer to protect your right to complete compensation for your losses. If any of the following apply to your car accident, you must speak with one of our Car Accident Lawyers in St. Louis as soon as possible.

• Someone was injured.
  Any time an accident results in injuries of any kind, the loss of life or severe property damage to your vehicle or other property, you need a great car accident lawyer like the personal injury attorneys of Burger Law on your side. Your car accident lawyer has the resources and knowledge to adequately assess the true total value of your case—something individuals without extensive car accident claim experience will not be able to do. If you need medical attention because of your accident, speak to a lawyer right away.
• The insurance company is not playing nice.
  If the insurance company is paying all of your medical bills and seeing to the replacement of your vehicle and any lost wages, then you may not need to pursue a car accident claim. If they are not working with you and are trying to get you to settle for partial medical coverage, or are trying to intimidate you or put the blame on you for the accident, then stop speaking with them immediately and call our car accident attorneys now at (314) 500-HURT.
• Your injuries have long-term effects.
  If you are seriously injured and your injury requires medication, lengthy rehabilitation, physical therapy, surgery or other medical treatment strategies to bring you back to full health, then you need an attorney to ensure you get all of the benefits you need in perpetuity.
• There is disagreement about who is at fault.
  If the other driver refuses to admit they caused the accident and is willing to dispute you, then you absolutely need to speak to a car accident lawyer in St. Louis to protect your claim. If the other driver did admit responsibility and they are cooperating, then you may not need a car accident lawyer.
• There are complications to the case.
  Any time your case involves disputed facts, multiple parties, insurance coverage issues or other factors that are not straightforward, you need a skilled car accident attorney to help you prove your case. If there are multiple parties involved, you were hit by a commercial vehicle, or the accident was a hit and run—in all these situations, you need to work with a lawyer to make sure you get the best possible outcome for you as the victim

While working with the insurance adjuster may seem like a good idea at the time, it is important to remember that insurance companies are looking out for their own best interests and NOT yours. Though straightforward accidents that do not result in injury can often be resolved reasonably without the involvement of a personal injury lawyer, there are certain times when a car accident victim should always enlist the help of an experienced professional. With this in mind, if your car accident left you seriously injured or if any of the following statements are true, it is imperative that you seek help from the experienced St. Louis car accident lawyers with Burger Law. When you hire a car crash lawyer, we advocate on your behalf and ensure that the insurance companies do not get away with bullying you to accept an unjust and incomplete settlement.

Read More:  What Do St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers Do?

Experience Matters

Insurance companies profit by not paying out claims. However, a Burger Law’s St. Louis car accident lawyer is experienced in arguing the legal theory of the case and negotiating with insurance companies to get injured individuals the compensation they deserve. We ask all the right questions and stop at nothing when demanding answers and accountability. We are passionate about fighting for the rights of the injured and offer individualized attention to each of our clients.

When you choose Gary Burger and his team to represent you and your car accident case, you are backed by decades of experience in the personal injury law industry. For more than 30 years, our firm has been standing up to bullying and helping families and individuals who have been injured become whole. Burger Law offers free case evaluations, and our car crash attorneys will begin fighting for you immediately. Burger Law will coordinate with your insurance company and medical care providers to ensure that your injuries are properly treated while giving your case the personal attention you deserve. The car crash lawyers of Burger Law will secure witness statements, interview police, take photos of the scene and take any other necessary steps in order to win your car accident case.

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

Once you are injured in an auto accident, the Missouri statute of limitations dictates how long you have after the date of the accident to file your claim.

• 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 the age of 21 at the time of the injury or were mentally incapacitated at the time, Missouri Revised Statute §516.170 states that you have 5 years after the date you turn 21 or that your “legal disability” ends.
• If you are injured by someone who was a resident of the state when the injury occurred, but later left the state before you filed a lawsuit, Missouri Revised Statute §516.200 stipulates that the time the defendant is out of the state does not apply towards the five years.

If you have been injured in a car accident in Missouri, the clock is already ticking for when you can make your claim. Do not wait, call the auto accident law firm of Burger Law now at (314) 500-HURT to get justice and maximum compensation for your injuries. We start working on your case right away, and do not rest until we win your case.

Types of Car Accident Cases

Car accident cases are complicated, and many different factors bear weight on the outcome of your case. Burger Law experienced car accident attorneys have experience representing and winning all manners of car accidents, including different acts of negligence and various resulting injuries. Learn more about our capabilities regarding any type of car accident case by exploring our site or speaking with a car crash lawyer now at (314) 500-HURT.

• Pedestrian Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Hit and Run
• Drunk Driving
• Distracted Driving
• Texting and Driving
• Speeding Accidents
• Fatal Car Crash
• Head-On Collisions
• Rear-Ended
• Multi-Vehicle Accidents
• Intersection Accidents
• Road Construction Accidents
• Carpool Accidents
• Backup Accident
• Whiplash Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Brain Injuries
• Underinsured Motorist Claims
• Uninsured Motorist Claims
• Phantom Motorist Claims

What To Do After a St. Louis, MO Car Accident

The St. Louis car accident lawyers of Burger Law recommend taking the following steps if you have been in a car accident in Missouri:

1. Check if Anyone is Injured: The most important thing is everybody’s well-being and safety. Check to see if anyone is injured and how significant their injuries are. If you or anyone is severely injured, call 911 immediately. If you can, render aid to anyone who needs it.
2. Get to Safety: If anyone has a significant injury, it’s best not to move until emergency personnel arrive. Otherwise, get your car to the side of the road to avoid being a danger to oncoming traffic or risking further injury.
3. Call the Police: Under Missouri law, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident where someone was injured or killed, and you must file a police report. Police officers are trained to determine fault in an accident, and having a police report will greatly help your case. Police will be able to take over the scene safely and notify emergency medical personnel if necessary. Get the names and badge numbers of the officers at the scene, and ask them where you can get a copy of the police report.
4. Collect Evidence at the Scene: Take pictures of all vehicles involved, any injuries you sustained and other parts of the scene, such as the road surrounding the crash. The lack of tire marks may help prove that the other driver was distracted. If the other driver was drunk, take pictures of the police arresting them. You should also exchange insurance information with the other driver. If there were eyewitnesses, get their contact information so your car accident lawyer will be able to take official depositions from them. It’s also a good idea to write down everything you remember about the crash, as your memory will be freshest in the immediate aftermath, and you may forget seemingly insignificant details that later turn out to be important.
5. Get Medical Treatment: In order to get maximum compensation from an insurance company, you need complete records of your injuries and medical treatment. With minor injuries, a quick trip to the emergency room or to your primary care physician may be all you need. More significant injuries may require ongoing care. It’s important to get medical treatment even if you believe your injuries are not serious. Injuries such as whiplash can take several days to show symptoms and may only be noticeable with MRIs, X-rays or other tests. Adrenaline can often mask pain immediately after an injury.
6. Be Wary of the Insurance Company: If the other driver was at fault, you will need to notify their insurance company. Insurance companies use a lot of tricks and deceitful tactics to try to minimize your claim, or even avoid paying you anything at all. They may tell you that you have to give a recorded statement, which is false. Do not tell them anything regarding the nature of your injuries or who was liable.
7. Call a St. Louis, MO Car Accident Lawyer at Burger Law: Our car accident lawyers in Missouri have over 100 years of combined experience holding negligent drivers accountable. To date, we have won our clients over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. You may wonder if getting a lawyer after a car accident is even worth it. If you have been injured, in most cases it is absolutely worth it to hire a lawyer. Our personal injury lawyers will make sure that you are compensated for every way your injury has affected you, including your property damage, medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering

What Evidence Do I Need to Prove a Car Accident Claim in St. Louis?

In civil cases like car accident claims, the burden of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, which is lower than the “beyond reasonable doubt” standard in criminal cases. However, in order to secure a financial recovery from an insurance adjuster or a jury, you must still present evidence that shows how someone else’s negligence caused you injuries. Some of the most common pieces of evidence needed to prove a car accident claim are pictures, eyewitness testimony, police reports, W2s or pay stubs, medical records and evidence of noneconomic damages:

Pictures of the Crash Site

Photographs are invaluable in car accident cases. While you should take pictures of the damage to both vehicles, you’ll want documentation of other conditions at the scene, including:

• The placement of the vehicles in relation to each other
• Debris or broken glass from the collision
• Weather conditions
• Lighting conditions
• The road where both vehicles were coming from
• Any road hazards or construction work that might have been a factor in the accident
• Stop signs or traffic lights
• Any tire marks on the pavement
• Any injuries you sustained

These pictures will be important when your Burger Law car accident lawyer consults with our network of auto crash experts to determine what caused the crash and who is liable.

Eyewitness Testimony

If there were other people who witnessed the crash, be sure to get their information. They’ll be able to corroborate your story and attest to essential factors in the crash, such as if the other driver was looking at their phone instead of the road.

Police Reports

Police officers are trained to assess who was at fault in an accident. When officers arrive at the scene, they’ll interview both parties and anyone else who was a witness, as well as examine the accident scene. Be sure to get the name and badge number of the responding officer or officers, and ask them how you can obtain a copy of the report. While police reports aren’t necessarily conclusive, the objective evaluation of a trained law enforcement officer is incredibly persuasive.

Evidence of Vehicle Damage

In order to receive compensation for the damage to your car, you’ll need to have the bills and estimates your mechanic gave you. If you recently did repairs or modifications, be sure to provide records of that to the insurance company and your lawyer as well. It may help prove that your vehicle wasn’t at fault or that a mechanic or the car’s manufacturer is liable for your accident

W2s or Letters of Employment

If your injuries forced you to miss time off work, you also deserve to be compensated for any wages you lost, even if your employer offers sick leave. You’ll need evidence of how much you earned in a typical day or week and how much time you missed off work.

Medical Records

Of course, you’ll also want to be compensated for any injuries you receive. Hold onto bills and request medical records from emergency room visits, follow-up appointments and any necessary tests or surgeries. Sometimes, an insurance adjuster will lie and tell you your treatments weren’t necessary or that the accident couldn’t have caused your injuries. But they’re not doctors, and they have no right to overrule a medical professional’s opinion. Your medical records will prove that they are responsible for compensating you for the injuries you sustained in the crash.

Evidence of Noneconomic Damages

A significant portion of the compensation you are entitled to is noneconomic damages, which compensate you for things like pain and suffering and mental anguish. The insurance company will try to downplay this as much as possible, but there is evidence you can bring to demonstrate how the accident has affected you:

• Y
• ou can keep a journal detailing how your injuries have affected you and your mental state each day.
• Testimony from friends or family, for example, attesting that you can’t play with your kids like you used to, or that you can’t bring in the groceries by yourself anymore.
• Testimony from your doctor that — despite treatment — you are still having migraines or pain because of the injuries the defendant caused.

St. Louis Car Accident Resources

St. Louis Area Hospitals

• Mercy Hospital
• St. Luke’s Hospital
• Mercy Hospital South
• Barnes-Jewish Hospital
• BJC West County/Mercy Hospital
• St. Louis University Hospital
• Children’s Hospital
• Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital
• St. Mary’s Hospital
• Missouri Baptist Hospital
• Shriners Hospital
• Christian Hospital
• DePaul Hospital
• Progress West Hospital
• Kindred Hospital
• John J. Cochran Veterans Hospital
• St. Louis VA Medical Center-Jefferson Barracks
• Kindred Hospital South
• St. Joseph Hospital-St. Charles
• St. Clare Hospital
• St. Joseph Hospital-Lake St. Louis
• St. Joseph Hospital-Wentzville
• Mercy Hospital Jefferson
• Mercy Hospital Washington
• Mercy Hospital Lincoln
• Mercy St. Francis Hospital
• Mercy Hospital Lebanon
• Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital

St. Louis and Missouri Car Accident Lawyer Videos

• How Do You Hire a Car Accident Lawyer?
• When Should You Contact a Lawyer After a Car Accident?
• Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
• What to do after a Car Accident
• How Do You Know if You Have a Car Accident Case?
• Auto Accident Cases
• What Are the Common Car Accident Claims?
• What Damages Can I Get After a Car Accident?
• What is the Average Car Accident Settlement?
• How Long should it take to Settle my Car Accident Case?
• Communicating with Your Insurance Company After an Accident
• Take Pictures of Your Car Crash

Cases our Car Accident lawyers Have Won in St. Louis

Burger Law has a team of gifted litigators and trial lawyers with more than 70 years of combined experience practicing law and protecting the vulnerable and injured. We will fight to get you maximum compensation in any injury claim in Missouri, including the case types listed here. Click for more information.

• Massive $1.25 Million MVA Settlement
• $2.5 Million Settlement for Father’s Fatal Car Accident
• $765,000 Settlement
• $327,500 Settlement– On-Ramp Car Accident Leads to Settlement for St. Louis Man 
• A 300k Policy Limits Win
• $250K Policy Limits Settlement the Week Before Trial
• $222K Car Crash Settlement
• $150K Policy Limits Settlement for Minor
• $150,000 Phantom Motorist Settlement
• $125,000 Combined Policy-Limit Settlement
• Two $250,000 Settlements

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!

View More Reviews on Google Maps and Yelp