Medical Malpractice Lawyers South St. Louis County, Missouri

Medical Malpractice Lawyers in South St. Louis County, Missouri. If you or someone you care about were injured because a healthcare professional did not offer you the adequate treatment that you deserved, call Burger Law right away at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form. Our medical malpractice lawyers always get the best possible financial recoveries for the injured in South St. Louis County and throughout Missouri.

You do not have to pay because a physician, medical institution or other medical professional in South St. Louis County, MO did not respect your health. When we get medical care, we do so under the assumption that we are placing our well-being — and occasionally even our lives — in capable hands. When doctors are negligent and you end up with even worse illnesses or injuries as a consequence, believe in the seasoned and skilled South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers of Burger Law to secure you justice and full financial compensation. Not only are we empathetic and dedicated to the injured in South St. Louis County, MO, but we are more aggressive than the majority of law firms in filing litigation and not waiting around for the negligent doctor to take accountability. Our medical malpractice lawyers want medical professionals and their insurance company to understand that we are driven and will not take anything but the best possible financial recovery. Negligent health care can have ruinous, permanent repercussions, and in the most tragic cases can even lead to wrongful death.

In our 30 years of experience standing up to bullies and getting the best possible results for the injured, we have secured our clients over $175 million in verdicts and settlements. If you or someone you love has been injured by a thoughtless medical professional in South St. Louis County, MO, call Burger Law's medical malpractice lawyers now at (314) 500-HURT or contact us online.

See how much compensation you may be able to recover by using our free personal injury calculator.



Medical Malpractice Statistics | South St. Louis County, MO Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Research by John Hopkins Medicine found that 10 percent of all deaths in the U.S. are due to medical error. Just one percent of physicians account for about 33 percent of medical malpractice lawsuits. Too often, negligent doctors are allowed to continue practicing without any consequences. But when the state of Missouri does not want to hold liable doctors to blame, you can be certain the medical malpractice lawyers of Burger Law will.

In Missouri, less than a third of medical malpractice lawsuits end with the plaintiff collecting damages. Still, between 2009 and 2018 a full $631.11 million was paid out in medical malpractice cases. You need dedicated and veteran Missouri medical malpractice lawyers to ensure you collect the great compensation you deserve.

Who Your Medical Malpractice Lawyers in South St. Louis County, MO Can Hold Liable in Your Claim

We often automatically think of doctors when we think of medical malpractice, there are many people or institutions that may be to blame for medical negligence in your claim. The state of Missouri defines a “healthcare provider” as a

Malpractice claims are often complex; it may not be immediately clear who was at fault, or many people might be at fault. The trusted and savvy South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers at Burger Law will carry out a complete investigation into your case and make sure that every party that caused you harm is held accountable for their negligent actions.

Examples of Medical Malpractice in South St. Louis County, MO

Medical negligence happens when a healthcare professional disobeys the standard of care, which is how a competent doctor in the same practice area and same geographic location would have care for your health problems. Our South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers have seen that take place in myriad ways:

Failure to Diagnose or Misdiagnosis

This is the most frequent reason for medical malpractice claims that take place in outpatient care. About 12 million people in United States are misdiagnosed annually. Diagnosing health issues early on is crucial in getting the best possible results for a patient. A misdiagnosis, or failing to diagnose, can result in a delay to the treatment you acutely need to get better, or can cause unsuitable treatment that exacerbates your illness or injury. Three-quarters of misdiagnoses are failing to diagnose some of the most serious health conditions, for instance:

• 37.8 percent for cancer
• 22.8 percent for cardiac events
• 13.5 percent for infections

Surgical Errors

Surgical mistakes are the most frequent medical malpractice case related to in-hospital care. There are at least 4,000 surgical mistakes in the United States annually, and frighteningly, the most common instance is operating on an incorrect organ. Other examples can include accidental cuts, anesthesia mistakes, foreign objects like sponges being left inside the patient, infections or failure to address issues show up after the surgery.

Medication Errors

An estimated 7,000 to 9,000 people nationwide die every year owing to medication errors. Examples can include not being aware of a patient's allergies, giving an incorrect medication, giving the wrong dosage or neglecting to identify interactions with other drugs.

Medication errors can also include overprescribing medications. Studies have found that overprescribing is a significant factor in the opioid crisis in the United States.

Unnecessary Care

Unnecessary medical care costs about $210 billion every year. John Hopkins Medicine surveyed 2,106 physicians and learned that physicians themselves believe that 15 to 30 percent of medical care is not needed, including:

• Over a fifth of prescription medications
• 24.9 percent of medical tests
• 11.1 percent of procedures
• Over one-fifth of medical treatment in general

Unnecessary care can lead to surgical mistakes, medication errors and overprescribed medication.

Birth Injuries

Approximately 6 to 8 out of 1,000 children born in the United States experience a serious birth injury each year. Not appropriately observing the infant during birth, not appropriately utilizing birthing techniques or not diagnosing a health problem with the mother during pregnancy are all cases of medical negligence that can lead to long-term or permanent health problems.

Nursing Home Negligence

The 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act established a Bill of Rights for nursing home residents meant to shield and secure their physical, emotional and social health. When a nursing home or its staff does not respect those rights and the person you love is harmed as a result, the medical malpractice lawyers of Burger Law will hold them accountable.

Failure to Inform or Lack of Consent

We all have an inherent right to make decisions for ourselves. When a healthcare institution neglects to inform you of risks, or neglects to acquire your consent before treatment, it is a horrible breach of your rights.

At Burger Law, our South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers have experience with every variety of negligence suit. We know the terrible repercussions a healthcare professional's or institution's thoughtlessness can cause, and the exasperation and sorrow that comes with finding out that your trust was broken. We hold negligent doctors responsible and deliver our South St. Louis County, MO clients the great financial recovery they are owed and that they require to move on and fully recover. Our medical malpractice lawyers also have substantial medical knowledge and will be able to pinpoint how your doctor breached the standard of care. Contact our medical malpractice lawyers in South St. Louis County, MO today at (314) 500-HURT.

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Medical Malpractice Cases Won

Take a look at the links below to see several of the recent victories Burger Law's medical malpractice lawyers have gotten for our clients in South St. Louis County, MO:

• $1 Million Settlement for Family of a Man With Sepsis Infection
• $1 Million Settlement for Permanent Brain Injury
• $900,000 Settlement for Unnecessary Surgery Leading to Blindness in One Eye
• $200,000 Settlement for Misdiagnosis
• $175,000 Verdict for Surgical Error During a Cesarean Section
• Confidential Settlement for Failing to Diagnose Cancer and Lost Chance of Survival
• Confidential Settlement for Nursing Home Neglect
• Confidential Settlement for Wrongful Death Due to Fentanyl

What Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Missouri Can Do For You

Medical malpractice cases are infamously hard to win. That is why you need exceptional medical malpractice lawyers that have the experience, knowledge, perseverance and savvy to win you the best possible financial recovery you know you deserve. When you hire us, our Missouri medical malpractice lawyers:

• Begin working on your claim at once
• Connect you with trustworthy and competent doctors to finally get you the medical care you need
• Conduct a complete investigation, including acquiring medical records, professional testimony and taking official statements from the defendant
• Consult with our team of South St. Louis County, MO medical experts to substantiate standard of care in your case, show how the treatment you received was substandard and prove negligence
• Offer compassionate, wise and direct legal guidance
• Make sure you informed throughout your suit so you are not left in the dark and you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your family
• Handle every legal aspect of your case so you can focus on recovering
• Work alongside with economic experts to precisely value your damages
• Negotiate with the insurance company to deliver you the best possible settlement offer
• Take your case to court when the insurance company does not want to offer what you deserve in mediation

At Burger Law, we know that the average person in South St. Louis County, MO does not have access to the resources and legal comprehension to counter the expensive defense teams of doctors and large insurance companies. That is why our South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. You do not pay us any fees until we get you the great compensation you deserve. We have dedicated our careers to ensuring that the injured and vulnerable in South St. Louis County, MO have access to the highest quality legal representation, one that compares with and surpasses that of large corporations. Our medical malpractice lawyers always work to remove every hindrance standing between you and justice.

Basic Requirements for a Medical Malpractice Claim

Not every mistake committed by medical professional constitutes malpractice. In order to receive a financial recovery for substandard care in South St. Louis County, MO, you must prove four things. Your medical malpractice lawyers from Burger Law will help you demonstrate that:

1. A doctor-patient relationship was established. This means proof that you hired the doctor and the doctor agreed to be hired. This is generally very easy to prove.
2. The doctor or healthcare provider was negligent. You need to be able to demonstrate that a competent healthcare professional in the same practice area, in the same geographical location treating the same medical problem, would not have made the same mistake.
3. The doctor’s negligence directly caused you harm. This can frequently be difficult to prove, as patients under a doctor’s care are usually already sick or injured.
4. That the injury caused the patient harm that they need to be compensated for. This can include physical pain, a disability, additional medical bills, or loss of earning capacity.

In Missouri, you will also need to give an “Affidavit of Qualified Healthcare Worker,” within 90 days of filing your case, following Missouri Revised Statute §538.225. This is a written opinion from a a healthcare professional in the same practice area that states that a) the doctor did not provide the treatment that a prudent healthcare provider would have under the same circumstances, and b) the negligence caused the alleged harm. Our medical malpractice lawyers have a large network of experienced and professional medical connections in South St. Louis County and throughout Missouri who will help confirm your claim.

What Compensation Can I Collect? | South St. Louis County, MO Medical Malpractice Lawyers

The compensation your medical malpractice lawyers will help you collect generally falls into two categories: economic damages, which are meant to compensate you for the monetary damages you have sustained because of a physician's substandard care; and noneconomic damages, which are intended to compensate for the less tangible ways in which your injuries have affected your life:

• Economic damages include:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity if the medical negligence led to an impairment that does not allow you to conduct the tasks of your job anymore
  • Medical bills, including:
    • Subsequent doctors appointments
    • Further procedures
    • Physical rehabilitation
    • Medication costs
    • In-home medical care
    • Assistive devices such as crutches or required improvements to your home or vehicle
    • Future estimated medical expenses, such as further physical therapy or medication, or replacement costs for assistive devices
• 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

Burger Law's medical malpractice lawyers work around the clock until you get every cent that you are owed. We know that you can never truly recover from some injuries, but we fight to make sure that your pain and suffering is alleviated.

Malpractice cases differ from other personal injuries in Missouri in two crucial aspects. Your medical malpractice lawyers at Burger Law will help you maneuver damage caps and the statute of limitations in Missouri:

Damage Caps in Missouri Medical Malpractice Cases

In 2015, Missouri state legislature passed Senate Bill 239 in an effort to diminish insurance premiums for medical liability. The bill enforces "damage caps" on how much you can receive in a medical malpractice claim in noneconomic damages. As of 2022, those caps are $450,098 for a "non-catastrophic injury" and $787,671 for a "catastrophic injury."

What is Catastrophic Injury? | South St. Louis County, MO Medical Malpractice Lawyers

The limits for catastrophic injuries are greater because they impact your ability to function in your daily life and to find enjoyment in life. Your Burger Law malpractice lawyers will help you determine if your injury can be considered catastrophic. Senate Bill 239 says that catastrophic injuries are:

• Quadriplegia, or loss of function in all four limbs
• Paraplegia, or loss of function in your legs and lower body
• Loss of two or more limbs
• A brain injury resulting in permanent cognitive impairment that results in permanent inability to:
• Make independent decisions
• Perform basic daily tasks such as eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, transferring and walking
• Irreversible failure of one or more major organ systems
• Legal blindness in your "best eye"

What is the Statute of Limitations in a Medical Malpractice Claim in South St. Louis County, MO?

If you or someone you love were injured by a physician's negligence in South St. Louis County, MO, it is essential to contact medical malpractice lawyers straight away. While most personal injury claims have a time limit of five years in Missouri, medical malpractice suits only have a statute of limitations of two years, according to Missouri Revised Statute §516.105. That means that following an injury from medical negligence your medical malpractice lawyers only have two years to investigate your case and file suit. There are three key exceptions:

1. If a foreign object was left inside of you after surgery, you have two years from the date you discovered the object, or should have discovered the object.
2. If a doctor failed to inform you of test results, you have two years from the date you discovered or should have discovered that you were not informed. This does not include failure to inform of negligent or incorrect test results.
3. If you or someone you love was a minor at the time of the negligent, you have until their 20th birthday.

Do not delay. Reach out to the Burger Law South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers straight away. We get started on your case at once and do not rest until you collect maximum compensation . Delaying could bring difficulties to your claim and could make it hard for even the best medical malpractice lawyers to show the full effects of your damages. Call Burger Law's South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers today at (314) 500-HURT.

No one deserves to have their life upended because a doctor gave them substandard care. Burger Law's South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers make up the highest- and most-reviewed law firm in the Midwest. We fight hard for our clients and work relentlessly to get them the great results they need to be made whole again. Our medical malpractice lawyers have spent the last 30 years fighting back against bullies and standing up for the "little guy." We will not let physicians, large corporations take advantage of your vulnerability. Call Burger Law's South St. Louis County, MO medical malpractice lawyers today at (314) 500-HURT or fill out our online form to start on your road to recovery.