Personal Injury Lawyer in Smithville, MO

Personal injury lawyer in Smithville, MO. Burger Law defends the rights of those who are injured because of negligent and reckless actions. After an injury, the first thing you need to do is get proper medical treatment. After that, you require a personal injury lawyer to fight for you and secure you the maximum compensation you deserve. Call Burger Law now at (573) 500-HURT or fill out our online form.

If you want to know the value of your personal injury claim in Smithville, or anywhere in Missouri, complete our free personal injury calculator.

The negligent parties that hurt you have an obligation to compensate you for all of your damages, but that does not mean they will do it willingly. Burger Law’s personal injury lawyer team fights hard for our clients against anyone who is trying to keep them from the recovery they are owed. We handle a litany of cases, including making claims against drunk drivers, holding negligent healthcare professionals, product manufacturers, dog owners accountable, taking the fight to the government, to getting justice and financial security for Smithville residents after a loved one passed too soon. If you would like to discuss the validity of your case further, what compensation you are owed or other questions regarding personal injury claims, speak to one of our personal injury lawyers in Smithville, MO today at (573) 500-HURT.

Why Choose Burger Law’s Smithville, MO Personal Injury Lawyers For Your Claim

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer for you is of utmost importance. You want someone who has won your type of case before and who you know will not back down from a fight. In order to gauge the abilities of an injury law firm, you need to look at their previous victories, and their reputation among their clients and peers:

Premier Smithville, MO Personal Injury Lawyers

The numerous awards and honors Burger Law has received from other law firms include:

• Martindale-Hubbell Award — AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell® from NexisLexis® – a noteworthy achievement awarded to not more than 5 percent of all attorneys in the U.S.
• Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Honor — Members of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an honor only given to 1 percent of attorneys in the United States.
• Top 100 Trial Lawyers Honor — Selected to the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only honor that is comprised of the most qualified lawyers in each state.
• Board Certified By the National Board of Trial Advocacy — Board certified in Civil Trial Advocacy and Civil Pretrial Practice Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Less than 4 percent of all practicing lawyers are certified by an American Bar Association accredited certification board.

Personal Injury Lawyer Smithville, MO – Recent Successes

Our Smithville, MO personal injury lawyers have a demonstrated history of getting great results. We fight all who have injured our clients, and we fight for a full recovery every time. Our firm is devoted to providing our clients the highest standard of legal advocacy, and we take great pride in our well-deserved victories. Read about our recent successes in personal injury claims below:

• $5 Million Settlement – Father Killed By Reckless Truck Driver
• $3 Million Judgment – Son Murdered by Pam Hupp
• $2.5 Million Settlement for Father’s Fatal Car Accident
• $2 Million Settlement – Injured Woman Settles Highway Crash Lawsuit
• $1.435 Million Settlement For Deck Collapse That Injured Couple
• $1 Million Settlement to Family of Man with Sepsis Infection
• Medical Malpractice Case Settles for Over $1 Million
• $900,000 Medical Malpractice Settlement
• $900,000 Medical Malpractice Settlement
• $780,000 Federal Tort Medical Malpractice Settlement
• $765,000 Settlement After Fatal Collision
• $600,000 Tractor-Trailer Crash
• $600,000 Settlement – Widow in ATV Accident Settles with Property Owner
• $495,000 Uninsured Motorcycle Verdict
• $400,000 Settlement in Employment Discrimination Case
• $350,000 Settlement in Ladder Case
• $305,000 Settlement in Dog Bite

It is important to remember that every case is unique, and the compensation you receive is going to be based entirely upon the your specific injuries. We fight for you so that you are given what you deserve.

Burger Law Client Testimonials

Beyond the videos below, you can see our full list of client testimonials here.

Definition of a Personal Injury Claim in Smithville, MO

A personal injury claim is your right under Missouri law to get monetary reimbursement for the damage done by another person’s negligence, and to hold them accountable for breaking the rules. The compensation you receive is meant to make one whole. The goal is convert all the ways an injury affected you into a dollar amount.

In some cases, no attorney or financial award can fully return you to how things were before the injury. While we can get compensation for the financial losses you sustained, other damages are harder to quantify. If you lost a loved one, you lost a limb, are permanently scarred or will have to live the rest of your life in chronic pain, no one can truly change that. What empathetic and experienced personal injury lawyers like those at Burger Law are able to do is ensure your injuries are recognized, and to give you financial security as it relates to your injuries.

Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer in Smithville, MO?

That depends on the specifics of your case, but most of the time, yes, you will need a personal injury lawyer to get the full compensation you deserve in Smithville, MO. The important question is, can they add value to my claim? If your medical expenses are low, you did not miss much time off work and the insurance company is being mostly fair, a lawyer might not be necessary. But, you should hire an attorney in Smithville, MO if the following is true about your claim:

• There is a dispute about liability, or you are being blamed for your injuries
• The insurance company is denying they have to cover certain damages
• Your injuries are significant and require extensive care
• There are multiple parties at fault
• Your damages exceed an insurance company’s policy limits

Our initial conversations and investigations are free, and we are always honest about how much we can help your claim. Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you only pay after you have received the full compensation you are owed, and we have no reason to take on your claim if we do not think we can get you substantially more money.

How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Case in Smithville, MO?

While state statutes can be confusing, whether or not you have a claim depends on the answer to one particular question: did another person’s negligence cause you injuries? If so, legally speaking you have to prove the five elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care — You first need to show that the liable party had an obligation to keep you safe. Sometimes, a duty of care is assumed, as Smithville, MO driver owe drivers, passengers and pedestrians a duty of care, or store owners need their properties to be reasonable safe for anyone who legally enters. Other times, a particular relationship must have formed, for example a doctor-patient relationship or a vendor-buyer relationship.
2. Breach of duty — Did someone neglect that obligation? Did a driver crash into you you because they were not following the rules of the road? Did a doctor prescribe the wrong dosage? Did a product manufacturer fail to recall a product they knew was dangerous?
3. Cause-in-fact — You must demonstrate how the breach of duty led to your injuries. For example, you sustained a whiplash injury after being rear ended, or had bad side effects from a prescription drug.
4. Proximate cause — This determines liability. If you were hit by a vehicle, it is usually because another driver broke the rules of the road. But if the tires were not safe, someone in the vehicle’s chain of distribution may be ultimately liable.
5. Damages — Finally, you need to demonstrate that the injuries led to economic harm. In most cases damages are medical expenses and lost wages. With access to your medical records, an attorney will be able to establish your financial losses with an insurance company. Once we establish financial losses, we can also seek compensation for pain and suffering damages.

The only way to know for certain if you have an injury claim is to speak to an attorney who has handled your type of claim in Smithville, MO before. You can speak to a personal injury lawyer today at (573) 500-HURT.

What Are Common Personal Injury Case in Smithville, MO?

Practicing injury law in Smithville, MO requires that you have a vast knowledge of the different types of cases that people deal with. Knowing the difference between the laws and defendants applicable to different types of claims is paramount. A lawyer that only specializes in a certain type of injury claim may not be the best choice to get you full compensation in a different claim. At Burger Law, we know how to hold the liable party accountable whenever negligence results in an injury. We have won millions for our Smithville, MO clients in the following types of cases:

• Auto accidents, including:
  • Car accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Pedestrian accidents
• Slip and falls

• Medical malpractice
• Product liability
• Workers’ compensation
• Dog bites
• Construction accidents
• Wrongful death

Burger Law’s personal injury lawyers will take on any case in which a wrongdoer injured someone else. One of the great parts of choosing a Burger Law Smithville, MO personal injury lawyer is that we are not limited to any one type of claim, and have won your type of claim before. We understand that case types often overlap, and having experience with each type of claim gives our team the perfect understanding of how to fight for our clients’ rights and recoveries.

What Is the Personal Injury Claims Process in Smithville, MO?

The journey to securing a financial settlement or verdict for your injuries starts the day you are injured. While some accidents and injuries settle fairly early, others go completely through to a jury trial. Generally, the personal injury claims process includes:

• Getting Medical Care — Seek medical treatment as soon as possible after an injury, and follow your doctor’s treatment plans to a “T.” If you delay, it could bring complications to your claim, and not attending all your sessions will lower both your economic and noneconomic damages. Our personal injury lawyers work with several reliable Smithville, MO doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists who can ensure you recover physically as best as possible.
• Discussing Your Case With an Attorney — Even if you are not sure you are going to need to hire a lawyer, you need to consult with one as soon as possible so they can become familiar with your case. A good attorney will be honest with you about whether or not their services are needed.
• Investigation and Documentation — Once you have legal representation, your personal injury lawyer will conduct an exhaustive investigation into your claim, determine who we need to hold accountable and gather the evidence needed for full compensation. You can help by keeping detailed records of your expenses related to your injuries, and how keeping a journal detailing how your injuries have affected your life.
• Settlement Demand and Negotiations — Once we have determined the full extent of your damages, we will send a settlement demand package to those who are liable for compensating you. In the package we will include full documentation of all of your damages, and demand a financial recovery for all the ways your injuries have affected you. Most of the time, they will respond with a lower offer, and there will be several back-and-forths until they agree to pay for 100 percent of your damages.
• Filing a Lawsuit — If negotiations do not lead anywhere, we will proceed to litigating the case and setting up a trial. During this time, we will continue negotiating in an effort to avoid a trial.
• Mediation — If a settlement agreement still has not been reached, your personal injury lawyer and the liable party will likely pursue mediation. In mediation, an unbiased third party listens to arguments from both sides and tries to break the stalemate.
• Pre-Trial — If mediation fails, we will go into the pre-trial “discovery” phase. In discovery, we take depositions of eyewitnesses and expert witnesses, gather more evidence and share with and request documentation with the other side.
• Trial — Only six percent of personal injury claims go to trial. Indeed, many times we have gotten the settlement we were seeking on the eve of trial. However, if the insurance company refuses to do the right thing, we will fight for your compensation in court. Trial consists of:
  • Jury selection
  • Opening statements
  • Testimony and cross-examination
  • Closing arguments
  • Jury instruction
  • Jury deliberation and verdict

Most of our Smithville, MO clients have never had to deal with seeking compensation for an injury before, and do not know what to expect. Burger Law will be your advocate every step of the way, be there to answer all of your questions and handle all the legal aspects of your case so you can focus on healing.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim in Smithville, MO Worth?

In general, there are two types of damages you can be compensated for in a personal injury claim: economic damages and non-economic damages:

• Economic damages compensate you for your financial losses resulting from your injuries, including:
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning potential if your injuries result in permanent disability
  • Medical bills, past and future
  • Out-of-pocket expenses
• Non-economic damages compensate you for losses that are harder to put a dollar figure on, including:
  • Pain and suffering
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life
  • Scarring
  • Inconvenience
  • Disability
  • Loss of consortium

Sometimes, we may also be able to pursue punitive damages if the liable party’s conduct was purposefully harmful or grossly negligent. Examples can include a drunk driver, or a doctor who performs surgery after drinking. While punitive damages are rarely awarded, your Burger Law personal injury lawyer will pursue every legal avenue We can to get you the best possible financial recovery.

What If I Was Partially Responsible For My Accident?

Trying to fully or partially blame you for your injuries is a frequent trick insurance companies employ to minimize your compensation. If you were in fact partially to blame, you are still eligible for a recovery. Pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute §537.060 and Missouri Revised Statute §537.765, the state has implemented “pure comparative negligence.” That means that, if your injuries were partially, but not completely, your fault, your compensation will be lowered by the percentage of fault you bear.

For example, if your damages come out to $100,000, but you were 10 percent at fault for your injuries, under comparative negligence, you would be eligible for a $90,000 financial recovery.

How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost in Smithville, MO?

Because we work on a contingency-fee basis, you do not need to pay us anything upfront. We charge a percentage of your recovery, but only after we win and after you receive your compensation. There are two main advantages to this:

1. You have access to experienced legal representation, no matter your economic status
2. We have no reason to take on your case unless we truly we can add value to it, and will fight hard to get you the best recovery possible

At Burger Law, we know that an unexpected injury can cause incredible economic hardships. You still have a right to justice and a full financial recovery.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Personal Injury Claim in Smithville, MO?

In Missouri, the statute of limitations is five years for most personal injury claims, according to Missouri Revised Statute §516.120. There are four important exceptions:

1. If you were under the age of 21 or “mentally incapacitated” when you discovered your injuries, you have five years from your 21st birthday or the day your disability ends to seek compensation, under Missouri Revised Statute §516.170.
2. If the liable party is a resident of Missouri but departs from the state for short time, their time out of state is not included in the five years, under Missouri Revised Statute §516.200.
3. Medical malpractice cases are much shorter at two years of the the date the injuries were sustained or the discovery of the injury, pursuant to Missouri Revised Statute § 516.105.
4. Any lawsuit against a municipal entity in Missouri must be filed within 90 days with the Missouri Office of Administration’s Risk Management Division.

While five years may seem like plenty of time, it is important not to wait before making a claim. Your personal injury lawyer at Burger Law will want the most amount of time in order to best make your claim. It is not worth taking the time to wonder whether or not you have a case, or if it is worth pursuing. Reach out to a Burger Law Smithville, MO personal injury lawyer now at (573) 500-HURT.

Other types of claims we win in Smithville, MO include:

• Truck Crash Lawyers in Missouri
• Semi-Truck Accident Lawyer in Missouri

Hire Burger Law

Speak to a Personal Injury Lawyer in Smithville, MO Now

Burger Law’s Smithville, MO personal injury lawyers fiercely believe in zealous representation. That means we get started on your case immediately, investigate your case thoroughly, fight back against insurance companies on your behalf and do not let down until you are awarded the maximum compensation you deserve. We offer the highest standard of legal advocacy; all of our advice will be sincere and in your best interest, but we always leave the ultimate decisions on your claim to you and your Smithville, MO family. You do not have to pay for someone else’s careless actions. To start on your road to true recovery, call a Burger Law Smithville, MO personal injury lawyer now at (573) 500-HURT or contact us online for a free consultation.

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!

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