What Causes Serious Injuries?
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What Causes Serious Injuries in St. Louis, Missouri?
There are a variety of ways that someone can sustain a severe or catastrophic injury. Some of the most common causes your serious injury attorney has seen in St. Louis are:
- Falls. Slip and falls were the number one cause of unintentional injury that required hospitalization for people under 14 and over 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Car Accidents, Truck Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents and Bus Accidents. The most common personal injury claims are auto accident claims. Serious injuries typically happen at higher speeds and with larger vehicles because of the amount of force involved.
- Nursing Home Negligence and Nursing Home Abuse. Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable people in our society. Of the 14,000 complaints filed against nursing homes, 27.4 percent were for physical abuse. Negligence can lead to bedsores, which cause dangerous infections and even wrongful death.
- Medical Malpractice. Missed or incorrect diagnoses, poorly performed surgeries, improper treatments or a range of other medical errors can leave patients with lasting injuries.
- Dog Bites. While minor lacerations may not serious, dog bites can significant injury to soft tissue and sometimes even rabies or infections.
- Defective Products. Product liability suits are relatively common in auto accident claims. A poorly designed or manufactured product can cause major harm, for example if one catches on fire and burns you.
Every Burger Law serious injury attorney has extensive experience litigating all types of personal injury cases in St. Louis and throughout Missouri. You can trust us to get the job done and get you the money you need to be made whole again.
What Is My Serious Injury Claim Worth?
What Is My Serious Injury Claim Worth in St. Louis, MO?
The amount you receive in compensation will depend on the severity of your injuries, the full impact they have had on your life and the dedication and skill of your serious injury attorney. Typically in personal injury cases you receive compensation for:
- Economic damages, such as:
- Lost wages
- Lost or Reduced earning potential
- Medical expenses, such as:
- Emergency room visits
- Surgeries
- Doctors appointments
- Physical therapy
- Medication
- In-home care
- Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or household modifications
- Property damage, such as damage to your car
- Transportation fees
- Noneconomic damages, which Missouri Senate Bill 239 defines as:
The more serious your injuries, the more they will require future medical care, affect your ability to work and affect your ability to enjoy life. Your St. Louis serious injury attorney at Burger Law will make sure you receive every cent you are owed.
The best way to find out how much your claim is worth is to contact a St. Louis-based serious injury attorney at Burger Law. We will discuss your case with you for free and give you a realistic idea of what compensation we will get for you. In many serious injury cases, our serious injury attorney team will consult with St. Louis medical and economic experts to ensure your future medical needs are accounted for.
Can I Still Receive Compensation if I Was Partially to Blame for My Serious Injury?
Can I Still Receive Compensation in Missouri if I Was Partially to Blame for My Serious Injury?
Yes. Your serious injury attorney will still be able to help you get compensation, although the amount will be less. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state, which means that you will be compensated for the percentage of the accident that is not your fault.
Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 states that:
Any fault chargeable to the plaintiff shall diminish proportionately the amount awarded as compensatory damages but shall not bar recovery.
Meaning, if a jury awards you $100,000 in damages, but finds that you share 30 percent of the blame for your injury, you will receive $70,000. While sometimes it may be true that you contributed to your accident, shifting blame is a common tactic by St. Louis insurance companies who want to lower your payout. Your Burger Law serious injury attorney will know how to prove that you are not responsible for the harm someone else caused.
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How Long Do I Have to File a Serious Injury Claim?
How Long Do I Have to File a Serious Injury Claim in St. Louis and Missouri?
In Missouri, the statute of limitations is five years for most personal injury claims, according to Missouri Revised Statute §516.120. There are four notable exceptions:
- If you were under the age of 21 or "mentally incapacitated" when the injury occurred, you have five years from the day you turn 21 or the day your disability ends to file a claim, according to Missouri Revised Statute §516.170.
- If the person you are making a claim against is a resident of Missouri but leaves the state for a period of time, their time out of state does not count against the five years, according Missouri Revised Statute §516.200.
- Medical malpractice cases must generally be made within two years of the injury or the discovery of the injury, according to Missouri Revised Statute § 516.105.
- Any claim against a government entity in Missouri must be filed within 90 days with the Missouri Office of Administration's Risk Management Division.
Following an injury that happened because of somebody else's reckless actions, there is no time to wait. You only have one opportunity to receive full compensation, and the clock is already ticking. Burger Law's St. Louis-based Missouri serious injury attorney team has experience filing and winning claims in a variety of circumstances. Do not delay, call us today at (314) 500-HURT.
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Cases We Win
Burger Law's Missouri serious injury law firm based in St. Louis 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.