Oftentimes, when people think of a personal injury lawsuit, they think of injuries resulting from a car accident. And while a personal injury lawyer can represent you in that circumstance, legal representation by a personal injury lawyer can and often should be retained for a variety of personal injuries, including:
- Motorcycle accidents. If you’re injured or there’s a death due to someone else’s negligence.
- Truck accidents. Including collisions with large commercial trucks.
- Boating accidents. Injuries or death resulting from someone else’s negligence.
- Aviation accidents. Injuries or death sustained in an airplane or helicopter crash.
- Dog bites. A dog attack that results in injuries and medical treatment due to the owner’s neglect.
- Slip and fall injuries. Hazardous conditions that result in a slip and fall injury are the responsibility of the property owner.
- Product liability. If a defective product causes injury or death, a personal injury lawyer could file suit on your or your family’s behalf against the manufacturer and/or distributor.
- Medical malpractice. If a person sustains an injury due to a healthcare professional’s negligence, misdiagnosis, or surgical error.
- Workplace injuries. If injuries are sustained on the job, a personal injury attorney can help navigate the workmen’s compensation process.
- Construction accidents. Injuries or death sustained by workers or bystanders at construction sites.
- Assault and battery. Victims of physical or sexual assault may seek damages with the help of a personal injury lawyer.
- Defamation. When false statements are made about you that harm your reputation, a personal injury lawyer can pursue a defamation lawsuit.
- Wrongful death. In a case where someone’s negligence or wrongful actions resulted in the death of a loved one, a personal injury lawyer can help seek damages for the family.
- Nursing home abuse. Including injuries or death sustained as a result of abuse or neglect in a nursing home.
- Burn injuries. Injuries or death sustained as a result of someone’s neglect or wrongful act that resulted in burns.
- Catastrophic injuries. These can include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputation, and more.
Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
In the aftermath of an accident or incident that results in an injury, insurance companies are quick to get involved and attempt to settle the matter and dispense with it quickly–at minimal cost to them. Unfortunately, this is often at the expense of the victim and the victim’s family.
Extenuating circumstances that require investigation, medical treatments that could last years or even a lifetime, an accurate assessment of the injury and its impact on a person’s lifestyle, ability to work, and earn an income–all of these factors and more require time and consideration before reaching a final settlement amount.
As such, it’s critical to the victim to hire a professional with experience in personal injury law to navigate the complex and important details of a personal injury case. An accident victim has a greater chance of a favorable outcome by retaining a personal injury lawyer.
The best personal injury attorney brings a strong professional skill set to a personal injury lawsuit, including:
- Experience. Years of legal training and experience in handling personal injury lawsuits makes a personal injury lawyer a valuable advocate when attempting to prove liability and collect compensation for loss.
- Negotiating skills on the victim’s behalf. The best personal injury lawyer is on the side of the victim, advocating on their behalf, negotiating a fair settlement, and ensuring their legal rights are protected.
- Investigative skills. Top injury lawyers have the resources and experience to thoroughly investigate an accident on behalf of the accident victim.
- Determining liability. A personal injury lawyer is not only skilled at determining liability but also at gathering and presenting the evidence that helps prove it.
- Damage assessment. Assessing damages is an important part of determining compensation. A personal injury lawyer will look at multiple factors including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future costs to the accident victim.
- Trial experience. The best personal injury attorney will have litigation experience and is prepared to present evidence to a judge and jury, as well as argue on behalf of the accident victim.
- Maximizing compensation. Because most personal injury lawyers work on contingency (they are only compensated if you are) they are motivated in securing the maximized compensation for the accident victim.
- Network of experts. Most personal injury lawyers have a network of experts at their disposal to assist with a personal injury lawsuit, including healthcare professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, and others who can help determine compensation and testify on behalf of the accident victim.
- Stress reduction. Turning over the handling of a personal injury lawsuit to a professional offers the accident victim peace of mind and the time and energy needed to focus on recovery from injuries.
As an Accident Victim, How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit in St. Louis?
There are statutes of limitations in the state of Missouri regarding the length of time an accident victim has to file a lawsuit. Section 516.120 of Missouri Code mandates that a lawsuit intended to seek legal remedy for an “injury to the person” must be filed within five years of discovering the injury. In the case of a wrongful death lawsuit in which a loved one has died due to another’s negligence, the statute of limitations is three years for filing a claim.
While an accident victim does have an extended period of time to file a lawsuit, the more time that passes between the injury and the lawsuit filing could reduce or even risk the chances of fair compensation recovery. Records get lost, people forget details, witnesses can’t be located, information may go missing–these things happen as time passes. That’s why It’s best to file in a timely manner after an accident that results in an injury.
For a free legal consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer serving St. Louis, call (800) 794-0444
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer?
There is a wide range of fees that St. Louis personal injury lawyers charge as a percentage of an accident victim’s settlement or award. On average, St. Louis personal injury lawyers charge around 33%. As previously mentioned, a personal injury lawyer works on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if the accident victim prevails. This arrangement compels a lawyer to ensure the maximum compensation for the accident victim.
Additionally, it’s important to remember there are costs associated with a personal injury lawsuit incurred by a personal injury attorney. These include filing fees, records requests, copies of legal documents, witness fees and more, for which the lawyer is due reimbursement. Once those fees are deducted from the settlement, the personal injury lawyer is due the percentage of the settlement as stated in the contingency fee agreement.
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What Kind of Compensation Can I Expect as an Accident Victim?
There’s no way to accurately determine an “average” personal injury settlement amount in Missouri. There are too many factors that enter into determining fair compensation to an accident victim. Still, there have been multiple personal injury awards in 2023 in Missouri ranging between $10,000 all the way up to $25 million – by means of either settlement or jury verdict.
A St. Louis personal injury lawyer can more accurately determine the amount of fair compensation after learning the facts and gathering the evidence in any particular case.
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What Factors Determine the Value of a Personal Injury Case?
There are multiple factors that determine the value of a personal injury case. These include:
- Medical expenses. These can include medical bills already accumulated as well as anticipation of continued treatment and future medical bills.
- Lost income. If an accident makes it so a victim is unable to work for a time or ever again, they will be compensated for lost income. This means income lost as an immediate result of the accident as well as future income.
- Pain and suffering. While assigning monetary value to pain and suffering is difficult, it is often the largest component in determining damages in a personal injury lawsuit. Factors that impact a victim’s life following an accident are not only physical, but can include both mental and emotional anguish.
- Property damage. Property damage reimbursement is typically specific to automobile accidents, but can include motorcycle, boat, and aviation accidents as well.
- Comparative negligence. In other words, if it’s determined that the accident victim is partly at fault for the accident, their compensation will be reduced by the percentage of liability that falls to them.
- Strength of evidence. The stronger and more credible the evidence presented to the court on behalf of the victim, the greater the likelihood of a higher compensation payout.
- Attorney skill. Hiring the best injury attorney will make a difference in the final compensation award. A St. Louis personal injury lawyer with proven litigation experience and sharp negotiating skills can and does dramatically impact the final settlement or verdict on behalf of the victim.
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What Are the Next Steps to Take When Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in St. Louis?
If you’ve been injured, it’s critical to seek medical attention first. If the injuries are a result of someone’s negligence or wrongful actions, you may wish to speak with a personal injury lawyer to determine if you should file a lawsuit.
If your personal injury lawyer believes you have a case, then you will enter into a contingency agreement with them in order for them to represent you. They will file with the court and have the defendant served with the complaint. The defendant may be required to respond to the complaint at that time.
Next, both sides gather evidence, including photographs, witness testimony, medical records, and more. A pretrial conference, which includes the judge and the attorneys, takes place to discuss the possibility of a settlement. If a settlement is not agreed upon, a trial is scheduled and is convened until a verdict is reached and a judgment determined. Following judgment, either party is free to appeal the decision.
Contact Pintas & Mullins, Top Injury Lawyers in St. Louis
If you or a loved one has been the victim of an accident due to another’s negligence or wrongful act, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a Pintas & Mullins’ personal injury lawyer for a free consultation today. You can trust us to help you obtain financial compensation for the losses you or your loved one has suffered. Call (800) 794-0444 to discuss your options.
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