If you, or a loved one, or a friend has been injured and you believe that the injury was caused by the negligence of another, we offer our services. We represent injured individuals and families who have lost loved ones. We do not represent insurance companies, hospitals, or manufacturers.
We handle cases involving significant injuries or death which arise from many different circumstances; the most frequent cases we handle are:
- Car collisions, truck wrecks, and other motor vehicle accidents
- Medical malpractice cases
- Product liability cases
If you believe you have a potential claim, call us. We will be happy to discuss your situation, at no charge. Sometimes, we cannot help, and we will tell you that. In appropriate circumstances, we will help you look into your claim; this generally means we will meet with you in the office, gather the medical records or insurance records or other documents, investigate the facts, and research the legal or medical issues. We will determine with you whether a case should be pursued. In almost all circumstances, we do this preliminary work at our financial risk — if we determine together that we should not pursue a case, you owe us nothing. If we determine together that the case should be pursued, we will do so on a contingent fee basis — meaning if there is no recovery, there is no fee. Our percentage fees vary depending on the nature of the case and the amount of work involved; it can vary from about 10% in some circumstances, to 25% or 33 1/3% in many circumstances, to 40% or more in some circumstances.
If you intend to pursue a personal injury or wrongful death claim, it is important that you proceed as promptly as you reasonably can. With time, memories fade, witnesses move away, and evidence otherwise disappears. Also, keep in mind that the law of every state includes rules — statutes of limitations — which require that claims be filed in court within a specified period of time after the accident or injury occurs. In Missouri, the statute of limitations rules include:
- most medical malpractice claims resulting in personal injury must be filed within two years from the date of the negligent treatment.
- most wrongful death cases must be filed within three years after the date of death (but if the death arises from medical treatment, the time may be shorter).
- most other personal injury claims, including those arising from car accidents, falls, product-related accidents, and similar matters, must be filed within five years from the date of the accident.
- the period is usually extended when the injured person is a minor.
There are many exceptions and special circumstances that affect these rules, so every case must be carefully examined on its own with respect to the statute of limitations.
