You’re on your way home from a late night at the office. Suddenly and without warning, another driver runs a red light and crashes into your car, totaling it and leaving you with a broken arm and fractured pelvis. When the police arrive and take the driver into custody, tests confirm that he has a blood alcohol level of .12%, which is well beyond the legal limit. Any time a drunk driver operates a motor vehicle Read More
Know Your Rights When it Comes to Dog and Animal Bites in Missouri!
It’s a mild evening and most of the last snowfall has melted, so you’ve decided to get your bike out of the garage and go for a ride through the neighborhood. You’ve only been riding for 20 minutes when a large dog comes charging from behind a house, bites your leg, and holds on. By the time the owner and passers-by get the dog off, you’ve experienced an injury that will require surgery and ongoing medical Read More
Holding Truckers to a Higher Standard: How a New Law Will Make the Trucking Industry More Accountable
Truck drivers often have strict deadlines and schedules that cause them to push the limits of their endurance. Even when they’ve been behind the wheel for hours and need rest, they carry on, becoming so fatigued that they rely on energy drinks and coffee to stay awake. Some of these drivers are unaware of just how exhausted they are until they suddenly nod off and a serious accident occurs. In trucking Read More
Tis the Season! 4 Tips to Avoid Injuries This Holiday Season
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And, according to the statistics, one of the most dangerous. When we anticipate the holiday season, what comes to mind are family dinners, beautifully decorated homes with blazing fireplaces, and an abundance of presents. Few of us expect to be injured at a time characterized by peace and goodwill, but it happens, and at a rate that exceeds other times of the year. This is Read More
Wrongful Death: You Can’t Change the Past, But You Can Still Have a Future
When you lose a loved one, the emotional devastation and financial burden arising from such a loss can be daunting. If the fatal accident was the result of another party’s carelessness or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation for medical costs, funeral expenses, and other economic losses. Wrongful Death in Missouri Missouri Revised Statutes section 537.080 defines wrongful death as a fatality Read More
The Top 5 Benefits to Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer Dedicated to the Field
When you’ve been badly injured in a car crash or as a result of someone else’s negligence, the fight for fair compensation can be a difficult one. Not only are your household bills only being partially paid (or not paid at all) because you can’t work, you also have to deal with the pressure of mounting medical costs, accident-related expenses, and insurance companies with their defense attorneys who block your claim Read More
Cruise Controls? Self-Driving Cars and Personal Injury Law
In May 2016 a single car accident made headlines across the country. In Williston, Florida, 40-year-old Joshua Brown, who was behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S, crashed into a tractor trailer that was driving across the highway, perpendicular to oncoming traffic. The truck driver was not injured, but Brown was killed. What made this fatal crash especially noteworthy was that the Tesla had its Autopilot system Read More
The Basics of the Legal Concept of “Pain and Suffering”
If you have experienced a serious injury caused by the negligence of another party, you are likely considering a personal injury lawsuit. These lawsuits are the proper way to recover financially from the injuries you experienced. If you win your suit, you will typically be awarded damages to cover all the losses you incurred while injured, such as lost wages, medical bills, damaged property, and more. These types Read More
New Laws Affecting Personal Injury Cases
On August 28, a number of new laws will take effect in Missouri that will negatively impact citizen’s 7th amendment rights in personal injury cases. What follows is a summary of how these laws will affect personal injury cases. Senate Bill 31 (the “collateral source law”): This law will limit medical expense claims to the “actual cost of the medical care or treatment” rendered to a personal injury victim. Read More
When the Damage is Done: Understanding Compensatory and Punitive Damages in Missouri
When in court for a personal injury lawsuit, there are two main ‘types’ of damages that the courts can award: compensatory damages and punitive damages. Missouri law has strict regulations regarding how it is determined, whether one or both of these two types of damages are awarded, and how much will be awarded. Understanding what’s behind these two damages can help you to get a better idea of what you can expect in Read More
