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Car accidents cause damage both to people and property. The property can be repaired or replaced fairly simply. However, damage to people, even if minor, can take a lifetime to heal. Unfortunately many injuries caused in an automobile collision cause permanent, irreparable harm. Certain types of impacts cause certain forms of injuries to the human body. Even minor, slow impact collisions can cause serious damage to the soft-tissues of the body. These cases, often referred to as MIST (minor impact soft tissue) cases, are fought hard by the nation's largest car insurance companies. Spine injury from a car accident is the most common form of damage caused to the body in a collision. The soft tissues (discs) in the spine are not equipped to handle the jarring of a collision, even at low speeds. Automotive safety technology has come a long way with absorbant crunch zones and bumpers, but spine injuries still occur in most accidents. Trauma to the spine can result in herniated discs (a.k.a. "blown discs" or "slipped discs") that can require physical therapy, epidural steroid injection, and even surgery to repair. In the event of a spine injury, it is best to get the right diagnostic imaging to determine the extent of the damage. X-rays are commonly performed at the hospital, but without MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) the nature of a disc problem cannot be fully understood. Car accident brain injury commonly results from head-on and broadside auto accidents. A brain injury can occur without loss of consciousness. Sometimes people refer to a "closed head injury" as one where the head is not visibly damaged, but there is brain damage of some sort. A closed head injury can cause all kinds of cognitive issues, including problems with balance, memory, everyday functioning. Brain damage needs to be diagnosed early and treated carefully by a specialist, usually a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons. Other forms of catastrophic injury can result from almost any type of impact from a wreck. Aside from traumatic brain injury (TBI), other serious injuries can cause degloving of the skin, loss of limbs, or shattering of bone. Catastrophic injuries can require a lifetime of expensive medical care, including modifications to your home and nursing care. Economic recovery for future medical care is tricky, since most courts will not permit compensation for speculative future damages. It will take experienced legal representation to assist in obtaining this type of monetary compensation. Obtaining compensation for all forms of injury caused by a car accident will be the job of your legal team. Believe it or not, it will also be part of the job of your treating doctors, who will have to back you up when it comes time to filing an insurance claim or injury lawsuit. Doctors must make a medical opinion as to whether the injuries you are claiming were caused, or contributed to be caused, by the auto accident. This is a determination that some doctors are not comfortable making. Make sure your treating physician is not scared of courtroom testimony.
Folks injured in automobile accidents, by defective products, or at work have a right to fair compensation if someone else is legally responsible for causing those injuries. That is where the role of a Missouri injury lawyer comes into play. A lawyer can help maximize your compensation from a claim by providing a variety of services, which include 1) help obtaining the best medical treatment possible, even if you do not have health insurance 2) investigating and discovering all forms of compensation and insurance applicable to your injury 3) maintaining your right of privacy from probing insurance questions, and 4) negotiating an injury settlement that is satisfactory to your case. Medical treatment is one of the most important aspects of any injury claim. And breaking that down further into two components, 1) quality and 2) timeframe. If you don't obtain the right type of treatment it can be just as damaging to your case as not getting treatment at all. So if you have a spine injury, go see an orthopedist or neurologist that specializes in spine trauma. Just like the law, medicine is broken into many, many specialties. Second, getting the right treatment in the right timeframe is critical. If you wait too long to get medical care, or have long "gaps in treatment" the insurance adjuster will likely lowball your case or deny it all together. A personal injury lawyer can offer more advice on this important aspect of your case. Investigating and discovering all insurance policies that apply your case is vital to maximizing settlement value. Claims adjusters do their best to conceal available coverage, or mislead as to the 'policy limits' available to compensate an injury victim. An injury attorney ends these games and ascertains all available insurance coverage, and determines what applies and what doesn't. Sometimes insurance can be "stacked" to provide even additional compensation. This aspect of the law is evolving in Missouri and predominantly determined by caselaw and policy language. Insurance companies love to uncover all your prior medical history, even if it bears no relevance to the case at hand. They do this through the use of unrestricted medical record release authorizations that they will demand that you sign in order to present a claim for injury. An accident injury lawyer would never permit this type of invasion of privacy to take place. Prior health history can devalue your claim and ultimately lead to poor compensation when it comes time to negotiation of a settlement. Rely on your lawyer to present only the evidence necessary to prevail in your accident injury claim, nothing more. For more information, contact Missouri injury lawyer Stephen Schultz. Mr. Schultz is AV-Rated and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Missouri for the 4th consecutive year. He can be reached at (866) 840-3636 or locally at (314) 448-0934
Many
people are hesitant to involve a personal injury attorney in their claim due to the fear of
the unknown. Though no two injury claims are exactly the same, most
follow the same timeline of events. After being involved in a situation
that causes injury, it is in your best interest to seek immediate
medical attention. Documentation of your injuries through medical records
and reports provides uncontested proof that you were injured as a result of an
accident and were in enough pain to seek medical attention. Once we have
a better understanding of your exact injuries, we are able to refer you to a
specialist who can use their expertise to further treat you. Most Missouri injury lawyers have close
working relationships with many of Missouri's best doctors - all of which have
the same goal: to help YOU.
During
the first phase of your claim, you are given a main focus and we (as your
attorney) are given a main focus. Yours is to obtain all recommended
medical treatment. The duration of your Missouri injury claim is the only time you will
be able to receive medical treatment at the at-fault party's expense. All
charges for treatment incurred during this time is treated as addition to your
final compensation amount. The focus of any experienced accident lawyer is concentrated on investigative
work, gathering all details we can revolving around your case. During
this time, we are also able to assist you in finding, scheduling, and getting
to your crucial medical appointments.
Once
your medical treatment is complete, we are able to move forward with
establishing your claim's worth. Together, we consider every aspect in
which this injury has affected you and your lifestyle. Some clients are
able to fully recover physically and return to their lifestyle as it was prior
to an accident. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and clients
are faced with a future of uncertainty. Combining your physical,
emotional, economical, and social losses, we fight hard to obtain a fair
monetary amount to compensate you for this. Our fight for this does not
end until we (including YOU) are satisfied with a settlement. If a
reasonable settlement offer is not agreed upon in a fair amount of time, a lawsuit is
filed on your behalf in which we continue your legal battle for fair
settlement. Again, nothing is accepted without the knowledge and
approval of a client.
Upon
settlement of your claim, we handle all remaining medical bills and account
balances to ensure that nothing is lingering after a final settlement.
After reaching a settlement both the attorney and client are pleased with, all
parties are able to continue with their lives as an injury claim being part of
their past. A good lawyer prides himself on the ability to maintain open communication.
Clients always have access to attorney and staff office phones, email
addresses, attorney cell phones, and office visits. Your injury
claim is just that - yours. You should never be left out of any
communications regarding your case and should never be wondering the status of
your case. A compassionate St. Louis personal injury lawyer is available to discuss your case 24/7 and will come to you to address your concerns about the case.
This is a common question that many people ask after they are involved in a car accident or other incident in Missouri. Its hard to say with certainly whether you need an accident injury lawyer unless you weigh your chances of obtaining a fair settlement from an insurance company. There are studies and statistical data indicating that having legal representation on your side increases your chances of a fair shake at compensation by over 300%. You have to look at it this way: the insurance company is a well-funded, well-represented giant that does not have a personal interest or duty to treat you with respect or fairness. Insurance companies are in business to generate huge profits. They keep profits up and shareholders happy by minimizing payouts on PI claims, plain and simple. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just not being truthful or realistic. There are instances in which you can settle a case on your own without hiring a lawyer. Those situations include cases where there is little to no property damage and your injuries are minimal. By minimal I mean that you saw your primary care doctor, got checked out, and everything is clear and you are feeling fine. One important piece of advice though: Never, ever settle your case, even if your injuries are very minor, until you give your body at least 60 days to show any signs of lingering symptoms. This most commonly comes up in whiplash cases or soft tissue car accidents. Soft tissue injuries can be sneaky. You can appear sore for a few days, then fine for a few days, and then things can deteriorate quickly. In some events, victims experience "radicular" symptoms, which are radiating pains down the arms and legs. This is a sign of a very serious disc problem. As an experienced Missouri lawyer with an AV-Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale Hubbell, I can tell you that there will be times that we will turn down potential clients. We feel that unless we can add value to a client's case by aggressive legal representation, that we would rather explain the process to the caller and advise them to handle the case without a lawyer. This is something that not all lawyers will do. There are some personal injury attorneys that will accept every case that walks in the door, even if the injured client could have settled the case without legal representation and therefore avoid paying attorneys' fees. If you ever need to discuss your case and whether hiring a lawyer is in your best interests, contact a St. Louis personal injury lawyer at Schultz Legal Group law firm by calling toll-free (866) 840-3636. Schultz Legal Group has offices in Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas and will come to clients locations whenever necessary to consult on a one-on-one basis.
A common question that callers ask when contacting our St. Louis personal injury lawyers is: what do you charge for handling an injury claim? The answer is nothing, unless our lawyers win your case. This is a relief for most injury victims. After all, most accidents cause financial stress on an unimaginable level. The last thing that anyone in this position needs is a lawyer that charges a large up-front attorney retainer. The attorneys fees that Schultz & Myers charges are contingency on the outcome of each case. Therefore, our lawyers and clients share a common interest of reaching a successful outcome in each case. There are many ways to contact an accident injury lawyer for advice on presenting an injury claim. Some people use the internet. The internet is a good resource for researching personal injury lawyers. For example, using a search engine like Google or Yahoo and plugging in search terms such as " St. Louis car accident lawyer" will provide results that are a good starting point for choosing the best lawyer for your case. It is wise to never choose an accident injury lawyer based upon how flashy a website is. In fact, the Missouri ethical rules have made it a point to require lawyers to tell potential clients that decisions for legal representation should not be based solely upon advertisements. Choosing a lawyer based upon a referral from a friend or family member can also offer choices. CAUTION: Do not think that a lawyer referred by someone else is the right lawyer to handle a serious injury claim. Traffic lawyers do not make good injury lawyers, and vice versa. Would you seek a foot doctor if you had migraine headaches? No. The same holds true with lawyers. Yes, all lawyers have a general understanding of civil personal injury litigation. The lawyers at Schultz & Myers would conceivably be able to assist a client with a Will, however, we would never do as good as a job as a lawyer who only does Wills. Accident injury claims for compensation involve complex civil state statutory laws and civil court procedures. Never take your serious injury case to a law firm that dabbles in all areas of law. Chances are high that you will not receive all forms of compensation that you deserve. When choosing a personal injury lawyer, also bear in mind that going with the biggest law firm in town does not necessarily mean you are getting the best legal representation available. It is important for all injury victims to get one-on-one personal service from a lawyer, especially in situations like these where the client is under a high degree of emotional and physical stress. When selecting your lawyer, make sure that he or she plans on staying in touch with you personally on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Do your homework before retaining any lawyer. Personal injury claims require handling by an accident lawyer who has both experience and an aggressive strategy. Without this, your claim can be drawn out for months or years while the lawyer does his best to feel his way through the complexities of these case types.
You are involved in a car accident in the St. Louis area and what happens next is uncharted waters. What is the car insurance claims process like? Will the insurance claims adjuster settlement my claim for property damage or claim for personal injury fairly? Chances are you will do your best to work things out with the insurance companies. Well be warned, you are in for a wild ride that will end up stressing you out to the extreme and resulting in an unfair settlement offer. However, there may be no way for you to know what is fair or unfair without first consulting with a St. Louis personal injury lawyer. Yes, it is time for you to get advice from a St. Louis accident injury lawyer. The insurance claims process is inherently complicated. These insurance policies are written so ambiguously that even judges have a difficult time interpreting their actual meaning. Don't despair. A lawyer will help you make sure that all steps are taken to be certain that your claim for compensation is properly preserved. Submitting medical records and medical bills with a demand for money is not the proper way to obtain fair compensation. Theories of negligence and future medical prognosis reports from well-respected doctors are just a part of what makes an effective claim for compensation. Car accidents in St. Louis Missouri happen on a daily basis. As such, most insurance claims adjusters are bombarded with new claims from people with and without legal representation. Who do you think they will take more seriously? Car accident lawyer know how to obtain results from adjusters, and in a timely manner. Without a lawyer, you can bank on an extremely long process in which 12-18 months down the line you will ultimately end up hiring a lawyer due to a lowball settlement offer. Don't be victimized twice. Just as the Missouri driving rules of the road are a roadmap for safely driving a car on our streets and highways, a lawyers strategies is the roadmap to a successful outcome in your personal injury claim.
St. Louis personal injury and accident attorney Stephen Schultz has had his cases published in the Missouri Lawyers Weekly, St. Louis Post Dispatch, STL.TODAY.COM, News Channel 5, and other local media outlets. His cases have also been featured in nationwide legal publishing such as the Jere Beasley Report. The St. Louis personal injury lawyers at Schultz Legal Group represent injury victims in automobile accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip & falls, products liability, medical negligence, and drug recall claims. Our injury lawyers seek maximum compensation for each injured client. No matter how small or large the injury case is, our attorneys work the case up as if it will go to trial. A strong work ethic such as this is critical in obtaining full financial recovery for each case. There is negligence everywhere. Whether or not the negligence will result in liability depends on many factors. One of the things our St. Louis car accident injury lawyers do is use our private investigator on each automobile accident case. Even simple rear-enders will sometimes prove difficult and unless you treat each case as your top priority, evidence will fall through the cracks. Our private investigators will obtain recorded statements on each car accident case. These statements can later be used against the defendant as an 'admission'. Often times we find that drivers are most candid BEFORE a defense lawyer or insurance claims adjuster 'coaches' them on what to say. Getting our investigator involved early in each case is paramount to success. It can make or break your car accident claim for compensation. Don't leave your personal injury claim to chance. You only get one shot and full compensation. If you don't use the best, you won't get the best result. Our results are boasted in legal and media periodicals across the country, and for good reason. The personal injury attorneys at Schultz Legal Group at rated in the top 1% of trial lawyers in the country and rated Top 100 trial lawyers in the state of Missouri. This recognition only comes with dedication to serious personal injury and wrongful death litigation, in conjunction with a passion to achieve the best possible result on each and every claim. Contact our St. Louis car accident injury lawyers by calling the injury free consultation hotline at 314.448.0934 or toll-free at 866.840.3636.
This is a question most Missouri injury victims face when they are involved in several types of potentially actionable claims, such as: The situation is often times stressful. You have the incident itself that caused the personal injuries, and then you have the insurance adjuster that typically calls a few days later and begins his/her goal of minimizing your injury claim. Essentially, you are set up to victimized twice. Statistics provide that those who retain the legal services of a Missouri Accident & Injury Lawyer received 3x-5x more compensation that those victims who choose to deal with the defendant's insurance company directly. So what types of claims can you handle without the services of a personal injury lawyer? Very minimal claims involving very little property damage and no personal injuries can usually be handled by the victim on his/her own. When you add personal injuries to the equation, it is always beneficial to, at the very least, consult the legal advice from a Missouri personal injury attorney. Understand that insurance adjusters are highly trained and skilled at dealing with both injury and property damage claims. Ask yourself this question: Does the insurance adjuster really have MY best interests in mind, or that of his managers and stockholders? The answer is obvious. I encourage any injury victim to visit the Schultz Legal Group article on How Insurance Companies Adjust Claims. Contact St. Louis Accident and Injury Lawyer Stephen Schultz at (866) 840-3636, (314) 448-0934, or by email to discuss your injury claim.
An accident reconstructionist offered favorable courtroom testimony for the young University of Missouri-Columbia student who was severely injured in 2005 when two vehicles struck her bicycle as she was heading to class. Krysten Chambrot was struck by defendant #1's Miata, catapulted into the air and then ran over by a truck operated by defendant #2. Chambrot suffered catastrophic injury to her lower extremities, resulting in amputation and mangle. She also broke her jaw during the collision. Expert testimony is critical in cases where the facts are in dispute. In this case, the facts of the crash itself were in contention, requiring the use of a reconstructionist to determine speed of the vehicles, contact points, and ultimately, fault. Expert recontructionists rely upon evidence from the scene, witness statements, and mathematical formulas in creating their account of what really happened during the collision. Expert testimony such as this can be critical in determining whether a driver was negligent, negligent per se, or even reckless. Our St. Louis accident and injury lawyers retain experts such as an accident reconstructionist when the the facts of the accident scene are unclear. Experts provide our attorneys with an independent assesment of the facts using sound principles of physics and evidence gathered in the case. Often times these experts testify at trial, helping the jury understand what really happened at the scene. Call injury attorney Stephen Schultz today to learn how an accident reconstructionist can help in YOUR case!
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