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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
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.
One of the most common topics in an initial consultation with a car accident injury claimant is pain and suffering. Missouri law allows for compensation in a St. Louis car accident claim for general damages, which include pain and suffering. So how much is pain and suffering worth in a personal injury claim? This question has no definitive answer, but there are several guidelines to give you a ballpark. First and foremost, it is a myth that a car accident injury claim can be valued at 3X your medical bills. There is no truth to this proposition. In fact, our St. Louis personal injury attorneys typically obtain much more than 3X medical 'specials' for each injury claim. The value of a pain and suffering claim depends on the injury sustained, particularly whether it was traumatic and whether it will be 'permanent.' For example, whiplash often times resolves itself unless there is a permanent disc injury. If there is a permanent disc injury, the value of pain and suffering increases because of the future medical issues which are probable to aggravate the victim for quite some time. If the victim suffers an emotional injury, pain and suffering is likely not to be worth much. For some reason, juries are apprehensive to award a large pain and suffering verdict for emotional or psychological damages. Pain and suffering compensation is typically not permitted for a Missouri wrongful death claim, unless the decent suffered consciously prior to the death. Pain and suffering in a car accident claim also depends on the age of the victim. Younger plaintiff's typically are valued higher when it comes to settling the pain and suffering part of the injury claim. The younger the plaintiff, the longer the future he/she has to experience future pain and suffering. If you suffer a neurological injury from a car accident at an early age, pain and suffering for your catastrophic injury claim can be 10X medical bills or even much more. All in all, speaking to a personal injury lawyer about the specific circumstances of your accident claim will provide you with advice as to the value of the pain and suffering part of your case for compensation. Call the toll-free injury line by dialing (866) 840-3636 for advice from a top personal injury lawyer. Don't wait for the insurance adjuster to TELL you what your pain and suffering claim is worth. Get advice from a professional who knows Missouri law.
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.
President Obama is in the midst of tacking health care issues, but he has also verbally pledged to "deal with" medical malpractice claims. Obama does not share the Republican plan to limit medical practice claims by capping damages. Instead, President Obama wants to fund programs that encourage negligent doctors to deal with a mistake by acknowledging it, apologizing, and compensating if necessary. No one is sure what "compensating" means by the way, as hospitals who employ negligent doctors would have discretion on what 'fair compensation' actually is...similar to a insurance claims adjuster. However, Missouri Medical Malpractice Lawyers should agree with the President's opinion that "capping medical malpractice claims is an unfair to people who have been wrongfully harmed." I Missouri, medical malpractice claims have been capped by the legislature. The maximum any one claimant can receive for non-economic damages is $350,000. This means that no matter how bad the injury victim suffered, the max available to compensate that pain and suffering is $350,000. There is no cap on non-economic damages, which include hospital bills associated with recovery or treatment for the harmed caused by a negligent doctor. The American Medical Association was reserved in its response to Obama's opinion on curbing medical malpractice claims, but one would assume it would please the association. It is disheartening for the victim of medical malpractice to learn of more intent to thwart meritorious lawsuits. The fact of the matter is, medical malpractice CLAIMS are at an all-time low, as are medical malpractice insurance RATES. It seems unfair and unconstitutional to move towards any more medical malpractice tort "reform", as it appears that people with legitamite Missouri medical malpractice claims are choosing not to file them due to the reform already in place.
It is a shame. The Missouri Legislature has done everything possible to deter victims of Missouri medical malpractice from filing injury and wrongful death claims against negligent doctors and the hospitals that employ them. So far, the legislature has placed a 'damages cap' of $350,000 for non-economic damages on any medical malpractice claim filed after 2005. They have also limited the amount of punitive damages that are recoverable, even against the most grossly negligent doctors and hospitals in this state. The legislature's reasoning: increasing medical malpractice insurance premiums. THIS MAKES NO SENSE! The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) just published research that for the third straight year, claims of medical malpractice have decreased. Even more relevant to thwarting the Missouri legislature's rationale for limiting claims is that the NPDB claims that in 2008, malpractice insurance premiums were 30.7% lower than all previous years. Actually, malpractice insurance premiums were the lowest on record for 2008. Studies show that between 3 and 7 citizens die as a direct result of medical negligence for each person for recieves any type of compensation from a medical malpractice claim. That sickens me. If you suspect that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical negligence, contact a Missouri Medical Malpractice Lawyer at Schultz Legal Group for a consultation. Be careful not to wait too long, as the statute of limitations in Missouri for medical malpractice are very short. If you don't file your injury claim in the appropriate court within this short timeframe, your claim may forever be barred.
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.
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