Were you recently injured in an accident in Richmond Heights, MO? An experienced Richmond Heights personal injury lawyer can help you fight to recover the money you need to move forward with your life. You could be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Our skilled team at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers is prepared to help you fight for every available dollar.
Collectively, our attorneys have over 21 years of experience handling personal injury cases. Clients have trusted us to provide quality legal representation since we opened our doors back 14 years ago.
Now, your family can benefit from our knowledge and experience. We know that life isn’t easy when you’re struggling with a serious injury. Call our law offices in Richmond Heights, Missouri, anytime to schedule a free consultation at (314) 932-1066 with a Richmond Heights personal injury attorney and learn more about how we can fight for you.
Why Should I Hire Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers To Help After an Accident in Richmond Heights?
Insurance companies often try to take advantage of victims when they’re most vulnerable. Unfortunately, these insurance companies also have the knowledge and resources to succeed. If you’re not careful, you could end up walking away with far less than you deserve.
Our team at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers has already recovered millions of dollars on behalf of injury victims in Richmond Heights, MO. We already have a proven track record of success. Our Richmond Heights personal injury lawyers are prepared to help you level the playing field with the powerful insurance companies and their defense teams.
Here’s what you can expect when you trust us to handle your legal battle:
- Personalized attention and support at every stage of the legal process
- A full investigation designed to uncover every shred of evidence that can prove your case
- A team with the resources to hire leading experts to testify on your behalf
- An aggressive defense against any claims that you caused your own injuries
- Fierce negotiators who will reject any lowball offers and fight for the full compensation you deserve
- Experienced trial lawyers who are always ready to fight to protect your rights in court
Too many injury victims back down and accept less than they deserve. After all, the insurance process is overwhelming and frustrating. Our Richmond Heights personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping you get a fair deal. Call today to learn more.
Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?
Most personal injury cases are based on negligence. You may have a valid claim for compensation if someone else was careless and caused your injuries. That said, not all personal injury cases involve negligence.
You may have a valid personal injury case if you were injured:
- Due to dangerous conditions on someone else’s property
- While using a defective consumer product
- Due to a medical professional’s failure to provide proper care
- Because you were attacked
- Because of something that happened in the workplace
In other words, you probably have a valid personal injury claim if your injuries occurred because of someone else’s actions. That’s true whether the at-fault party was careless, reckless, or acted intentionally.
Consulting an experienced personal injury attorney is always the best way to learn about your right to pursue compensation.
Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Experienced personal injury lawyers have the skills to greatly increase the amount of compensation victims take home. Most injury victims have very little experience navigating the insurance claims process. They often make mistakes that hurt their case value in the end.
Here are just a few of the ways that hiring an experienced attorney can add value to your case:
- Your lawyer will know how the insurance company works. Your lawyer will be a powerful ally who can level the playing field and protect you from tactics designed to reduce the amount of money you recover.
- Your recovery is crucial. Recovering from a serious injury takes time and energy. Your lawyer can handle the insurance and legal issues while you rest and recover.
- Expert testimony can be the key to maximizing your case value. Testimony from experts in medicine, vocational rehabilitation, life planning, and other specialties can be critical to your case. Experienced attorneys have relationships with experts who can testify on your behalf.
- Your lawyer has the tools to conduct a full investigation. Your lawyer will compile compelling evidence to prove your case and protect you against any blame-the-victim scare tactics.
Most lawyers offer free case reviews. That way, you can learn more about the benefits of legal representation without any risk.
We Have the Skills to Handle All Types of Personal Injury Cases in the Richmond Heights
If you or a family member were injured in an accident, hiring an attorney with experience is critical. You want to look for a lawyer with experience handling cases similar to yours.
With over two decades of experience, our legal team at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers is well-prepared to handle any type of personal injury cases, including:
Car Accidents
Car accidents are one of the most common ways to get hurt in Missouri. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 45,456 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents statewide in 2022. 964 traffic fatalities were reported that year. At least 5,938 people were injured in St. Louis County alone.
Insurance companies handle car accident claims every day. They’ll do everything in their power to limit their payout. If you were injured because of a negligent driver, count on our Richmond Heights car accident lawyers to help you fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
Motorcycle Accidents
Crashes tend to result in severe injuries when motorcycles are involved. That’s true even if the rider was wearing a helmet and driving carefully. Unfortunately, insurance companies love to blame motorcyclists for their own injuries. If you were injured in an accident, call our Richmond Heights motorcycle accident attorneys to protect your legal rights.
Truck Accidents
Large commercial trucks pass through our area every single day. Trucks can be particularly dangerous because of their size and weight. Truck drivers aren’t always the most careful–after all, they’re often rushing to meet a deadline. If you were injured, our legal team can fight to help you hold the driver, the trucking company, and other responsible parties liable for your injuries.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accident injuries can be particularly severe. When you’re hit by a car, you shouldn’t have to fight with the insurance company for fair compensation. The insurance company will likely try to minimize the extent of your injuries to avoid paying you a fair amount. Our experienced lawyers in Richmond Heights will stand by your side and help you hold the at-fault driver accountable.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall injuries are extremely common in Missouri. If you slipped and fell because of something dangerous on someone else’s property, you may deserve compensation. That said, expect the property owner to fight hard to avoid paying you the compensation you’re owed. Our accident lawyers can locate the evidence you need to prove that you deserve financial compensation.
Wrongful Death Cases
Losing a loved one is difficult enough. When you know the death was entirely preventable, the loss is magnified even further. Preventable deaths are all too common in the state of Missouri. If you lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, call our law firm in Richmond Heights and get help fighting for justice.
Additional Practice Areas
Our attorneys in Richmond Heights also frequently handle cases involving:
- Defective products (product liability)
- Medical malpractice
- Negligent security
- Dangerous property conditions (premises liability)
- Construction accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Electric scooter accidents
- Bus accidents
- Train accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Boating accidents
- Aviation and airplane accidents
- Recreational vehicle accidents
- Distracted driving accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Exposure to dangerous substances
- Child Injuries
- Workplace accidents and workers’ compensation claims
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Nursing home abuse
- Birth Injuries
- Intentional Torts, including assault and sexual assault
Anytime you were injured because of someone else’s actions, count on our lawyers to stand up and fight for you. Contact us today to learn more about your legal rights and options after an injury.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most personal injury law firms in Richmond Heights work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing until we recover compensation in your case. In the rare case that we can’t recover compensation for you, you won’t have to worry about paying any attorneys’ fees at all.
This structure gives us a financial stake in your case. So, we have an incentive to fight for the maximum compensation available. It also means you won’t have to worry about legal bills while you’re struggling with painful injuries.
What Damages Are Available to Accident Victims in Richmond Heights?
Under Missouri law, there are two primary types of compensatory damages: economic damages and non-economic damages. It’s also possible to seek punitive damages in rare cases.
What Types of Economic Damages Are Available to Accident Victims in Missouri?
Economic damages compensate for the specific financial costs you have incurred due to an accident and injury.
Any expense can be covered, including:
- Current medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical costs
- Rehabilitative care
- Lost wages due to missed time at work
- Expected lost earning potential due to a long-term disability
- Nursing care
- Property damage
- Vehicle repairs and other out-of-pocket expenses
- Funeral expenses in fatal injury cases
Most of your current expenses can be proven with receipts and other documentation. Proving your expected future costs is much more challenging. Testimony from experts can be the key to convincing the insurance company to hand over a fair amount.
What Types of Non-Economic Damages Are Available to Accident Victims in Richmond Heights?
Non-economic damages are also difficult to prove. Non-economic damages represent the personal, non-financial losses you have experienced because of the accident and injury.
While your losses will be unique to your case, some examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Chronic pain
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD and mental trauma
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium in fatal injury cases
You don’t have to let the insurance companies diminish the value of these losses. Instead, reach out to an experienced accident lawyer who can help.
Can I Get Punitive Damages in a Missouri Personal Injury Case?
Punitive damages are reserved for cases where the defendant deserves punishment. If a judge or jury finds that the defendant’s acts were intentional or especially shocking, punitive damages may be appropriate. These damages are rare because they don’t compensate for a specific loss. They’re solely intended to punish the defendant.
How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?
No lawyer can really tell you how much your claim is worth until they’ve evaluated the facts of your case. Any lawyer who tells you otherwise isn’t being completely honest. All cases are unique. Because many variables can impact your case value, it’s critical to understand the details.
Some of the most critical details include:
- The cost of your medical treatment to date
- Your need for ongoing medical care and your expected future costs
- The extent of your injuries
- Your prognosis for making a full recovery
- The duration of your recovery
- Whether you have missed work and lost income
- Whether your earning ability will be impaired even after reaching maximum medical improvement
- Whether the insurance company has any legitimate claim that you shared blame for the accident
- Damage to your quality of life
- Your pain, suffering, trauma, and other personal losses
During your free case review, your lawyer can give you a better sense of the amount of compensation you deserve.
What if I’m Partially at Fault for an Accident in Missouri?
Victims do sometimes share blame for their own injuries. Sharing responsibility for an accident will reduce your case value. However, it won’t entirely prevent you from recovering compensation.
Missouri operates under a pure comparative negligence law. When a victim shares some fault for their own injuries, liability is divided between all responsible parties. You’ll be assigned a percentage of fault based on the evidence. Your settlement or verdict will be reduced by that percentage.
That’s true even if you’re found to be mostly responsible. However, you shouldn’t simply accept blame without a fight. Insurance companies blame victims so they can pay less than the victim deserves. If you’re being blamed, contact an experienced attorney who can defend you.
How Much Time Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After an Accident in Missouri?
A five-year statute of limitations applies in most Missouri personal injury cases. The five-year period starts to run on the date of your injuries. After five years pass, you’re prohibited from seeking compensation.
Five years is a long time. In fact, the five-year deadline is much longer than most other state deadlines. However, you shouldn’t wait to seek legal advice. The sooner you consult a lawyer, the stronger your case is likely to be.
What Is Negligence and What Evidence Can Help Me Prove It?
In the simplest terms, negligence means that you were injured because another party failed to exercise a reasonable amount of caution.
Establishing negligence requires proving the following:
- The at-fault party’s legal duty of care
- Some breach of that duty of care
- Causation, meaning that the breach directly caused your injuries
- The damages you have suffered due to the other party’s actions
The evidence that can be used to prove your case will vary depending on the circumstances of your injury.
Examples of the types of evidence that our attorneys will search for in building a strong case include:
- Accident reports and police reports
- Medical records
- Photos of an accident scene and injuries
- Eyewitness testimony
- Drug and alcohol test results
- Vehicle recording devices
- Video surveillance footage from traffic lights, dash cams, and businesses
- Maintenance reports
- Inspection records
- Information about an employer’s hiring practices, policies and procedures
- Past safety complaints
- Physical evidence from an accident scene
- Opinions prepared by accident reconstruction specialists
Our team is ready to compile the strongest possible evidence to prove your case. Just give us a call to schedule a free case review and we’ll get started today.
Overview of Missouri’s Personal Injury Laws
While negligence is the root cause of most personal injury cases, different legal theories can apply depending on the facts.
Our lawyers will evaluate your legal options under state law, including:
- Missouri’s fault-based insurance laws if you were injured in a car accident
- Premises liability laws if you were injured on someone else’s property
- Medical malpractice laws if your doctor was negligent
- Strict liability laws in cases involving defective products
- Dog bite laws if you were attacked by an animal
- Intentional torts in cases involving intentional wrongdoing
The insurance companies are familiar with these laws. Fortunately, so are our lawyers. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options after an injury.
Will My Personal Injury Case Go to Trial?
Trials are relatively rare. Most experienced attorneys are able to resolve cases by negotiating with insurance companies and at-fault parties.
When trial does become necessary, it’s often because a case involves hotly contested issues. For example, when insurance companies dispute liability, a trial may become necessary to establish liability. Similarly, serious disputes about the value of a victim’s case often result in a need for trial. Where punitive damages are on the table, a court decision may be more advantageous than accepting an insurance offer.
Importantly, insurance companies don’t want to go to trial. Too many unpredictable variables exist at trial. It’s never entirely possible to predict what a jury will decide. Still, it’s important to hire an attorney with a proven track record of success at trial.
How Long Will My Richmond Heights Personal Injury Case Take?
The time it will take to resolve your case depends on the facts. Generally, cases involving the most serious injuries take the longest to resolve. That’s because it will take time until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). Until you reach MMI, it’s tough to understand how the injury will impact your future.
Cases that go to trial also take longer to resolve. After filing a lawsuit, we enter a discovery period where we exchange evidence with the other side. Sometimes that evidence results in additional negotiations–and even a settlement. When a case does proceed to trial, we’re at the mercy of the court’s schedule.
What Should I Do After an Accident in Richmond Heights?
Try to remain calm. If you’re still at the accident scene, there are some important steps you can take to protect yourself.
Those steps include:
- Remain at the scene and report the accident. You can call 911 to report a vehicle accident and request emergency assistance if necessary. You should also report a non-vehicle accident to someone in charge, like a store manager or supervisor.
- Take photos and videos of the accident scene to document conditions that may have contributed to your accident.
- Exchange contact information with eyewitnesses.
- In motor vehicle accident cases, both insurance information and contact details must be exchanged with the other driver.
- Answer questions politely, but avoid apologizing or accepting any blame for the accident. Factors that you don’t understand could have played a role in the accident. Apologizing can be used against you if you decide to seek compensation.
- Avoid recorded statements without consulting an attorney first.
- Seek medical attention quickly, even if your injuries don’t seem particularly serious. Some injuries can become much worse with time.
Call an experienced attorney if you sustained injuries. Your lawyer can begin collecting evidence immediately.
Contact Our Experienced Richmond Heights Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Initial Consultation Today
Do you have questions about your legal options after an injury in Richmond Heights, MO? Contact an experienced Richmond Heights personal injury lawyer today. Our team at Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers is well-prepared to help you stand up and fight for full compensation. Best of all, your case evaluation is completely free of charge.