Missouri car accidents are the number one cause of serious personal injury and death within the State. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, in 2009 alone, there were 152,995 car accidents in Missouri. There were 878 fatalities from those car accidents, and 53,829 people suffered some degree of injury. Applying those numbers to an annual calendar, on average, someone in Missouri dies from a car accident every 10 hours; someone is injured in a car accident every 10 minutes. When you are injured in a Missouri car accident, or a family member is killed, you need a lawyer who will ensure the responsible parties are held accountable for your damages.

The Bradley Law Firm obtained the highest car accident trial result in the entire State of Missouri in 2010: $10,040,000.00. We handle every type of injury resulting from a car accident, including claims for wrongful death , physical injury, mental suffering, and property damage.

Under Missouri law, car accident victims may recover all the costs associated with their medical treatment and rehabilitation, as well as lost wages—both past and future—and damages for pain and suffering. In addition, Missouri law allows car accident victims to recover punitive damages if the conduct of the at fault driver was particularly egregious by acting with a conscious disregard for the safety and well-being of others.

While many people tend to think they can simply rely upon insurance companies to provide adequate recovery for all of their claims, unfortunately, this is not always the case. Under Missouri law, drivers need only carry a minimum of $25,000 of liability car insurance per person and $50,000 of liability car insurance per occurrence. While most responsible people purchase insurance coverage above these minimum limits, if you get into a car accident with someone who carries only minimal coverage, their insurance company may not cover all of your damage. In cases like this, you may need to execute against the at-fault person’s assets to satisfy your damages over and above the insurance limits. In cases where the at-fault person does not have sufficient assets to cover your damages, you may have limited options in the event you have not purchased underinsured motorist coverage from your own insurance company.

Some irresponsible Missouri drivers operate without car insurance. In other cases, out-of-state drivers may only carry the coverage required by their home state, which can be as low as $10,000. If you are unfortunate enough to become involved in a car accident with one of these drivers, there may be little or no car insurance to pay for the damages you suffer, or even to cover your medical bills. Because of these circumstances, it is prudent to purchase Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist coverage on your own policy, so that you can obtain compensation for your injuries from your own insurance company.

If you are injured in a multiple car accident in Missouri, it is important to realize the insurance companies for other involved motorists may not always willingly pay your claims, even where it is clear that their client may be at fault. For example, people can be severely injured in a car accident even though there appears to be little or no damage to the vehicle. Some insurance companies and their lawyers try to argue that a small amount of damage to a car must mean little or no injury to the person. The fact is, while cars are designed to absorb some of the force of an impact, human bodies are not. While most Missouri courts have rejected this argument without some expert testimony to support this false assertion, competent personal injury lawyers must be prepared to counter this kind of defense—and other defensive theories and tactics—that could undermine a legitimate claim. At the Bradley Law Firm, we consult with the very best car accident experts to make sure we have the evidence and expertise to support your case and to protect your rights.

If you or a loved one have been involved in a Missouri car accident, it is critical you call a qualified Missouri personal injury lawyer who has experience with Missouri car accident laws. It is equally important to hire this lawyer before important evidence is lost, damaged, or destroyed. Often, insurance companies will try to strengthen their cases to defend against injured parties before those injured parties have had an opportunity to consult an attorney. They may try to obtain statements, record conversations, or gather other evidence, and car accident victims can find out—too late—that what they have said or done ends up being used against them later. Having the right personal injury attorney on your side will ensure you do not undermine your own interests or forfeit important rights by giving up certain claims or accepting a personal injury settlement without understanding the full implications.

The personal injury lawyers at the Bradley Law Firm have decades of experience in representing Missouri drivers and passengers injured in car accidents. We have offices located in St. Louis, and Louisiana, Missouri. Our personal injury lawyers will investigate the facts of your car accident and do all the work necessary to determine how you can recover from insurance carriers for all your personal injury claims. The only thing you should be worried about after a car accident is the difficult task of recovering and getting your life back in order.

If the insurance company refuses to provide you with a full recovery for your personal injuries, The Bradley Law Firm will evaluate your case to determine whether a personal injury lawsuit may be your best course of action. Remember, our firm never charges any attorneys’ fees unless we recover compensation for you. In addition, we cover all costs in pursuing your personal injury claim. Our personal injury clients have comfort knowing they will never receive a bill from our office for any work on their case.

If you need an attorney to help you after a car accident, call The Bradley Law Firm. We handle cases in all Missouri counties and cities. Contact us today for a free legal consultation with one of our lawyers.