What Are the Common Damages Sought in St. Louis Automobile Injury Cases?
What Are the Common Damages Sought in St. Louis Automobile Injury Cases?
It is no secret that car accidents are extremely costly. Burger Law is committed to doing our part in making the roads safe by holding reckless drivers accountable and deterring others from making the same dangerous mistakes. Unfortunately, car crashes still happen. Your St. Louis automobile accident attorney is always on the lookout for you and will make sure you recover compensation for all of your damages, which could include:
- Medical bills, current and future
- Bills for future medical procedures
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of limb or use of limb
- Cost of physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Costs of household and vehicle modification
- Permanent injury or disability
- Lost wages from missed work
- Loss of career or earning capacity
- Mental anguish and emotional stress
- Wrongful death damages if a love one was killed
What Compensation is Available for a St. Louis Automobile Injury?
What Compensation is Available for a St. Louis Automobile Injury?
Your St. Louis automobile injury attorney works aggressively in your corner and is committed to fighting for maximum compensation. Your livelihood, family and future are of the utmost importance. Your St. Louis automobile injury attorney will seek the following compensatory damages:
These damages include any financial hardships your St. Louis automobile injury attorney deems applicable as a direct result of the accident:
- Medical Bills/Cost of Treatment
These bills can include anything from ambulance and emergency room costs, surgical costs, doctor appointment costs or the cost of any special equipment, to the cost of any medication you might need.
- Lost wages
If your injuries keep you from returning to work or prevent you from returning to your previous schedule of work, your St. Louis automobile injury will demand payment based on your pay stubs and/or W2s.
- Lost Earning Capacity
This refers to future missed income that you will no longer be able to earn. Lost earning capacity is complicated, but, if your injuries are severe and prevent you from future work, your St. Louis automobile injury attorney will be able to prove this.
These damages can include anything that lowers your quality of life and contributes to a loss of enjoyment, including:
- Permanent or Temporary Disability
This includes partial or full paralysis, impaired cognitive function or an inability to lift heavy objects.
- Pain and suffering
The physical pain and emotional distress caused by an injury. A judge or jury asks how your lifestyle, capacity for happiness or your relationships at work or home were affected by the injury.
Are Punitive Damages Available for a St. Louis Automobile Injury?
Are Punitive Damages Available for a St. Louis Automobile Injury?
In some limited circumstances, your attorney may seek punitive damages. These damages, according to Senate Bill 591, will only apply if your St. Louis automobile injury attorney "proves by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant intentionally harmed the plaintiff without just cause or acted with a deliberate and flagrant disregard for the safety of others." While punitive damages are rare, they intend to punish the defendant and warn against similar behavior in the future.
Are There Caps Placed on Compensation for an Automobile Injury in St. Louis?
Are There Caps Placed on Compensation for an Automobile Injury in St. Louis?
Missouri does not impose caps on compensatory damages in injury claims, except
medical malpractice. The only caps imposed in medical malpractice claims are for noneconomic damages. Those caps are currently $450,098 for a "non-catastrophic injury" and $787,671 for a "catastrophic injury". Senate Bill 239 defines a catastrophic injury as:
- Quadriplegia, or loss of function in all four limbs
- Paraplegia, or loss of function in your legs and lower body
- Loss of two or more limbs
- A brain injury resulting in permanent cognitive impairment that results in permanent inability to:
- Make independent decisions
- Perform basic daily tasks
- Irreversible failure of one or more major organ systems
- Legal blindness in your "best eye"
Your St. Louis automobile injury attorney has seen firsthand the traumatic impact an injury can have on St. Louis and MIssouri residents and their families. Your Burger Law automobile accident lawyer will explain to you all of your legal options and demand that you get the full compensation the law says you are entitled to. Call your St. Louis automobile injury attorney at Burger Law to discuss your case today at (314) 500-HURT.
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Cases We Win
Burger Law's Missouri automobile injury law firm based in St. Louis has a team of gifted litigators and trial lawyers with more than 70 years of combined experience practicing law and protecting the vulnerable and injured. We will fight to get you maximum compensation in any injury claim in Missouri, including the case types listed here. Click for more information.