Missouri Traffic Accident Attorneys
In 2013, there were 683 fatal accidents in Missouri, resulting in 757 deaths, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute. According to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), there were 5,643 disabling injuries in 2011. If you are one of the thousands of people injured in Missouri traffic accidents each year, or if you lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you need to know your rights. A Missouri traffic accident lawyer can help.
Time Limits
There are time limits and deadlines for every type of legal action in every state. The statute of limitations is just one. It is your time limit for filing a lawsuit. In Missouri the statute of limitations for a personal injury lawsuit is three years. For wrongful death it is also only three years.
There are many factors that can affect how long you really have to take legal action, and you may have far less time to get started. For instance, you have a very short amount of time to give notice of your intent to sue a government entity.
If You Were Partly at Fault
Some car crashes are clearly the fault of one party, but life is usually more complicated than that and so are most accidents. Say you got hit by a drunk driver who ran a red light, but you were speeding a little. You could be found partly at fault for your accident. In some states that would destroy your case, even though that is very unfair.
In Missouri you can recover compensation for your injuries even if you were partly to blame. In fact, Missouri uses the “pure comparative fault” rule. Technically speaking, you are allowing to recover compensation even if you were 99% to blame. Of course, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of fault, so if your damages are $100,000 and you are 40% to blame, you would only be able to recover $60,000.
Compensation
An experienced and highly skilled motor vehicle accident lawyer can help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries or the loss of a loved one. If you were injured, you can recover for both economic and noneconomic damages such as:
- Existing and future medical expenses
- Existing and future lost income
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If you have been injured in a Missouri traffic accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, please browse our directory of lawyers to speak to one of the experienced Missouri traffic accident lawyers profiled on this website.