ENCORE – How to Cross Examine a Nice Person
ENCORE - How to Cross Examine a Nice Person Not every cross examination has to…
Helping Personal Injury Victims
Personal injury litigation is incredibly complex – whether the case arises from a car accident, medical negligence, or a pharmaceutical product design defect, personal injury attorneys are uniquely trained and experienced with the many rules, applicable laws, and requirements to succeed in this practice area. The high cost of personal injury litigation, both in money and time, is fronted by your attorneys. We only get paid when we succeed in settlement or verdict – this is a win-win agreement. Our trust in our clients starts at Day One: when we take a case, we trust our clients and show this through tireless work, payment of all expenses, and deep investigation to present the strongest case possible to a jury.
As a personal injury law firm with over 20 years of experience and more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements, our attorneys can help get fair compensation. Our attorneys provide supportive and effective counseling for negligence or wrongful acts. You need a lawyer who is ready and willing to investigate all angles, and our legal team is always prepared for a fight. At The Simon Law Firm, P.C., our attorneys have years of insight and experience in creating a favorable case outcome.
St. Louis Personal Injury Law Firm
Starting as a local law firm in St. Louis, Missouri, The Simon Law Firm, P.C. now proudly represents clients nationwide to hold negligent drivers, physicians, employers, and corporations accountable for their actions. Whether a case takes us to the most rural areas of our Great State of Missouri or our hometown of St. Louis, we vigorously advocate for our clients to impress upon all parties to a lawsuit the importance of the issues. Our role as advocates extends beyond the courtroom – for our clients, we are counselors ready to stand with them through the entire litigation process.
With over 175 combined years of experience, the attorneys at The Simon Law Firm, P.C. proudly represent all clients with passion, expertise, and the motivation to resolve each case for top dollar efficiently. Unlike other firms, The Simon Law Firm, P.C. never shies away from tough cases and is always ready to take cases to trial. The Simon Law Firm, P.C. has a distinguished track record of over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements. Our firm’s collective excellence has helped thousands of injured parties nationwide.
Learn More About Simon Law↓
Our mission is to provide the highest-quality legal services with integrity, professionalism and respect for our clients.
We handle our cases on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t pay unless we recover for your case.
We have been named one of the “winningest firms” in the U.S. by The National Law Journal.
Our Experience as St. Louis Personal Injury Attorneys
As a St. Louis-born firm, we have successfully resolved cases for thousands of injured parties in the metropolitan area, including:
- $12.45 million – Reggie Bush v. St. Louis Rams; Personal Injury/Premises Liability
- $105 million – Dorman v. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.; Product Liability
- $47 million – Soulard Boiler Explosion; Product/Premises Liability
Nationwide, we have extensive experience resolving nearly any type of case. When our client is outside of the St. Louis area, we come to them. The geographic location of our clients has never been and will not be an issue for our firm.
Our Personal Injury Services
Every individual case is evaluated to determine the specific practice area to which it belongs. While some personal injury attorneys generally focus on car accidents, many have specializations that include traumatic brain injuries arising out of car accidents, injuries from accidents involving semi-trucks, and even attorneys who only work with accidents involving a deceased party. Personal injury cases, however, extend beyond car and truck accidents and include premises liability, including slip and fall cases and unsafe buildings, work site accidents, including crane and scaffolding accidents, and bus driver abuse and neglect. Each practice area requires keen insight into the internal processes of the employers, insurance companies, and key players.
How We Help
Working with a personal injury attorney typically begins with a conversation – what happened to bring you to our office? From this conversation, the attorney starts to piece together the liability at issue – who breached their duty causing you harm, is it clear that the cause of your harm was that breach of duty, and do you have compensable damages? Of course, we will not know all of that in the initial meeting, so we must complete an investigation. The investigation involves collecting medical records, inspecting vehicles, a medical device, or other object that led to the injury, gathering depositions of relevant witnesses, and consulting with experts in the specific field. From there, if the cases meet all legally required criteria, settlement negotiations will commence and either be successful or not – determining whether a case is taken to trial before a jury.
What Constitutes a
Personal Injury?
Personal injury is an umbrella term that covers physical or emotional injuries and reputations caused by one entity against another. There are three bases for personal injuries (or torts) – negligence, strict liability, and intentional wrongs. In most personal injury cases, we must prove four things:
- That the Defendant owed a duty to care for the injured party.
- That the Defendant breached this duty.
- That the Defendant’s actions directly caused or directly contributed to causing harm to the injured party.
- As a result of this harm, the injured party suffered a loss.
These harms and losses include physical and emotional distress, pain and disfigurement, and suffering, among other categories.
Why Do You Need A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal injury litigation is quite complex. It takes experienced, knowledgeable attorneys and support staff to navigate the process. Our attorneys are specifically skilled to practice in this field of law. They have many years of working in the court systems, completing the scientific and legal research your case requires, and have built relationships with other attorneys to help move your case toward resolution.
Personal injury attorneys also have access to many resources, such as support staff, paralegals, office clerks, and law clerks, and the open finances required to file a case, retain experts, and efficiently litigate.
How Long Do You Have to File for Personal Injury in St. Louis?
One of the most important things you need to know if you’ve been injured in an accident is how much time you have to file a claim. In Missouri, the statute of limitations for filing an injury claim is five years from when the injury occurred.
In some cases, the effects of the injury do not reveal themselves right away. The court may allow you to substitute the date of discovery for the start of the statute of limitations. This is to give the person filing the claim ample time to pursue compensation, no matter the circumstances.
How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
No two cases are litigated the same; therefore, it can be hard to determine how much it can cost to resolve a case. That said, The Simon Law Firm, P.C. does not and will never charge personal injury clients out of pocket or upfront for expenses related to the case.
For personal injury cases, our firm runs on a contingency fee basis. If the case is resolved by settlement or verdict, our expenses and service fees are reimbursed from that amount as payment. You will only receive our expenses or fees if a case is resolved. Put simply – if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid.
What Is The Typical Personal Injury Settlement?
Personal injury settlements vary due to multiple factors, so discussing financial compensation with your attorney is crucial. These factors, including place of injury, controlling state laws, type of injury, length of hospitalization, if any, amount of medical bills paid, and potential future medical expenses, all come together to form an argument for a settlement amount and are highly individualized.
Monetary Loss
Monetary loss refers to expenses paid by the injured party in out-of-pocket payments, such as travel costs to and from treatments or for medications/medical devices and medical bills. Any itemization of expenses related to the injury is considered a monetary loss and may be recovered in personal injury settlements.
Non-Monetary Loss
Non-monetary loss is an abstract loss that does not have an itemized value. This loss usually includes but is not limited to pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium. Compensation for non-monetary loss is intended to compensate for losses extending beyond dollar amounts on paper.
Personal Injury FAQs
What does a personal injury claim cover?
Personal injury claims can cover a wide variety of case types. They can include car accidents, defective medical devices, defective pharmaceuticals, medical malpractice and negligence, and product liability cases, including dangerous or defective products like elevators, car parts, and appliances.
Is emotional distress a personal injury?
Depending on the type of case, emotional distress can be included as a personal injury. For example, to prove a negligence claim, one must show a legal duty was owed to the injured party by the party accused of negligence. One must also show that the party accused of negligence breached that duty, that the injured party can indicate an injury occurred, and that the injury is related to the accused’s negligence. In essence, if someone is emotionally distressed by another’s negligence and there is proof of this injury and that the negligent action caused this, the injured party can have a personal injury case due to emotional distress.
What is the difference between personal injury and bodily injury?
As car insurance holders, we often have two separate coverages – one for personal injury and another for bodily injury. In this use, personal injury refers to the protection that pays for the policyholder’s medical bills. Bodily injury is the protection that pays for others’ medical bills when the policyholder is at fault in an accident. Bodily injury coverage is required by nearly every state and is the standard for car insurance. However, some states are now requiring personal injury protection as well.
Is it worth filing a personal injury claim?
It is essential to discuss a potential personal injury claim with an experienced attorney before deciding whether you think it is worth it or not. Often, personal injury victims do not believe they have a strong case until they speak with experienced attorneys, who resolve their case to mutual agreement. Experienced attorneys will explain the pros and cons of cases, and you can then make a well-informed decision from those discussions.
What paperwork do you need for my personal injury case?
Initially, we will need a signed contract retaining our firm, information about your health or car insurance, depending on your case type, and medical authorizations to request relevant medical records. As the case moves forward, the court may order additional paperwork to be completed, such as questionnaires or additional authorizations, commonly known as ‘discovery.’
How do I know if I have a case or not?
The only way to know if you have a viable personal injury case is to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney who can review the specific facts about your injury.
Do you offer free consultation?
Yes. The Simon Law Firm, P.C. proudly offers free, confidential phone consultations and online inquiries.
Do I have to pay medical expenses for my personal injury?
In some cases, health insurance companies will assert medical liens in a personal injury settlement or verdict that must be paid. In essence, these liens are the amounts insurance paid on your behalf related to the injury you have filed a lawsuit over. There are specific laws and regulations that your insurance company must abide by, so your attorney will be able to guide you through this process.
How long does a personal injury claim take to go to court?
Because litigation varies from case to case, the time it takes to be tried varies. For example, with the COVID-19 Pandemic, trials were delayed by one to two years. However, this does not affect the legitimacy or strength of personal injury cases. Many alternatives to trial, including mediation and arbitration, were barely affected by the rise of online video-chatting services.
Will I get more settlement money with a personal injury law firm?
Representation in your personal injury lawsuit is nearly essential, no matter the circumstances. In an All-Industry Research Advisory Council study, litigants represented by attorneys received 40% higher settlement amounts than litigants who represented themselves. The Insurance Research Council further found that litigants represented by attorneys received 85% of all settlements paid by insurance companies, and they were three times higher than settlements paid to litigants representing themselves.
Meet our Dedicated Team of Attorneys
When you need qualified and reliable guidance, you know where to turn.
The Simon Law Firm, P.C. is ready to listen to your story and review the complex aspects of your case.
Simon Law News
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Contact Our Firm Today
The Simon Law Firm, P.C. proudly offers free, confidential consultations with potential clients. If you or a loved one has been injured due to another’s negligence, contact us today for a case evaluation by our expert attorneys.
