A car accident can have long-lasting and devastating effects on you and your loved ones’ lives. Often, victims face serious repercussions including severe injuries, long recovery times, and missed work. Even worse, these accidents were often preventable and occurred as a result of another party’s negligence or recklessness.
For car accident victims, having the right St. Louis car accident lawyer will make all of the difference in your personal injury case.
At Langdon & Emison, our history of successfully handling various types of car accident cases makes us the ideal firm to partner with in your pursuit of justice. We promise to provide every car accident victim with compassion, individualized legal counseling, and a firm dedication to seeking maximum recovery for your losses.
St. Louis car accident cases we handle
Our attorneys have decades of experience in helping car accident victims and their families recover much-needed compensation in all types of car accident cases, including:
- Motorcycle accidents
- Moped accidents
- Defective auto part accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Roadway defects and signage hazards
- Railroad accidents
- Airbag defects
- Inadequate signage accidents
- Accidents involving recreational vehicles and camping trailers
- Defective guardrails
- Highway construction defects and unsafe pavement edge drop-offs
- Child car seat defects
- Defective tires
- Seat belt defects
- Head-on collisions
- T-bone collisions
- Vehicle rollovers
- Pedestrian accidents
If you or your loved one have been involved in a car wreck, you must contact an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as possible. They’ll help you understand your options and can take immediate action to help you get the compensation you need to recover.
Our St. Louis car accident lawyers are ready to help you get the compensation you deserve
After a car accident, you likely will face a growing mountain of medical bills, pain from your injuries, and missed time at work or school. Langdon & Emison has the experience and determination needed to seek justice on your behalf through damages. Damages can cover the losses you’ve suffered as a result of the crash.
Our St. Louis personal injury lawyers can represent you and protect you from insurance companies that only have their bottom line in mind. As our client, we promise to seek justice for you and prioritize your needs, always.
We obtain millions of dollars on behalf of injured clients
Our legal team has won more than $750 million in verdicts and settlements for clients over the past 30 years. We handle a wide variety of personal injury and car accident cases. Unlike many other firms, our lawyers have trial experience and are ready to take your case to the courtroom if necessary.
Some of our past car accident victories include:
$2 million verdict
A truck/auto collision in Missouri resulted in the death of the driver. The jury awarded $2 million in Johnson County, Missouri.
$1 million settlement
Settlement for a man struck by a pizza delivery vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign. The victim suffered from severe back, collarbone, and shoulder injuries and sustained several broken ribs and a broken neck.
$4 million judgment
A Tampa, Fla., couple was seriously injured in an auto accident while riding in a St. Louis taxi van. The taxi driver started driving erratically and in the wrong direction through downtown St. Louis.
During an attempt to make a left turn without yielding, the driver kept fumbling with a GPS device and collided with an oncoming car.
The taxi van was then rear-ended by another driver. Seatbelts were not available to the passengers in the taxi, and the husband and wife suffered life-altering injuries.
Confidential settlement
A prominent Kansas attorney, Thomas Sullivan, was killed in an auto accident at an intersection in Phoenix. This case resulted in a confidential settlement for the victim’s family.
Car accident victims and their families deserve to be compensated for their losses. Our team has helped countless victims achieve justice through a successful settlement or verdict, let us do the same for you.
Common damages recovered in car accident cases
Car accident damages can include a wide array of losses incurred following the crash. No two car accident claims will look the same, so you must speak with a lawyer who can evaluate your damages.
Common car accident damages can include:
- Current and future medical bills
- Physical pain and suffering
- Cost of physical therapy, rehabilitation, and other recovery programs
- Cost of household modifications
- Wrongful death damages in the event of a fatality
- Loss of income
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
No amount of money can make up for the losses you’ve suffered following a terrible car accident. However, recovering compensation by filing a car accident claim is the best way to ease the financial stress many victims feel following a crash.
Our St. Louis car accident lawyers have decades of experience in assessing and estimating the total cost of your damages. You must have an accurate idea of what your losses are worth; let our car accident lawyers evaluate the impact of your damages so you may seek fair compensation.
Can I recover compensation if I’m being blamed for a car accident in Missouri?
Yes, in Missouri you can recover compensation for injuries even if you were at fault. Before we discuss the state law that makes this possible, we need to make something very clear: Do not let the other driver or their insurance company intimidate you into accepting blame for the accident.
Even if you were partially at fault, you have the right to pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more thanks to Missouri’s pure comparative negligence law.
Under pure comparative negligence, an injured person can recover compensation in an amount that is deduced by the degree of fault. For example, if you are found to be 50% at fault, and the total award is $100,000, you can walk away with $50,000.
Even if you were 99% at fault, Missouri law states that you can recover compensation from the 1% of fault that the other party contributed.
What is my car accident case worth?
We cannot estimate how much your claim may be worth without knowing the specific details of your case. Stay away from attorneys who tell you they know how much your case is worth without meeting with you.
What we can tell you is that the more severe your injuries, the higher your settlement will likely be. This is because serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury are expensive to treat and often come with lifelong expenses.
The amount of compensation you may be entitled to will also depend on the amount of insurance available and the amount of your medical and property damage bills. If you want to know how much your case may be worth, please get in contact with our St. Louis car accident lawyer.
Here’s how our St. Louis car accident attorneys can help
You can pursue monetary compensation to cover several types of damages after being hurt in a St. Louis car accident. Our experienced St. Louis car accident lawyers can help you file your car accident claim to seek the relief you need.
Our firm works with victims of car accidents and other types of crashes regularly, so we are well-equipped to handle your claim. We’ve helped thousands of people recover millions of dollars in damages for their injuries.
Let us put our experience, resources, and knowledge to work for you. Call us at (314) 470-1211 to schedule your risk-free case consultation.
Make sure you file a claim on time
Under Missouri Code §516.120, the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit and seek recovery in a car accident case is five years from the date of the accident.
However, we advise our clients to contact us quickly after a car accident so we can file the claim on their behalf as soon as possible. If you fail to file your lawsuit outside of the five years, it’s unlikely that the court will hear your case at all and you will lose your chance to recover damages needed to cover your injury-related losses.
How long do I have to file a police report after an accident?
In Missouri, you are required to call the police to the scene of any accident that results in:
- Property damage exceeding $500 (this will almost always be the case)
- Injury of any kind to any party involved
- Death of any party involved
Remember, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident. Doing so may result in steep fines, license suspension or revocation, or even criminal penalties.
Where do most car accidents occur in St. Louis?
St. Louis-based pedestrian advocacy group Trailnet published a report of the most dangerous roads in St. Louis County.
According to the 2022 report, 42% of traffic fatalities in St. Louis County occurred on these seven roads:
- North Lindbergh Boulevard (Hazelwood)
- St. Charles Rock Road (Bridgeton)
- Jennings Station Road (Jennings)
- Big Bend Road (Kirkwood)
- Page Avenue (St. Louis)
- West Florissant Avenue (St. Louis)
- Halls Ferry Road (St. Louis)
Another disturbing finding from the report is that 95% of all fatal crashes in St. Louis County occurred in areas with speed limits of 35 mph or more.
What if my car accident occurred while I was driving for my job?
You may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim through your employer’s insurance if you were in a crash while performing a job duty. Personal injury and workers’ compensation are entirely different processes, so if you were hurt on the job it’s better to get started sooner rather than later.
If you were hurt while driving for work, give our skilled St. Louis car accident lawyers a call at (866) 931-2115.
Common causes of car accidents in St. Louis
St. Louis is a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. However, what many people don’t realize is that Missouri is also ranked as one of the worst states in the country when it comes to fatal car accidents. In fact, according to a 2018 report, St. Louis, MO is ranked as the fifth-deadliest city for drivers.
Additionally, Missouri ranks 12th for deadliest roads in the country due to its wide expanse of urban and rural roads.
The most common causes of car accidents in the St. Louis area include:
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Involvement with an inexperienced driver
- Involvement with an elderly driver
- Involvement with a commercial truck
- Involvement with a motorcycle
- Driving while distracted
- Driving infractions including speeding, failure to yield, failure to stop at stop signs, driving aggressively, and other traffic violations
It’s a tragic fact that many of the serious injuries and deaths that result from car crashes could have been prevented. Oftentimes, the at-fault driver failed to uphold their duty of care to other drivers—resulting in terrible crashes.
Common car accident injuries
After a car accident, no matter the severity of the crash, be sure to seek medical attention.
Even seemingly minor car accidents can cause extensive injuries that require medical treatment.
Common car accident injuries include:
- Scrapes, bruises, and cuts
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head trauma
- Skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Back injuries
- Broken ribs
- Broken arms or legs
- Burns
- Whiplash
- Knee injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Sprains
- Concussions
Car accidents can cause all of these injuries and more. On top of the cost to your physical health, there is also a toll on your mental and financial well-being. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in the St. Louis area, seek legal help as soon as possible so you can recover damages for your losses.
How will I pay my medical bills?
Car crashes aren’t cheap, and if you were hurt in an accident, you’re probably wondering how you’re going to pay your medical bills.
Although you are responsible for paying costs upfront, you do have options for reimbursement or deferred payment:
- Health insurance
- Medical payments coverage (MPC) rider on your auto insurance
- Medical lien
- Your St. Louis car accident lawyer can help you obtain treatment on a lien, a contract with your medical provider that ensures you will receive treatment and your doctor will receive payment upon completion of your case.
If you have additional questions, browse our Car Accident FAQs for more information.
You come first, always
Our work is guided by one single principle: the client’s needs come first. We guarantee that when a victim in need comes to us, we will:
- Provide a no-obligation case evaluation, free of charge.
- Conduct a thorough evaluation of your injury, losses, and the impact on your life.
- Handle your case with compassion and empathy.
- Investigate the cause of your accident and gather the necessary pieces of evidence to build your case.
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to reach a settlement value that fully compensates you for your losses.
- Be prepared to take your case to trial if it’s clear that the insurance company will not negotiate in good faith.
Your car accident lawyer should pledge to put your interests above their own. At Langdon & Emison, we take this promise seriously and never fail to prioritize our clients.
Building a car accident case in St. Louis
This may be the first time you’ve ever been involved in a car accident and, understandably, you may feel worried, stressed, or overwhelmed.
One of the most important things to remember following a car accident is that insurance companies are not on your side. At the end of the day, they’re for-profit businesses seeking to maximize their bottom line, which means paying the minimum amount on claims when possible.
Langdon & Emison has extensive experience handling Missouri car accident claims, and we’ve helped people recover millions of dollars in damages for their injuries. Here’s an overview of how the claims process works.
1. Risk-free case consultation
Meet with one of our experienced car accident lawyers who will learn more about your case, outline your options, and advise you on what steps you can take next.
2. Comprehensive car accident investigation
We will thoroughly investigate the cause of your accident to help determine which party needs to be held accountable.
3. Calculation of damages
To pursue maximum compensation for your damages, our team will evaluate your losses and their impact on your life.
4. Documentation of medical records
Our firm will gather your medical records to help you get the money you need for your recovery.
5. Claim submission
Once we have investigated the cause of your accident, we will submit your claim to the insurance company on your behalf.
6. Settlement or trial
We will negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you receive the highest possible settlement for your case. If the insurance company refuses to negotiate in good faith, we will take the fight to the courtroom.
Cost of hiring a car accident lawyer in St. Louis
We understand that you’re going through a lot even before the bills start coming in. We’re here to serve as your legal advocates and part of that is helping you stay afloat financially. That’s why you owe us nothing unless and until we win your case.
At Langdon & Emison, we don’t treat you like a paycheck. We treat you as a valuable member of the team, and we work closely with you to recover the money you need.
Contact an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer today
Car accident victims and their families deserve the best help possible when it comes to seeking their rightful compensation. Our firm can handle the auto accident investigation to determine who is responsible for your injuries and losses—whether it’s another driver, a commercial driver, an automaker, or another negligent party.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an auto accident in the St. Louis area, contact Langdon & Emison today. Our St. Louis car accident lawyers will review your case at no cost and with no obligation to you.
Call us at (866) 931-2115. We look forward to speaking with you.
