How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost in Missouri?

By The Cagle Law Firm | June 25, 2024 | Personal Injury

If you or someone in your family has been injured, you may have grounds to file a personal injury case, and you may be significantly more likely to succeed with your claim if you have reliable legal counsel on your side. However, you may wonder, how much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Missouri? The reality is that it is more expensive to fail to hire an expert personal injury attorney.

Understanding Personal Injury Attorneys’ Fees

It is understandable to have concerns about the potential cost of hiring an attorney to represent you if you intend to pursue a personal injury case. Many people mistakenly believe that hiring an attorney is always expensive, and this, unfortunately, deters many people from seeking legal representation when they need it most. In the face of medical bills and other compounding economic losses, additional attorneys’ fees may feel like an unrealistic expense.

The reality is that our attorneys only work on a contingency fee basis. When an injured client has a contingency fee agreement with their attorney, the client does not pay any upfront fees for legal representation. Instead, the attorney charges a percentage of the total compensation they recover for their client. However, we only recover this fee if we get win for you.  Thus, the attorney is risking all expenses and betting on their ability to obtain winning results for you.

A contingency fee policy makes legal counsel accessible when you are facing staggering medical bills and loss of work. We are happy to layout our fee process to each and every client to prevent unwelcomed surprises.

The Cagle Law Firm has successfully resolved many personal injury cases for clients throughout Missouri, and we understand the hesitation many injured claimants feel when they approach the subject of hiring legal representation. When you hire our team to represent you, we can carefully explain all facets of our billing policy so you know exactly what to expect when it comes to the cost of our legal services.

Even Insurance Companies Recommend You Hire a Lawyer

While your adjuster may tell you that you do not need a lawyer, the Insurance Research Council found that those represented by an attorney received 3.5 times the number of unrepresented claimants.  A study by the IRC examined whether no-fault auto injury systems created a less adversarial settlement process and more timely payments.  Of course, the IRC said “attorneys are implicated in many of the factors driving up the cost of auto insurance”.  However, the very concept of auto insurance–risk management-was originally based on the idea of “shared risks”, but has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry that does not prioritize the recovery of injuries.  You are mandated by law to buy auto insurance in order to operate a vehicle, but then possibly punished with higher rates if you make a claim.

Higher settlements due to several key factors:

Damage valuation: Lawyers accurately calculate the full costs of medical bills, lost pay and long-term sufferikng

Negotiation: Attorneys handle the insurance companies to prevent them from offering low payouts

Contingency Fees: You pay no money upfront. The lawyer takes a percentage (usually one-third) only if they win or settle your case.  Essentially, our attorneys are vested in your case and a successful outcome.

We take your personal injury very personal. This 3.5 times gap does not occur because attorneys are magical.  These better payouts occur because we work to build the case and support your physical and financial recovery.  When you are negotiating on your own, you are stressed and worried about mounting expenses thus an offer even if low feels like a relief.  Hiring an attorney gives you perspective and expertise to fight for what is fair.

FAQs

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Case in Missouri?

A: The amount of time you have to file a personal injury case is dictated by the statute of limitations. For most personal injury cases in the state of Missouri, the time limit for filing a lawsuit is five years from the date the injury occurred. Failure to have a petition filed in the appropriate court on or before that five-year date results in your case being barred regardless of the merits.

However, the claimant has the greatest chance of success with their claim if they connect with a personal injury lawyer and begin building their case as quickly as possible after their injury occurs. If you wait until the statute of limitations expires, your case will be thrown out, regardless of its merits.

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Personal Injury in Missouri?

A: The amount of compensation you could claim for a personal injury in the state will depend on the severity of your injuries. The purpose of a personal injury case is for the victim of another party’s negligence or misconduct to prove fault for their losses and to recover compensation for those losses. Your losses can be economic and non-economic. Economic damages are more objective such as medical bills and lost wages. Non-economic are more difficult to measure such as pain and suffering, disfigurement and  loss of enjoyment of life.  If you have been seriously injured, the mere cost of the medical treatment does not usually reflect the significance of your ordeal and the impact on your life.

Q: Can I Claim Compensation if I Was Partially at Fault for My Personal Injury?

A: Yes, it is possible to claim compensation even if you were partially at fault for your personal injury. Missouri follows a pure comparative negligence statute MO Rev Stat § 537.765 that will apply to any civil claim for damages in which the plaintiff is partially liable for causing their claimed damages. If a judge or jury decide the case, the plaintiff will have a percentage of fault assigned and then will lose this percentage of their final award.

Q: Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Missouri?

A: You should hire a personal injury lawyer because you are substantially more likely to succeed with your case when you have legal representation. Filing your claim can be much easier with an attorney’s help, and they should know what avenues of recovery are available to you that may enhance the total compensation you receive for your damages. They can also streamline your case, reducing the time you must wait to receive your compensation.

Q: Will I Win More Compensation if I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

A: Yes, even insurance companies agree that represented victims receive 3.5 times more than unrepresented individuals which more than supports a contingency-fee agreement.  Hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer not only increases your chance of success with the claim but also your chance of maximizing your recovery.  Becuase we work on a continengy agreement, we only represent those seriously injured.

Based on the difference in compensation without legal assistance, you may not be able to afford not getting an attorney.

The Cagle Law Firm has years of professional experience handling all sorts of personal injury cases for clients in Missouri, and we can help you make a clearer sense of your impending case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our team and learn more about the legal services we provide.

Schedule a Consultation with a St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been injured by someone else, call us at The Cagle Law Firm.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of an accident, call The Cagle Law Firm toll-free at (800) 685-3302 or locally at (314) 276-1681 or via our online form

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As a member of the Multi Million Dollar Advocate Forum and Super Lawyers, Zane provides specialized expertise required to fight against multi-million-dollar insurance carriers.  Zane T. Cagle has successfully represented clients across Missouri and Illinois in serious injury and fatal accidents for over 20 years. Case Results

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