Just like the medical field, there are many different types of lawyers.  However, not all lawyers are created equal.  If you've been injured in a car accident, you need to see a personal injury lawyer.  In fact, the worst thing you can do is go to a generalist who practices in many different areas of law.  Rather, just as when you're trying to find a specialized medical doctor, you also want a specialized car accident lawyer.  What I mean about this is find a lawyer who does nothing but injury cases.

 

The reason is because the field of injury law, or tort law, is very complex.  It requires a St. Louis car accident attorney to have knowledge of a number of different areas.  This includes not only knowing the laws related to injury litigation, but also knowing the intricacies of injury law.  One of the biggest problems I see in clients cases who come to me from another lawyer is that the other lawyer did not properly investigate all potential sources of recovery.  This means how many different insurance policies we can make apply to compensate you for your injuries.  People would be astounded by the ways we can make certain types of insurance apply even if the insurance policy itself says it doesn't apply.  This is because there are a number of different laws or judicial cases overruling the limits set forth by insurance contracts.  In fact if your insurance company tells you that your injury is not covered, you should immediately seek advice from a St. Louis personal injury lawyer to see if that is in fact the case.

 

If you've been injured in a car accident and would like to speak for free with a St. Louis car accident attorney, contact Josh Myers at 314-720-2706 or toll free at 888-956-2487.  It is always free to talk about your case and there we never charge by the hour.  Rather, our payment comes from the percentage of the recovery.  Thus, we only get paid if and when you do.  

It's Sunday afternoon and I've already spent about five hours on "work-work" today.  I've reviewed some files, gotten out some letters, summarized some medical records and then I turned to the marketing side of my business.  In doing so, I basically hit a wall.  I've got about 5 constant jobs going on in my life- Lawyer, Husband, Father, Home Renovator, and Marketing Director.  I've always had that attitude "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself".  Well today, I just realized that I don't have time do "everything" so I started outsourcing.  Basically, I'm looking for contractors to finish up some home projects (we bought a foreclosed home a year ago - I thought it was a great deal at the time and could do all the work myself) and also started looking to outsource the writing of my web content for the St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer website.  In looking for some of these freelance contractors, I found something interesting.  The ones whom I found most compelling all seemed to blog about various aspects of their personal lives.  In reading, I got to know more about them as a person.  I found myself being more interested in reading about things such as their childrens' birthday parties than I was about the services they said they could offer.  In fact, after a while, all the websites I was visiting started to look the same (kinda like a lot of law firm websites).  But reading about some of these individuals real lives was fun - and I realized something.  The more I started to learn about the whole person, the more I started to feel like I know them and trust them.  And if I could trust them as a person, then certainly I could trust them as a business partner. 

In any event, that was my motivation to let you into my life.  In fact, I have a monthly newsletter that goes out to my clients and those who have ordered my Missouri Worker's Compensation Book.  I think it already gives a good look into me as a person, not just a Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer.  But beyond all that, I think it will be a stress reliever to "let you in".  We'll see how it goes.

I recently received a question through my Missouri Workman's Comp website, as to how the Missouri Worker's Compensation system handles carpal tunnel claims.  The Missouri Work Comp system generally requires that injuries occur at a specific time due to a specific factor.  An exception to this rule are repetitive motion injuries, such as carpal tunnel.  Carpal tunnel usually occurs due to consistent repetitive stress on the wrist and hands where the median nerve becomes compressed and damaged.  This can usually lead to symptoms of strength loss, numbness and pain throughout the hand and fingers.  To be compensable under the Missouri Workman's Comp Act, the employee must first report the symptoms to their employer.  Generally, they should give written notice including the injuries alleged and how the injuries occurred and when the symptoms started.  Next, the employee should request that the employer provide treatment from the condition.  At this point, one of two things will happen:  first, either the employer will provide treatment which will be paid for by the Work Comp insurance.  Or, they may deny treatment.  At that point, we can obtain a denial letter from the Work Comp insurance company and the employee can go to their own doctor for their carpal tunnel symptoms.  Additionally, the Missouri Supreme Court just recently issued a new decision indicating that you have two (2) from the date the injuries have been diagnosed as being work-related.  This means that if you've been having carpal tunnel symptoms over the past five (5) years, but no doctor has ever diagnosed it as being work-related, the statute of limitations has not yet begun to run.  (The statute of limitations is a time period that you have to formally file the claim before you are forever barred.)

 

As a Saint Louis, Missouri Worker's Compensation lawyer, I can tell you that carpal tunnel claims are in a class by themselves.  One of the first problems you usually face is getting treatment for the injured party.  Because it generally does not occur from a specific accident, it is often hard to get the employer to begin treatment.  However, an experienced workers compensation lawyer has many tactics to fight this.

 

If you believe you have acquired carpal tunnel due to work activities, report it to your employer as soon as possible and ask that they begin providing treatment in the Work Comp system.  Additionally, if you would like to speak with a Missouri Worker's Compensation attorney, please feel free to call Josh Myers at 314.720.2706 or contact him through his St. Louis Worker's Comp attorney website.  As always, it is free to discuss your case and there is no fee unless you recover. 

 

One of the questions that often leads people to my Worker's Compensation website is whether it is worth it to hire a St. Louis Worker's Compensation lawyer.  Essentially, what I think people want to know is whether they'll be getting bang for their buck.  First, as a St. Louis Workman's Comp attorney, I'll be the first to tell you that not everyone needs a lawyer.  However, given that, I do think that everyone injured on the job who has received some treatment, should at least consult with a Worker's Comp lawyer.  First off, it's always free to talk with a Worker's Compensation attorney about your case.  At least that's my policy.  Right up front, I'll tell you whether you will be better off handling the case on your own.  I understand some people's skepticism that they may think I'll tell them they'll need a lawyer even when they don't.  However, I can promise you this is not true.  Look, I am not going to waste my time, money, and energy on a case that doesn't need my involvement.  Not only is it bad business and I'll never get any future referrals from that client, but there's also no incentive for me from a business perspective.  That being said, hopefully you will trust me when I tell you whether or not your Worker's Compensation case needs a lawyer.  The next thing people want to know is how much will a lawyer cost and is it worth it.  Virtually every Missouri Workman's Comp attorney works on the same fee basis.  We take 25% of whatever we recover for you at the end of your case.  Illinois Worker's Compensation Lawyers take 20%.  Thus, there is no retainer required and I don't send out any type of monthly invoice.  Basically, I get paid when you get paid and I don't get paid if you don't either.  In addition to the fees, our firm pays all of the expenses necessary to prosecute the claim along the way and they get reimbursed as an expense at the end too.  Thus, there is no financial risk to hiring a St. Louis Worker's Compensation attorney.  However, what you need to know is if it is worth it.  Well, consider that within the past couple years there was a study published in the Missouri Lawyer's Weekly which found that injured workers without lawyers obtained on average 50% less than those with lawyers.  I think this margin is even greater for those with serious injuries that require surgery.  The end result is that injured workers, who hire a lawyer, statistically, are always going to be better off than if they try and handle the claims themselves.  Besides the fact that I should be able to settle your claim for much more than you can on your own, there is an additional benefit in having the peace of mind that a professional is handling your case and the insurance company is not taking advantage of you without you even knowing what's proper and what's not.

 

But even if you're not ready to talk to a lawyer just yet, at least order The Ultimate Missouri Worker's Compensation Book.  This is a book that I've written and published, and not only does it explain how the system is supposed to work but also how it works in real life.  Even if you decide to handle the claim on your own or with another attorney, you know what you're up against. 

 

However, if you would like to talk to me about your claim, feel free to call me at 314-720-2706 or contact me through my website.  Again, it's always free to talk about a case and I'll be brutally honest with you about whether you need me or not.

As a St. Louis Injury Lawyer, one question I am asked alot by people injured in a car wreck is "should I go to a chiropractor after a car accident". If you plan on seeking recovery from the insurance company, the simple answer is  NO!  Mind you, this answer has nothing to do with the quality of care a chiropractor can provide. But you need to know that the insurance companies just do not believe you are hurt that bad if you go to a chiropractor. In fact, they value your claim much lower. You are better off to go to a medical doctor. And I don't just mean your family physician. They often just give you a prescription for medicine and tell to try that for a while. It really is the proverbial, "take two of these and call me in the morning".  Rather, you need to see a pain management doctor, a physiatrist (sports medicine and rehabilitation), or an orthopedist. There are a few reasons beyond the fact that the insurance companies attribute more credibility to your case when you treat with one of these doctors. 

 

First, prescription medicines do play an important role in recovery when used in combination with therapy. However, a chiropractor cannot prescribe medicine. Thus, as much as you may need a muscle relaxer, they cannot prescribe it. Second, almost every chiropractor I know will take x-rays of your neck and back. But thy is not good enough. You also need an MRI. Did you know that an x-ray is very crude technology these days and it cannot show a bulging or herniated disc?  An MRI is essential to rule out a herniated disc (pinched nerve, bulging, slipped disc).  Also you may have an annular tear which is a tear of the disc structure. This can cause very local symptoms of pain in the back, but a chiropractor will hardly ever discover this (I have never seen it happen). Finally, a good medical doctor can recognize when you need more aggressive tratment such as epidural injections or even surgery. 

 

At the end of the day, it is my opinion you will get much more focused and specialized care with a skilled medical doctor as opposed to a chiropractor. I certainly don't think it is going to be any worse. And as long as you are going to get the treatment, don't help the insurance company by seeing a chiropractor when we know that neither the insurance company nor even a jury will give them much credibility.

 

The next question is when should you start seeing a doctor after the car wreck. The answer is - as soon a possible. As a Missouri car accident attorney, I have had to turn away countless cases because the person waited to long to seek treatment. This is even in cases where I knew the car wreck was the cause of their injuries, but because of the time lapse a jury would just be too suspicious.

 

If you've just been injured in a car wreck, call a St. Louis Injury Lawyer specializing in car wreck cases. It's always free to talk about your case with Attorney Josh Myers. You can call 314-720-2706 or toll-free at 888-956-2487. Also we have relationships with doctors all over the state who will be glad to see you soon and will even treat you if you have no health insurance.