Hiring a personal injury lawyer is vital because they understand how to identify every type of compensation you are owed under Missouri law. In many personal injury cases, victims focus only on their immediate medical bills, but a lawyer considers the long-term impact on their lives. By handling the complex legal procedures, an attorney ensures that you do not settle for a small check from insurance companies that fails to cover the true extent of your suffering.
The Granat Law Office is dedicated to helping St. Louis residents secure the maximum compensatory damages allowed by law. Our legal team knows the Missouri court system inside and out because we’ve handled so many different injury cases here, from car accidents to complex medical malpractice claims. We step in to manage all talks with insurance carriers and work to hold the negligent. We make sure the people who caused the accident pay you back for your actual bills, and for the personal toll the injury took on your life.
When you are hurt because of someone else's mistake, the law uses damages to try to make things right. Understanding what these are is the first step in any successful personal injury claim.
In personal injury lawsuits, damages refer to the money a person seeks to cover the harm they have suffered. The goal is to return the victim to the same financial and physical state they were in before the car crash or workplace injuries occurred. This is a complex process because some losses, like property damage, are easy to see, while others, like emotional distress, are felt deep inside. Missouri tort law categorizes these losses to help the court system decide on a fair payout.
If you do not know what types of compensation you can ask for, you might leave a significant amount of money on the table. Insurance companies may ignore your loss of enjoyment of life or the fact that you will miss out on future raises at work. Knowing the full range of Missouri personal injury law ensures that you can fight for a fair settlement that covers your entire recovery journey.
Compensatory damages are the standard form of payment in a legal case, and their goal is to cover your bills and make things right again. As the name suggests, they are meant to compensate you for the actual losses you have faced.
Economic damages are the bills and receipts you can hold in your hand. These are quantifiable losses because they have a specific dollar amount attached. For example, if you are hurt in a head on collision, your economic damages would include your emergency room visit and the cost to fix your vehicle.
Common examples of economic damages include:
Unlike a hospital bill, there is no set price for how much a bad memory or a constant backache is worth in court.These cover the human side of an injury, such as the physical pain you feel and the sadness of not being able to play with your children. While there is no receipt for pain and suffering, Missouri law recognizes that these losses are just as real as a medical bill. A personal injury lawyer uses their experience to help a jury understand the depth of these intangible losses.
To help you distinguish between these pillars of recovery, please refer to the following table:
| Damage Category | Type | Common Examples |
| Economic | Compensatory | Medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs |
| Non-Economic | Compensatory | Pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life |
| Punitive | Punishment | Awarded for gross negligence or intentional harm |
While most money goes toward fixing your problems, punitive damages are intended to discipline the wrongdoer for their dangerous behavior. These are rare and require a much higher level of proof.
The person caused harm on purpose or behaved so carelessly that they clearly didn't care about the safety of others. For instance, in a drunk driving case where a driver was twice the legal limit, a jury might award punitive damages to discourage others from doing the same. These are awarded on top of your compensatory damages and serve as a warning to the rest of society that such behavior will not be tolerated in Missouri.
Winning punitive damages is difficult because you must show more than just a simple mistake. Under the Missouri Revised Statutes, you must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with a total disregard for the safety of others. This is a much higher bar than the preponderance of the evidence standard used for most personal injury lawsuits. The Granat Law Office looks for specific evidence of gross negligence to determine if your case qualifies for these extra jury payouts.
Getting the most money for your claim requires more than just a good story; it requires proof. Taking the right steps early on can make a huge difference in your jury payouts.
From the moment you are hurt, you should start acting as your own investigator. Keep a pain journal to document your daily physical pain and emotional distress. Save every bill for medical treatment, from the big surgery to the small bottles of prescription medication. We use this meticulously gathered information to prove the full extent of your disfigurement and scarring or other life-changing injuries. The more evidence we have, the harder it is for insurance companies to deny your claim.
Trying to value a personal injury case on your own is like trying to do your own surgery: it is risky and often leads to bad results. A car accident injury lawyer knows how to find hidden damages, like loss of earning capacity, that you might miss. We also know how to navigate the complex procedural requirements of the St. Louis court system. Our firm handles the legal heavy lifting so you can focus on your recovery and your family.
Yes, under Missouri’s comparative fault rule, you can still recover money even if you were partly to blame. Your final award will simply be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Economic damages are the bills you can calculate, like medical expenses and lost wages. This type of money covers things that don't have a price tag, such as your suffering and the loss of your ability to enjoy life.
Every case is different, but most settle within a few months to a year. If your case has to go through a trial, it can take much longer to reach a final decision.
Punishment money is given by a judge to penalize a person or company for acting in an extremely dangerous or reckless way.
You deserve to be treated with respect and to have your losses fully covered after a traumatic injury. The law provides a path to recovery, but you should not walk it alone.
The court system is full of traps for people without an experienced personal injury attorney. From the statute of limitations to the strict Notice of Claim rules for city vehicles, one mistake can end your case. We provide the expert guidance needed to avoid these traps and maximize your recovery. Our goal is to ensure the Missouri personal injury cases we handle result in a fair and successful resolution for our neighbors.
We help people in St. Louis and Central Missouri with a wide variety of injury claims. Our team brings the same level of care and aggressive action to every case, whether it is a small auto accident or a life-changing catastrophic injury. Our goal is to ensure that anyone who ignores safety rules has to answer for their actions and pay for your recovery.
If you or a loved one has been hurt, do not wait to get the help you need. Contact The Granat Law Office today to schedule a free case evaluation. We will look at your medical records, explain the Missouri tort law that applies to you, and help you understand your legal options. There is no cost to talk to us, and we only get paid if we win money for you. Let us help you start your journey toward justice and a full recovery today.
