Frequently Asked Questions

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when a sudden physical assault on the head causes damage to the brain. A closed injury occurs when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, but the object does not break through the skull. A penetrating injury occurs when an object pierces the skull and enters the brain tissue. Brain injury can happen in a car, fall or motorcycle accident. This type of injury most often occurs when sudden impact with a dashboard, window, a severe fall or outside object at high speed happens.

Two commonly injured ligaments in the knee often caused by car accidents, motorcycle accidents or trip and falls are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ACL is most often stretched or torn (or both) by a sudden twisting motion. The PCL is usually injured by a direct impact, such as in an automobile accident or football tackle.

The medial and lateral collateral ligaments are usually injured by a blow to the outer side of the knee. This can stretch and tear a ligament.

Ligament injuries are treated with:

• Ice packs (right after the injury) to reduce swelling
• Exercises to strengthen muscles
• A brace
• Surgery (for more severe injuries).

If someone you love has been killed in Missouri as the result of someone else's negligence, you may be eligible for compensation in a wrongful death claim. However, there are specific rules on who is eligible to make a wrongful death claim in Missouri. If you have questions on whether or not you can make a claim, you can get the advice of a wrongful death attorney.

The only person who can make a wrongful death claim is the deceased's personal representative. This representative must make the claim on behalf of the deceased's estate, and on behalf of each individual survivor. In this case, survivors may include:

• the deceased's spouse,
• the deceased's children;
• the deceased's parents;
• the deceased's blood relatives; and
• in some cases, their adoptive relatives.

Under Missouri statutes, survivorship is to be determined at the time of the deceased's death. Furthermore, statutes specify what type of damages each type of survivor may recover. In a Missouri wrongful death claim, damages may include the deceased's medical expenses, their funeral and burial costs, and specific losses that were suffered by the survivors.

If you want to file a wrongful death claim or want to know more about who can act as a deceased's personal representative, call us for a FREE case review at 314.344.0800.

You have already been in an accident, sustained serious injuries, and may be unable to work. Now your credit could also be damaged because you can’t pay your medical bills.

If you have sustained injuries in any kind of accident, then you are bound to have thousands of dollars in unpaid medical bills. But the fact is, no matter who was at fault, you are still accountable for your medical bills. If your bills go unpaid, your credit could be damaged.

If you have health insurance, then you need to ensure that your bills are paid through that policy, as health insurance companies receive a discounted rate on services provided. Your insurance company will then be reimbursed from your settlement, leaving more money for you.

If you do not have health insurance, then you need to contact a St. Louis accident attorney at Castle Law Office-314.344.0800. These situations can be very complicated, and you don’t want to be stuck with medical bills that should be paid by the negligent party.

A: You are not a vehicle; you're a runner, so running against traffic lets you see what's coming at you. This may help you react more quickly than if something goes on behind you. You are in a vulnerable position if you're running near cars, trucks and bicycles, so it's best to see what's going on in front of you to avoid being seriously injured in a pedestrian accident.

A: No, you need to be patient. Even if you think a quick settlement will help you pay off your bills, it is in your best interest to give it some time. Waiting will help you make sure you've made all the right moves.

A: Different states have different time limits on how long after an accident you can pursue your claim. An experienced injury attorney can help you make sure you file a claim in time, so you receive the treatment and care you deserve.

A: Yes! You need to take note of anything you saw the other driver doing while driving. If the other driver who caused you to get into a car accident was driving distracted taking note of this can help prove details in your Missouri car accident case.

A: Obviously, when greatly exceeding the speed limit you are very likely to cause danger to other motorists on the road, as well as a potential Missouri car accident. But, what you probably don't realize is that while driving even a measly 5 mph over the speed limit, you as well as motorists around you are still at risk.

Use this pedestrian accident caused by minor/moderate speeding as an example of how dangerous this can be.

If a pedestrian walks onto a crosswalk with a car approaching at 30 mph, and the driver breaks 45 feet away from the pedestrian, the driver has enough room to stop without hitting the pedestrian. If the driver is going 35 mph, then this radically changes the situation. At 35 mph, and again with the pedestrian 45 feet away, the car will not have time to stop without hitting the pedestrian. So, the pedestrian will be hit by a car that is going around 18 mph, which can cause injuries or even a fatality that wouldn't have been caused if the car had only been driving the speed limit.

A: First, let me say that making the decision to avoid getting hit by a car while safely crossing the street is an excellent decision. Here are a few tips.

• Don't Jaywalk: A driver won't be looking for someone to cross the street if they have the right of way at that moment. For example, crossing when the signal clearly says not to, or crossing in the middle of a street are both good ways to get hit by a car or truck. Be a responsible pedestrian.
• Look Before You Cross: To help avoid a Missouri pedestrian accident you should LOOK BOTH WAYS! And when you're crossing keep your eyes open. If a driver is drunk or distracted they might not see you. In that case you need to be ready to get out of the way.
• Stay Out of the Street: Obviously there will be times when you need to cross the street. Otherwise stay on the sidewalk as much as possible. Walking on the side of the street or on a highway shoulder can be dangerous.
• Keep Your Kids With You: Kids should ALWAYS be accompanied by an adult when crossing a street or walking in a parking lot.