St. Louis Workplace Accidents Lawyer

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers has more than twenty years of experience representing injured workers in St. Louis County, MO. Call our law office at (314) 400-0000 for a free consultation with an experienced St. Louis workplace accident lawyer who can help fight for the compensation you deserve.

We’ve recovered more than $60 million for accident victims involved in St. Louis motorcycle accidents, boating accidents, Lyft accidents, truck accidents in St.Louis, wrongful death claims, and more.

You may be entitled to benefits through workers’ compensation. Some workers can even recover additional benefits through a third-party lawsuit. However, recovering the full benefits you deserve can be an uphill battle.

How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Workplace Accident in St. Louis

How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Workplace Accident in St. Louis

Workers’ compensation law in Missouri has many strengths, but you will still face an insurance company attempting to limit your payout. The insurance company has a lot of control over who you choose as your physician and who determines when you can return to work if you are disabled, and to what degree. You deserve a personal injury lawyer in St. Louis, MO to fight for you and the full benefits you deserve.

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers represents injured workers in workers’ compensation claims and third-party workplace accident lawsuits. Founding attorney E. Ryan Bradley began his law career as an insurance defense attorney and brings this insight to every case. He’s also been admitted to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Top 100 Trial Lawyers for his dedication to his clients.

Choose Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers to represent you in your St. Louis, Missouri workplace accident case, and we will:

  • Investigate your accident to gather evidence and identify any additional sources of compensation
  • Offer sound legal advice and guidance
  • Accurately value the damages in your case
  • Work with experts to calculate the cost of your long-term damages and the extent of your injuries
  • Handle all communications and negotiations on your behalf
  • Represent you in your workers’ comp claim to uphold your rights and appeal if your claim is denied 

When you are out of work after a serious work-related accident, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you go up against the insurance company for the fair compensation you need. Call our law office today for a free consultation with a St. Louis workplace accidents lawyer who can help.

How Common Are Workplace Accidents in St. Louis, MO?

In 2018, there were 102 fatal workplace accidents in Missouri and almost 102,000 workplace injuries. Over 8,300 workplace incidents resulted in lost time off work.

Of these fatal accidents, 25 involved traffic accidents. 

The industries with the most fatal workplace accidents in Missouri included:

  • Construction (16)
  • Warehousing and transportation (15)
  • Public administration (11) 

Manufacturing was responsible for the most lost-time injuries and the most total injuries on the job. The top cause of work-related injuries in Missouri was strains and tears caused by lifting.

In 2019, Missouri had 101 fatal workplace injuries. Around 43% were related to transportation, and 17% were caused by violence, including homicide and suicide. Additionally, 15% of these fatalities were caused by falls, slips, and trips. More than 13% were caused by harmful substance exposure.

What Is My Workplace Accident Case Worth?

The value of a workplace accident case depends on whether you are limited to workers’ compensation or you are eligible to pursue compensation through a third-party lawsuit. The severity of your injuries, the cost of your medical bills, and whether you are disfigured, impaired, or disabled also affect the value of your claim.

Workers’ compensation benefits in Missouri depend on the type of benefit you receive with a cap based on the Missouri average weekly wage.

During your consultation with Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we will help you understand your case’s potential value and how we can help.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?

Most injured workers in St. Louis are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. 

There are several types of benefits available:

  • Medical benefits pay for reasonable medical care related to your accident
  • Temporary total disability (TTD) is available while you cannot return to work or are recovering.
  • Temporary partial disability (TPD) is available when you are able to work with modified or light duty at less than full pay.
  • Permanent partial disability (PPD) covers you when you cannot return to your job but you can still work in some capacity.
  • Permanent total disability (PTD) covers you when you are permanently, totally disabled and unable to work. 

Temporary disability benefits continue until you return to regular work duties, you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), or for up to 100 weeks (TPD) or 400 weeks (TPD). In 2021, the maximum temporary disability benefit is $1,011 per week.

For permanent disability, payments are based on the extent of your disability, the affected part of the body, and your average wage. If you suffered an amputation, you will receive payments for a specific number of weeks at 10% higher than the scheduled benefit depending on the loss of limb.

You cannot recover compensation for non-economic losses like pain and suffering or mental anguish through workers’ compensation.

If you can file a personal injury claim against a negligent third party who is not your employer, you may be entitled to a broader range of damages. This can include non-economic losses like pain and suffering as well as higher economic damages for lost wages that fully reimburse you.

Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Workplace Accident in Missouri?

You are entitled to workers’ benefits even if you were to blame for your accident, although there are some exceptions. However, if you are filing a third-party lawsuit for a work-related accident, your share of fault in the accident will affect your recovery.

Missouri uses a pure comparative negligence rule. Your share of assigned fault will directly reduce the compensation you recover for damages in a personal injury case based on negligence.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Workplace Accident Injuries

Many workplace accidents are minor and involve sprains, strains, soft tissue injuries, and repetitive stress injuries that heal in time. However, work-related accidents can also lead to life-changing injuries.

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers represents clients who have suffered work-related injuries such as:

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers fights for maximum compensation for St. Louis workers injured on the job. If you were injured at work, we can help you file a workers’ compensation claim and seek the full damages you deserve and pursue a third-party claim when possible.

What Causes Most Workplace Accidents in St. Louis, Missouri?

A serious or even fatal work-related accident can occur at any type of workplace. However, most workplace accidents and fatalities are in the following industries. Each industry covers common accidents and causes.

Construction

This is the most dangerous industry in the U.S. and Missouri. Around 20% of all workplace fatalities are in construction. These accidents are often caused by falls, slips, and trips, heavy machinery accidents, traffic accidents, electrocution, being struck by objects and being caught in or between objects.

Transportation & Warehousing

In 2019, there were 24 transportation and warehousing fatalities in the U.S. There were also 4.8 reported workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers, one of the highest rates among all industries.

Common warehouse accidents include pallet rack collapse, slips and falls, forklift accidents, strain and lifting injuries, falling objects, and incidents involving hazardous materials.

Manufacturing

This industry is responsible for 15% of all private industry non fatal injuries and illnesses in the U.S. Manufacturing accounts for 42% of occupational illness.

Retail. There were almost 410,000 workplace injuries and illnesses in retail alone in the U.S. in 2018.

In addition to occupational illness due to harmful chemical exposure, common manufacturing illnesses and accidents involve repetitive stress injuries, heavy machinery accidents, burns, slip and falls, traumatic amputation, and falling objects.

Service Industries

The average U.S. restaurant has four workers’ compensation claims every year at an average cost of $45,600. The most common injuries include lacerations and punctures (22%), slips and falls (20%), sprains and soft tissue injuries (15%), and burns or scalds (13%). 

Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers will investigate the cause of your accident to determine if you can pursue compensation outside of workers’ comp through a third-party claim.

Do I Need to Prove Negligence After a Workplace Accident in Missouri?

The vast majority of employers in Missouri are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This mandated no-fault system entitles injured workers to benefits. You do not need to prove negligence to recover compensation through workers’ compensation.

This no-fault system makes it easier to recover compensation. You are not required to prove your employer or anyone else was negligent, and you are entitled to benefits even if you contributed to your accident. However, it comes with a lower ceiling on benefits without the ability to recover compensation for non-economic losses.

You may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent third party who contributed to your accident aside from your employer. This may include a co-worker, a manufacturer of defective parts or products, or a contractor. A third-party workplace accident claim will require proving the other party was negligent, which caused your accident.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Workplace Accident in Missouri?

There are several deadlines to be aware of that affect work-related accidents in Missouri.

For a workers’ compensation claim, you must report your injury to your employer in writing within 30 days of your accident. However, you are allowed up to 30 days from the date you discovered your injury if it was not immediately apparent. For instance, this may be the case with work-related illnesses and repetitive stress injuries.

The deadline to file a claim for workers’ compensation with the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation is two years from the date of your injury. If you miss either deadline, you may be barred from recovering benefits.

If your case qualifies for a third-party personal injury lawsuit, your case must be filed within five years of your accident. If you miss this deadline under the Missouri statute of limitations, you will not be entitled to recover any damages from a liable third party.

Contact a St. Louis Workplace Accidents Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Workers’ compensation is designed to help injured workers recover clear benefits quickly without an expensive and complicated legal process. However, workers’ comp insurance companies still fight claims, and many rightful claims are denied. At Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers, we will help you build the strongest workers’ compensation claim possible to recover the maximum benefits you deserve. We will also explore whether other parties contributed to your injury for additional avenues for compensation.

Contact our law office today to request a free consultation with a St. Louis workplace accidents lawyer to discuss how we can help you.

Our St. Louis personal injury law firm also provides: