Question 1

What is the statute of limitations in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

If you've been in a car accident, injured yourself after slipping and falling, or are dealing with the recent wrongful death of a friend or loved one, you may be considering filing a lawsuit against the person or company that was the source of your injuries, pain, and suffering. However, the hustle and bustle of everyday life occasionally prevents you from contacting a St. Louis law firm and getting your case started.

It is important to know that while patience may be a virtue, it is not wise to wait when filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. There is a time limit when it comes to all types of both criminal and civil court cases, and it varies depending on what type of case you have. The skilled personal injury lawyers at Combs Law Group can help you find out if time has run out to file your civil lawsuit. If it has not, call them today at (314) 900-HELP for a free consultation and to put them to work for you.

About Statutes of Limitations

If you've ever watched a show like Law and Order or Blue Bloods on TV, you likely know that certain types of criminal charges must be brought before a judge within a certain time limit, or they cannot be prosecuted. What you may not know is that statutes of limitations apply to all legal scenarios, including civil cases, except murder/homicide in most cases. They are found in every legal system across the world, though in civil law systems (such as in Europe) they are more commonly called "prescriptive periods".

Statutes of limitations are some of the oldest legal precedents: records exist from the 5th century B.C. that document ancient Athens having a five year limit on bringing non-murder cases in front of judges. They exist to encourage defendants to bring cases forward in a timely manner and limit fradulent claims. In some situations, statutes of limitations can be extended for specific reasons, such as the plaintiff in the case being a minor (a process called tolling), or important evidence in the case had not been found yet (known as discovery).

Statutes of Limitations In Missouri

As we said earlier, statutes of limitations vary not only case-by-case, but also state-by-state. For instance, if you live in Missouri but suffered injuries from a ATV accident in Illinois, you would have to follow Illinois' timeline for personal injury lawsuits and not Missouri's.

Statutes of limitations in Missouri for common civil cases we handle are as follows:


Personal Injury: 5 years from the date of the accident. This includes premises liabilty cases, cases involving defective products, and property damage cases. Cases involving minors are tolled until they reach the age of majority--in this case, 21.
Wrongful Death: three years from the date of death. There are no exceptions for tolling or discovery in Missouri.



Contact An Experienced St. Louis Personal Injury Law Firm Today

Regardless of your case and when it happened, the attorneys at Combs Law Group are ready to talk with you about the best way to proceed with your St. Louis personal injury lawsuit. Call them at (314) 900-HELP, or contact them online today.

Question 2

Do I need a personal injury lawyer?

Accepted Answer

Many people all around St. Louis who have recently been in auto accidents, slipped, fell, and hurt themselves, or any other kind of personal injury situation have asked themselves: do I really need to hire a personal injury lawyer? They may think that they can't afford to hire an attorney, or that if they do the cost of working with a lawyer will outweigh its benefits. You also might think that you're an intelligent person and that you can easily take on insurance companies. It could also be that you do not think your accident was all that severe, and that pursuing a personal injury claim is not very worthwhile.

The experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyers at Combs Law Group is here to answer all your questions regarding whether or not you need a personal injury lawyer. Our firm is ready to listen to your concerns and recommend the best way forward for your St. Louis personal injury situation. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation

How An Attorney Can Help Your Case

Our firm will be the first ones to admit that, in a number of situations, you can deal with insurance companies quite well without having to consult an attorney. Many smaller cases--fender-benders, car accidents where most damage was minor or cosmetic, or accidents where injuries were limited to bumps and bruises--are ones where a personal injury lawyer is usually not needed.

However, if any of the following circumstances applies to your case, an experienced personal injury attorney can be the difference between you getting the restitution you deserve and you potentially getting nothing at all:


You suffered serious or disabling injuries as a result of your accident
Insurance companies involved are denying, delaying, or low-balling your claim
Multiple parties were involved in your accident
Your vehicle sustained extensive damage or was totaled
It is unclear who was at fault for your accident, and/or to what degree


A top personal injury lawyer does a lot more than just handle your case in front of a judge. They collect evidence, research the details of your case and other parties involved, and are experts in evaluating damage and establishing fault. A good attorney will also make your recovery their top priority, putting you in touch with medical providers and potentially even counselors who can get you on the road to both mental and physical recovery. 

When you hire a lawyer for your personal injury case, you will also be getting someone who will be there to assure you that you are not going through the legal process alone. A good personal injury attorney will give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on getting your life back on track after an accident. Plus, of course, hiring a personal injury lawyer has been proven to increase the potential award you may receive from insurance companies and other parties. Studies have consistently shown that personal injury victims who hire an attorney not only get larger settlements, but receive higher initial settlement offers from insurance companies--meaning that you start from a position of strength that you wouldn't be in if you were negotiating on your own.

Contact A Top St. Louis Personal Injury Law Firm

Whether or not you decide that you need a personal injury lawyer for your claim, the attorneys at Combs Law Group are ready to answer all your questions about the legal process and how it applies to your case. Call them today at (314) 900-HELP.

Question 3

How much does it cost to hire a lawyer?

Accepted Answer

If you've recently been in a car accident or suffered another sort of personal injury through no fault of your own, you are most likely thinking about hiring a personal injury lawyer. However, you're also probably thinking that hiring a high-quality personal injury lawyer will be so expensive, that the fees and associated costs you will have to pay will easily eclipse the settlement you are expecting to receive.

At Combs Law Group, we have heard this sort of complaint from many of our clients. We are here to answer some questions about personal injury lawyers, the cost of hiring one, and what sort of services you will get when you hire an experienced St. Louis personal injury lawyer.

Do I Have To Pay A Personal Injury Lawyer Up Front?

We will be the first ones to admit that personal injury lawyers can--and indeed do--make quite a bit of money. There are hundreds of personal injury attorneys in the St. Louis area, and if you've driven anywhere here in town you've probably seen their billboards. It's highly likely you'd believe that they make enough money to put up ads along the interstate by getting their clients to pay substantial sums up front before they take their personal injury case.

However, this is not the case. Most personal injury law firms in St. Louis operate on what is called a contingency basis. Simply put, this means they do not collect a fee unless they win their case or get a settlement. Once most personal injury lawyers obtain a favorable judgment, they take a cut of your total settlement money. Typically this ranges from between 20 to 40 percent of your award amount. This also depends on whether you decide to settle your case or take it to trial--usually lawyers take a different percentage depending on whether you settle before or after a lawsuit is filed.

Even If I Lose My Case, Will I Still Owe Money?

There are a number of ancillary expenses associated with a lawsuit. These can include:

Filing fees
Accessing police reports
Accessing medical records
Fees for expert witnesses
Accessing medical records
Paying for court reporters (especially if depositions are required)
Mail and copying charges


The total amount of these expenses varies case by case. Usually, court costs increase the longer cases are open. If your personal injury lawsuit ends up going to trial, expect the costs related to your lawsuit to increase even further.

On average, court costs will amount to anywhere between ten and fifteen percent of your settlement or judgement. And unfortunately, court costs are payable regardless of whether you win your lawsuit, reach an amicable settlement, or lose your case.

Your Rights as a Client Regarding Fees

Attorney fees in Missouri are subject to what is known as the Rules of Professional Conduct. These are guidelines adopted by the Supreme Court of Missouri and are fully binding and mandatory. Rule 4-1.5 is the section that governs fees, and it states that lawyers may not collect "unreasonable fees and expenses", as well as requiring all fees owed by a client to be put in writing and available for review before they agree to hire an attorney. Furthermore, new clients must be given a standard schedule of fees as well as what amount of those fees the client would be responsible for.

This schedule of fees also includes your rights and responsibilities to pay these fees during a case. Some attorneys work on a "pay-as-you-go" basis or send monthly bills, but many more recognize that this can be problematic for their clients. Many clients are dealing with bills themselves and do not want the added burden of having to pay legal fees now, especially considering it can be weeks or months after a judgment before they finally receive their settlements. Therefore, attorneys often work with their clients to develop a mutually beneficial payment plan for these additional costs in the event their lawsuit does not reach a favorable conclusion.

Contact A Personal Injury Law Firm That Values Communication

Combs Law Group always vows to be transparent and open with their clients, whether it is about the facts of their case or what they may end up paying. We believe that communication is the basis of all good relationships and that includes the one between a lawyer and their client. If you are interested in a law firm that will always be up front with you and values your feedback, contact us either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP.

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