St. Louis Auto Accident Attorneys
If you have been seriously injured or lost a loved one in a Missouri auto accident, turn to the St. Louis auto accident attorneys of the S.E. Farris Law Firm for honest and reliable legal representation and the personal attention that you deserve during this difficult time. Our team will thoroughly investigate your accident and stand up for your rights. Although most car accident cases can be settled fairly, we are always prepared to take your case to trial.
Driver Negligence
Driver negligence is the most common cause of auto accidents. Negligence occurs when a driver fails to exercise reasonable care, and that failure causes an accident. Examples of the types of negligence that frequently cause auto accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Intoxication with alcohol and/or illicit, prescription, or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs
- Drowsy driving
- Excessive speed
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Unsafe passing
- Failure to use turn signal
- Following too closely
- Failure to yield
Defective Vehicles
Defective vehicles can be involved in auto accidents in two ways. Some defects, such as faulty tires or brakes, cause accidents. Crashworthiness defects are defects that cause injuries to be worse when accidents occur. Certain parts, such as airbags and fuel systems, have the potential to do both when they are defective. Examples of dangerous auto defects include:
- Faulty tires
- Design flaws leading to rollover
- Faulty ignition switch
- Defective brakes
- Defective electronic stability control (ESC)
- Faulty suspension
- Defective steering system
- Fuel system defects
- Defective airbags
- Defective seat backs
- Poor roof crush resistance
- Defective seat belts
- Defective window glazing
If a defective vehicle caused your accident or contributed to your injuries, you may be able to recover compensation from one or more of the following through a product liability lawsuit:
- Auto manufacturer
- Parts manufacturer
- New or used auto dealership
- Parts seller
- Repair shop
- Rental company
If You Were Partly to Blame
Insurance companies will try anything to get out of paying or pay less than you deserve. One tactic is to try to convince you that you do not have a case because you were partly to blame for the accident. In Missouri, that is never true. Missouri uses the doctrine of pure comparative negligence, which means that you can recover compensation even if you were 99% at fault for your accident.
That being said, you should never admit fault after an accident, because your damages will be reduced by your percentage of blame. So, if your damages are $100,000 and you were 30% at fault, your damages would be reduced to $70,000.
To learn more about your rights and how we can help, please call the St. Louis auto accident attorneys of the S.E. Farris Law Firm, at (314) 252-9937 or contact us online right away.
