At the end of last year, the Missouri Department of Insurance issued a statement from Jefferson City, MO recommending a decrease in workers’ compensation loss costs of 8.1 percent for 2010. This could result in reduced workers compensation insurance premiums for Missouri employers of as much as $80 million for 2010.
The National Council on Compensation (NCIC) Insurance makes an annual recommendation to the Department of Insurance based on the average costs of lost wages and medical payments of workers injured on the job. The Missouri Department of Insurance does its own evaluation of loss costs, including the NCIC data and their own analysis of Missouri workers comp claim amounts and payroll data.
With the current economic challenges in our country and in Missouri, we’re all for keeping costs down for businesses. It’s very gratifying to note that on-the-job injuries in Missouri are down by about 60% over the past 15 years, due mostly to increased safety in the workplace.
However, Workers Comp remains a very important protection for workers injured on the job in Missouri, especially because workplace injuries can result in short or long-term disability and costs for these types of injuries can add up quickly.
Our Missouri Workers Comp law practice, with local offices in Springfield, MOJoplin, MOand the Four States area; Columbia, MO / Jefferson City and the Mid States area and now in Cape Girardeau, can answer your questions about workers comp insurance in Missouri and help you navigate the Missouri workers’ compensation system in the event of a workplace injury.

Cape Girardeau , MO February 15 2010 – Attorney Aaron Sachs was interviewed during the morning news on KFVS – 12, the local Cape Girardeau CBS TV station this morning, Monday, February 15, 2010. “After an accident, it is important to know your rights”, Sachs says. “Hiring an attorney after a car wreck is an important decision, and sometimes you don’t know if you need an attorney, until you discuss you situation and find out your options, “Sachs continues. An example is in the area of under insured coverage. Since there is no state statute mandating coverage, insurance companies are free to build into your insurance contract exceptions and loop holes that can result in a denial for coverage. If you settle the underlying liability claim with the other drivers insurance and don’t satisfy the terms of your insurance contract for under insured coverage, you may be out of luck when you make a claim for UIM. Often, it costs nothing to find out if a personal injury lawyer can help since the initial consultation with most attorneys is at no cost.
Sometimes, people don’t want to talk to attorney, but first want information. The Sachs law firm offers a free DVD, “What To Do After An Accident.” To get a free DVD, just call the Cape Girardeau office telephone number at (573) 334-7959. Attorney meetings are by appointment only. Another source of information about Aaron Sachs and Associates’ personal injury law firm’s services is to visit the firm’s website at http://www.autoinjury.com/areas-of-practice/cape-girardeau-office
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The Toyota recall has been in the news almost daily, with headlines covering the various statements about the causes of the sticking gas pedals (are we certain yet?), Toyota’s halt of the manufacturing of certain models, and, most recently, the Secretary of Transportation telling folks to stop driving their Toyotas, then saying he didn’t mean that.
Car accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes death. Even so-called minor accidents can cause a host of problems, such as neck and back injuries, broken bones, brain injuries, etc. Auto accidents can ruin lives.
So here’s my two cents worth on the Toyota Recall: Do not mess around with it. Get your car fixed today!
Yes I know it’s inconvenient; car repairs always are. Who’s got the time? Who’s going to drop you off, pick you up? What about getting to work? Getting the kids from school? Getting to the gym?
I’ve got news for you: None of that matters in the face of the damage that car accidents do to people’s lives.
I know what I’m talking about. I represent people injured in Missouri vehicle accidents, including car accidents, and motorcycle accidents. As a Missouri injury accident lawyer, I cannot stress enough how important it is to get your gas pedal fixed TODAY.
And though Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood took back his comment, I’m willing to say it loud and clear: Please don’t drive your car until you get it fixed.

Kings highway was closed this afternoon because of an auto accident at Independence and Kings highway in Cape Girardeau. The cars were pretty smashed up, but thankfully there were no fatalities.

That got me thinking about the tragedy from a couple of weeks ago when a young Cape Girardeau man who worked at the Red Cross was killed in a truck accident when the vehicle he was riding in collided with a semi tractor trailer. When a truck is part of any accident, fatalities are often involved.

On the last day of 2009, two people were killed in a 12./31 wreck in Poplar Bluffs, Mo, One of the two cars also struck a tractor trailer. The truck driver had only minor injuries, but the two drivers of the others cars were pronounced dead at the scene. These deaths brought the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop E region fatality count to 73 for the year. I remember thinking then that I hope the new year will have far fewer fatalities and truck accidents than 2009 did.

Losing 28-year- old Cape G Red Cross worker Jonathon Chamberlain in a fatal accidentin the third week of the new year was a sad and discouraging start for 2010. Let’s work on keeping February – and the rest of the year – fatality free in Cape G, Poplar Bluffs, and the whole southeast Missouri area.

Cape Girardeau , MO February 3, 2010 –Aaron Sachs and Associates, a Missouri law firm, is scheduled to announce the opening of a new local office to service the Cape Girardeau area in a Superbowl ad to air on KFVS -12, the local CBS TV station. The Superbowl will take place in Miami on February 7, between The New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. This game promises to be a high-stakes joust between the Midwest and the Old South, and a battle of the champions between quarterback phenomenon Peyton Manning and rock-star, DrewBrees.

Last year, during the Giants vs. Patriots finale, a record 151.6 million viewers watched, blowing out the previous legendary record audience of 101.6 million viewers who watched the M*A*S*H final episode, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” in 1983. This year’s February 7 event promises to eclipse even that figure: analysts are forecasting a world audience of up to half-a-billion.
The Superbowl spot will air during the game on KFVS-12. Sachs will appear on the announcement, discussing his legal team, which has half a century of combined legal experience. The announcement will also offer a free DVD, “What To Do After An Accident,” to viewers who call the Cape office telephone number, which is (573) 334-7959. “I created the firm in 1991,” Sachs says, “to help accident victims throughout Missouri obtain easy access to legal representation.” Sachs’ local Cape Girardeau law office is located at 3019 William Street. Meetings with attorneys are by appointment only. The limited focus of Sachs’ law practice is on personal injury, workers’ compensation, and disability claims.
The Sachs firm has always had a strong public service program. This tradition will continue at the local Cape Girardeau office. “Our goal is to help prevent accidents and injuries,” Sachs states, “and we look forward to offering our safety helmet program and teen driver safety awareness campaign locally to Cape residents.” Aaron Sachs and staff, as part of their community-service programs across Missouri, fit children’s safety helmets and sponsor safe driving programs at local high schools to ensure safety for local children and teens. Over the last 10 years, the firm has handed out over 18,000 safety helmets to children statewide.
Aaron Sachs and Associates’ personal injury law firm’s services and community-service outreach programs are covered in detail on their website: http://www.autoinjury.com/areas-of-practice/cape-girardeau-office
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