As Springfield MO personal injury lawyers for over twenty years, we hear the same myths and misconceptions about personal injury lawsuits over and over. Some of these misconceptions actually discourage an injured victim from pursuing fair compensation.
So, here are some of the top personal injury myths, de-bunked...
1. Personal Injury Lawyers File Frivolous Lawsuits, Wasting the Court's Time and the Taxpayer's Money
Any good personal injury lawyer will take a close look at the facts in your case before agreeing to represent you. In Missouri, as in the rest of the country, lawyers can actually be sanctioned by the court if they file a "frivolous" lawsuit, meaning one without legal merit. These sanctions can include financial penalties, and will certainly harm that lawyer's reputation.
For this reason, most Missouri personal injury attorneys will offer a free initial consultation, where they can determine if the case does have merit before agreeing to take it on. In this way, they do not waste the victim's time, the court's time and of course, their own time. At the Aaron Sachs firm, our lawyers may not always tell you what you want to hear--but they will always give you the straight answers you need to know.
2. Plaintiffs Seek Punitive Damages to Get Rich
The purpose of punitive damages is actually to discourage the negligent parties or businesses from repeating their actions. Because punitive damages hurt businesses that hurt consumers, they are hoped to be an incentive for these companies to pursue safer practices in the future.