Insurance companies routinely minimize fracture claims — dismissing serious injuries as "minor" to pay as little as possible. Bur Oak Injury Law fights for the full compensation broken bone victims deserve, including future medical costs, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. No fee unless we win.
(573) 499-0200 — call anytimeBroken bone injuries involve far more complexity than most people realize. Insurance adjusters are trained to undervalue fracture claims — they argue injuries are minor, point to pre-existing conditions, or offer quick settlements before victims understand the full extent of their medical needs and future costs.
The true value of a broken bone claim includes not just the emergency room bill, but weeks or months of lost work, ongoing physical therapy, surgical hardware complications, permanent range-of-motion loss, and the pain and limitations that persist long after the cast comes off. A lawyer who understands how to calculate those damages and fight for them makes a measurable difference in what clients recover.
Bur Oak Injury Law handles broken bone cases throughout central Missouri. Attorney Chris Miller personally manages every case — no handoffs to associates or paralegals. That means direct communication, consistent attention, and a lawyer who knows your case inside out from first call to final resolution.
Fracture claims require accounting for future medical costs, physical therapy, hardware removal surgeries, lost earning capacity, and long-term pain — not just the initial hospital bill. We build a complete picture before any settlement offer is evaluated.
Insurance companies frequently argue that broken bones are temporary injuries that resolve completely. When that is not true — when a fracture causes permanent limitations — we document and fight for full compensation including future losses.
At Bur Oak Injury Law, Chris Miller handles your case personally from the first call to the final outcome. Your case never gets passed to an associate you have never met.
Not all fractures are equal. The location of a break, whether it is simple or comminuted, displaced or non-displaced, open or closed — all of these factors affect treatment complexity, recovery time, and the long-term consequences of the injury. Missouri personal injury law allows victims to recover compensation matching the true severity of their specific fracture.
Under Missouri's comparative fault law, Chapter 537 RSMo, you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident that caused your fracture. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, not eliminated — an important protection that insurance companies will not volunteer to explain.
Skull fractures carry the highest stakes of any fracture type. Even a linear skull fracture without immediate displacement can be associated with traumatic brain injury, epidural hematoma, and cognitive consequences that emerge or worsen days after the initial trauma. When skull fractures result in brain injury, the claim often crosses into catastrophic injury territory with dramatically higher lifetime costs.
Pelvic fractures are among the most severe fracture injuries in terms of hospitalization and recovery. The pelvis is a high-blood-volume area, and severe pelvic fractures frequently involve internal organ damage, extended ICU stays, and complications that can permanently affect mobility. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identifies high-speed vehicle crashes as the leading cause of catastrophic pelvic fractures on Missouri roads.
Rib fractures are often dismissed as minor injuries, but multiple rib fractures or fractures that displace inward can puncture lungs, lacerate the spleen or liver, and create life-threatening emergencies. Flail chest — a pattern of multiple fractures that destabilizes the chest wall — is a serious condition requiring intensive medical management and often causes lasting breathing complications.
Ankle fractures are common in Missouri slip-and-fall and car accident cases. They frequently require surgical fixation and limit mobility for extended periods, preventing victims from working. Complex shoulder fractures requiring surgery often result in permanent range-of-motion limitations that affect a person's ability to perform job duties, particularly in physically demanding occupations.
Missouri courts recognize the full spectrum of losses that accompany serious fracture injuries. A properly built broken bone claim accounts for far more than the emergency room visit — it captures every economic and non-economic consequence of the injury. Missouri courts have consistently upheld victims' rights to recover these losses when another party's negligence caused the fracture.
Medical expenses include emergency treatment, diagnostic imaging, orthopedic surgery, hospitalization, anesthesia, hardware placement, and follow-up visits — plus the cost of any future surgeries required to remove hardware or address complications.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation are recoverable in full. Many serious fractures require months of structured physical therapy, and some require occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks after significant loss of function.
Lost wages cover all income lost while you were unable to work during recovery — from the date of injury through the date you returned to full duty. If the fracture causes permanent limitations, lost earning capacity is also recoverable for the full remainder of your working life.
Assistive devices and adaptive equipment — crutches, wheelchairs, braces, and home modifications needed during or after recovery — are legitimate elements of a broken bone damages claim.
Pain and suffering compensates for the physical pain experienced from the moment of injury through the entire recovery period and beyond, including chronic pain that persists after healing is complete.
Loss of enjoyment of life addresses the activities, hobbies, and daily experiences that a serious fracture takes away — whether temporarily or permanently. Missouri law recognizes these losses as recoverable.
Emotional distress is particularly relevant in fracture cases that produce anxiety about reinjury, depression related to prolonged recovery, or post-traumatic stress following a traumatic accident.
Permanent impairment — when a fracture heals with lasting functional limitations — represents an ongoing loss that justifies significant compensation above and beyond the initial medical costs.
Before founding Bur Oak Injury Law, Chris Miller served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor and administered the Division of Workers' Compensation — the state administrative body that oversees serious injury claims, including complex fracture cases involving workers injured on the job. He has seen firsthand how these claims are evaluated, how insurers calculate settlement values, and where injured people most often lose ground in the process.
That background shapes how Bur Oak Injury Law builds every broken bone claim. When Chris evaluates a fracture case, he understands what the opposing insurer is looking for — and how to present medical evidence, expert opinions, and damages documentation that closes the gaps they try to exploit.
Workers who suffer fractures on the job face a unique challenge: workers' compensation benefits cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, but they do not compensate for pain and suffering. When a third party — a negligent driver, a defective equipment manufacturer, or an unsafe property owner — contributed to a workplace fracture, Bur Oak Injury Law pursues both avenues of recovery to maximize the total compensation.
Bur Oak Injury Law serves broken bone injury clients throughout central Missouri, including Columbia, Jefferson City, Fulton, Mexico, Moberly, Boonville, Sedalia, and surrounding communities. Under Missouri's five-year statute of limitations, Chapter 516 RSMo, you have time — but acting early preserves critical evidence and strengthens your case.
Every broken bone injury case follows a structured process designed to build the strongest possible claim and maximize recovery — whether through settlement or trial.
Your legal journey begins with a no-obligation consultation. We review the accident circumstances, identify liable parties and available insurance coverage, and explain your legal rights and options — at no cost to you.
We immediately secure accident reports, medical imaging, surgical records, employer documentation, witness statements, and any available video or physical evidence. Preserving evidence early is one of the most critical steps in a fracture case — memories fade and surveillance footage gets deleted.
We work closely with your treating physicians and, when necessary, independent medical experts to fully document the nature and extent of your fracture, the expected recovery timeline, and any permanent limitations. A complete damages picture — including future costs and lost earning capacity — drives settlement negotiations.
Most broken bone cases resolve through negotiated settlements. Chris Miller negotiates directly with insurance companies, armed with thorough documentation and the willingness to take the case to trial if the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation. If settlement is inadequate, we go to Missouri court.
Bur Oak Injury Law represents broken bone injury victims throughout the central Missouri region — not just in Columbia. We handle cases arising from accidents in Jefferson City, Fulton, Mexico, Moberly, Boonville, Sedalia, Versailles, and communities across Boone, Callaway, Audrain, Randolph, and Cole counties. If your fracture injury happened in central Missouri and another party's negligence caused it, we want to hear from you.
Car and truck accidents on Missouri highways account for a significant share of serious fracture injuries in central Missouri. High-speed collisions produce the forces needed to break arms, legs, ribs, and pelvises — and the insurance companies insuring those drivers are motivated to minimize what they pay. Bur Oak Injury Law's approach is to document the full medical and economic impact of every fracture before engaging in any settlement discussions, so that the opening position reflects what the case is actually worth.
Slip-and-fall fractures on commercial or residential property raise premises liability claims under Missouri law. Property owners have a duty to maintain safe conditions. When a hazardous floor, unmarked step, icy walkway, or structural defect causes a fall that breaks a bone, the property owner and their insurer may be responsible for the resulting medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Many fracture injuries produce consequences that outlast the initial healing period. Post-traumatic arthritis is a well-recognized complication of joint fractures — particularly ankle, knee, hip, and wrist fractures. When the joint surface is disrupted during a break, cartilage damage often leads to progressive arthritis that causes pain and functional limitation for years or decades after the original injury.
Properly valuing a broken bone claim means accounting for these long-term risks. A settlement that covers only current medical bills and a few weeks of lost work may leave a victim severely undercompensated when arthritis or hardware complications emerge years later. Bur Oak Injury Law builds broken bone claims with the full long-term picture in view, not just the costs visible at the time of settlement.
Bur Oak Injury Law handles broken bone injury cases on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes only from the recovery we obtain for you. If we don't win, you don't pay. Your free initial consultation costs nothing and you will understand the full fee structure before deciding to move forward.
Missouri's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is five years under Chapter 516 RSMo. Medical malpractice fracture claims must be filed within two years. Evidence disappears quickly after an accident — contact an attorney as soon as possible to preserve your rights and build the strongest possible case.
Missouri broken bone victims can recover past and future medical expenses, surgery and hospitalization costs, physical therapy and rehabilitation, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Under Missouri's comparative fault law, Chapter 537 RSMo, you can recover even if you were partially at fault — your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated.
Skull fractures, pelvic fractures, and spinal fractures carry the highest risk of permanent consequences. Pelvic fractures often involve internal organ damage and months of recovery. Skull fractures can cause traumatic brain injury. Rib fractures can puncture lungs and become life-threatening. Ankle and shoulder fractures frequently result in permanent range-of-motion limitations that affect a person's ability to work and enjoy daily life.
Yes. Missouri follows the pure comparative fault rule under Chapter 537 RSMo. You can recover compensation even if you were partially responsible for the accident. Your total recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is not eliminated entirely. Insurance companies routinely inflate the victim's share of fault to minimize payouts — having an experienced attorney counters that tactic effectively.
A serious fracture can disrupt your life for months or years. Call Bur Oak Injury Law today to understand your rights.