When a doctor, surgeon, or hospital makes a preventable error in Missouri, the consequences can be life-altering — worsening health, additional surgeries, months of lost work, and long-term disability. Bur Oak Injury Law handles medical malpractice claims across Columbia and central Missouri. Attorney Chris Miller personally handles every case — no associates, no handoffs.
Medical malpractice claims are among the most complex personal injury cases. They require medical experts, detailed records review, and the financial resources to advance expert witness costs. Chris brings that preparation to every claim, and takes cases on a contingency fee basis — no fee unless he recovers compensation for you.
Medical malpractice cases in Columbia and central Missouri often involve University Hospital, Boone Hospital Center, and facilities serving Boone, Callaway, Cole, and surrounding counties. Chris Miller has served this community since 2012, handling cases where healthcare providers failed the patients who trusted them.
Insurance companies and hospital defense teams respond quickly after malpractice. They preserve records, retain experts, and build a defense before victims even know a claim exists. Bur Oak Injury Law moves with the same urgency — securing medical records, consulting qualified experts, and protecting your right to compensation before the statute of limitations closes.
Missouri's two largest hospital systems — MU Health Care and Boone Hospital Center — serve a regional patient population across central Missouri. When a preventable error occurs, victims often face compounded medical costs, additional procedures, and income loss during recovery. In the most serious cases, malpractice causes permanent disability or death.
Unlike most personal injury cases, medical malpractice claims require qualified expert witnesses who can explain the standard of care, how it was breached, and how that breach caused harm. Bur Oak Injury Law maintains a network of board-certified medical professionals and advances expert costs on a contingency basis — you pay nothing unless we win.
Sources: BMJ — Medical Error as Cause of Death (2016) · Missouri Division of Insurance
Not all medical malpractice claims are the same. Some involve surgical errors in the operating room; others stem from a missed diagnosis in a clinic. Chris handles the full range of medical negligence cases across Columbia, Jefferson City, Moberly, and surrounding communities.
Wrong-site surgery, retained surgical tools, anesthesia mistakes, and preventable post-operative complications that leave patients worse off than before the procedure.
Cancer misdiagnosis, heart attack symptoms dismissed, stroke delays, and failure to diagnose serious infections — situations where earlier intervention could have changed the outcome.
Cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy, oxygen deprivation during delivery, and obstetric malpractice where failure to monitor fetal distress caused preventable harm.
Wrong dosage, dangerous drug interactions, pharmacy mistakes, and improper medication administration by nurses or hospital staff.
Failure to diagnose heart attacks or strokes, delayed trauma treatment, and failure to order appropriate tests when time was critical.
Performing a procedure without adequately disclosing risks, alternatives, and likely outcomes — depriving patients of the ability to make an informed decision.
Missed cancer on X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, and failure to communicate abnormal findings to the treating physician.
When a healthcare provider's negligence causes a patient's death, surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death claim under Missouri law.
Missouri allows malpractice victims to pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Missouri places a cap on non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress) — the current cap adjusts annually for inflation and applies differently to catastrophic and non-catastrophic injuries. Missouri does NOT cap economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs. Missouri's pure comparative fault rule under §537.765 RSMo means that even if a victim shares some responsibility, compensation is reduced — not eliminated — by their percentage of fault.
Past and future medical expenses, including additional procedures caused by the malpractice, lost wages during recovery, reduced earning capacity from permanent disability, and rehabilitation costs.
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement or permanent disability — subject to Missouri's non-economic damages cap.
Under §537.080 RSMo, surviving family members can recover funeral costs, loss of financial support, and loss of consortium when malpractice causes death.
In cases involving particularly reckless or willful conduct, Missouri courts may award punitive damages to punish the provider and deter future negligence, subject to statutory caps.
Chris Miller personally handles every step — from the first call through settlement or trial. No handoffs to associates or paralegals.
Medical malpractice claims in Missouri must generally be filed within two years of the date of injury under §516.105 RSMo. An absolute 10-year cap applies regardless of when the injury is discovered. This is significantly shorter than the standard five-year personal injury window — and the clock starts running from the date of the negligent act, not when you discover the harm. Missing the deadline permanently extinguishes your right to compensation.
Missouri also requires that within 90 days of filing the lawsuit, the plaintiff's attorney file an Affidavit of Merit — a certification from a qualified medical expert that the defendant's care fell below the accepted standard and caused the injury. This requirement makes early consultation critical: building the expert foundation takes time, and waiting until the deadline is near makes compliance nearly impossible.
After a medical error, healthcare providers and their insurers often move quickly to document their version of events. Do not sign anything, give a recorded statement, or accept a settlement offer before speaking with a medical malpractice attorney. Call Bur Oak Injury Law at (573) 499-0200 for a free consultation.
No fee unless we win. One attorney handles your case from the first call through resolution.