Fell from a ladder, scaffold, roof, or elevated platform at work? You may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits covering medical care, lost wages, and disability. Attorney Chris Miller is a former Missouri government attorney who administered the Division of Workers' Compensation — he knows how the claims process works from the inside.
of avg weekly wage paid during recovery (TTD benefit)
30 days
to notify employer under Missouri law
$502,000
largest workers' comp result — Bur Oak Injury Law
Why legal help matters
Why Fall from Heights Injuries Require Immediate Legal Action
Falls from heights are among the most catastrophic workplace accidents. A single fall can cause spinal damage, traumatic brain injuries, hip fractures, broken bones, and permanent disability — injuries that affect your ability to work and support your family for years. Missouri workers' compensation benefits can cover your medical care, replace a portion of your lost wages, and compensate you for lasting disability. But only if your claim is properly filed and defended.
Under Missouri law, you must notify your employer and file a claim within strict deadlines. You then have 2 years to file a Claim for Compensation with the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation — or 3 years if your employer failed to report the accident. Missing these deadlines can extinguish your right to benefits entirely. Insurance companies frequently dispute or deny fall claims, citing pre-existing conditions, alleged safety violations, or insufficient medical evidence.
The time to involve an attorney is before you accept any insurer's account of your case — not after a denial.
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Former Missouri government attorney — administered the DWC
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 where disputed claims are heard and decided. He knows how claims adjusters evaluate fall cases, what medical evidence they require, and how insurers try to deny or undervalue claims.
The insider advantage
Former Missouri Department of Labor Attorney — Now Fighting for Injured Workers
Before private practice, Chris served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor — the department that oversees the Division of Workers' Compensation — and administered the DWC. He knows how the agency operates, how claims move through the system, and where disputed cases tend to turn. He knows how adjusters evaluate fall cases, what medical evidence they require, and the specific tactics insurers use to deny or minimize benefits for ladder falls, scaffolding accidents, and roof falls.
When you hire Bur Oak Injury Law, you get one attorney — Chris — who personally handles your case from the first phone call through resolution. No handoffs to associates or paralegals. That background protects your workers' compensation claim from the moment you engage legal representation, before the insurer has an opportunity to damage it.
Cases we handle
Fall Injury Cases We Handle
Bur Oak Injury Law represents injured workers across central Missouri in fall from heights workers' compensation claims in every industry and setting.
Construction and Industrial Falls
Construction sites present the highest risk of fatal and serious fall injuries. Chris represents workers injured in scaffolding accidents, ladder falls, roof falls, and falls from elevated platforms — including scissor lifts and boom lifts. He handles cases involving missing guardrails, defective fall protection harnesses, and failures to comply with OSHA fall protection standards. When an employer's safety failures contributed to the fall, Missouri law allows compensation to be increased by 15 percent.
Warehouse, Retail, and Loading Dock Falls
Not all fall injuries happen on construction sites. Workers are seriously hurt in falls from warehouse mezzanines, loading docks, elevated stock shelves, and retail store platforms. Workers' compensation covers these injuries regardless of whether you work in a high-risk industry. These claims are separate from any personal injury action you might have against a third-party property owner — both paths may be worth pursuing, and Chris can advise you on which applies to your situation.
Common fall scenarios
Common Falls from Heights in Missouri Workplaces
Fall from heights claims arise in a wide range of workplace settings across central Missouri. Workers' compensation covers all of them.
How the Workers' Compensation Claims Process Works
Missouri's workers' compensation system has specific procedural requirements. A misstep early in the process — a missed reporting deadline, an incomplete injury description, an untimely medical evaluation — can give the insurer grounds to deny your claim. Here is what the process looks like and where Bur Oak Injury Law adds value at each step.
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Immediate Medical Treatment
Seek medical care right away — this creates the medical documentation your claim depends on. In Missouri, your employer generally has the right to direct you to a specific treating physician for a workers' compensation injury. Document everything: the date, time, location, how the fall occurred, and every symptom and injury you report to the treating provider.
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Report the Accident
Notify your employer of the fall in writing within 30 days. Include the date, time, location, and nature of the injury. Preserve any available evidence — photographs of the fall site, witness names and contact information, any safety inspection records. Delays in reporting give insurers an opening to dispute your claim.
3
Legal Representation
Contact an attorney early — before you give a recorded statement to the insurance company or accept any payment. As a former government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor who administered the Division of Workers' Compensation, Chris can identify problems before they damage your claim. Common denial grounds in fall cases include disputes over medical causation, timeliness of reporting, and alleged pre-existing conditions.
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Maximize Your Benefits
Full workers' compensation benefits for a fall injury include complete medical coverage, wage replacement at 66⅔% of your average weekly wage (temporary total disability), permanent partial or total disability benefits, and vocational rehabilitation if you cannot return to your previous job. Building a strong claim requires clear medical records, complete wage records, and witness statements gathered before memories fade. If a claim is denied, appeals are available through the DWC.
You may be entitled to medical benefits covering doctor's visits, hospital care, surgery, physical therapy, and prescriptions. You can also receive wage replacement at 66⅔% of your average weekly wage while you recover (temporary total disability), permanent partial or total disability benefits if you suffer lasting impairment, vocational rehabilitation if you cannot return to your prior job, and death benefits if the fall is fatal. Missouri's workers' compensation system is no-fault — you generally do not need to prove your employer was negligent to receive these benefits.
Missouri workers' compensation is a no-fault system, which means you do not need to prove that your employer was negligent. However, if you failed to use a safety device that was provided to you, your benefits can be reduced by 25 to 50 percent. Conversely, if your employer's failure to follow safety requirements contributed to the fall, your compensation can be increased by 15 percent. Do not accept the insurer's account of what happened without speaking to an attorney first.
You must notify your employer in writing within 30 days of the injury. You then typically have 2 years from the injury date to file a Claim for Compensation with the Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation — or 3 years if your employer failed to report the injury. Appeals of denied claims also carry strict deadlines. Acting quickly protects your right to benefits.
Yes. Workers' compensation covers fall injuries across all industries — construction, roofing, utilities, warehousing, retail, tree service, cell tower work, and more. The no-fault system means you are covered regardless of how dangerous your job was, as long as the injury occurred during the course of your employment.
Serving central Missouri
Falling from Heights Workers' Compensation in Columbia, Missouri
Workers across Columbia, Missouri and throughout central Missouri face fall injury claims that insurance companies routinely contest. Whether you suffered a ladder fall on a job site, a scaffolding accident during construction, or a warehouse mezzanine fall at a distribution center, you are entitled to workers' compensation benefits that cover your full medical treatment and replace a significant portion of your lost wages. A denied claim is not the final word — it is the beginning of a legal fight.
Bur Oak Injury Law provides legal representation for fall injury claims throughout Boone, Cole, Callaway, Cooper, Howard, and Moniteau counties. Before private practice, Chris served as a government attorney in the Missouri Department of Labor — the department that oversees the Division of Workers' Compensation — and administered the DWC. That background shapes how he builds each case — gathering the medical evidence, wage records, and witness statements the system requires.
If your workers' compensation claim has been denied, delayed, or undervalued after a fall from heights, the time to act is now. Strict deadlines apply to appeals, and the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to preserve the evidence that supports your claim. Bur Oak Injury Law charges no fee unless we win — there is no financial risk to getting a free consultation and understanding your rights under Missouri workers' compensation law.
Related practice areas
Other Workers' Compensation Services at Bur Oak Injury Law