Accomplishments of Our Missouri Injury Law Firm

St. Louis injury lawyer Stephen Schultz is proud of what he has achieved in a comprehensive range of practice areas, including auto and tractor-trailer collisions, premise liability, and personal injury cases.  Mr. Schultz has collected millions of dollars in compensation for his injured clients.  Our record of accepting referrals from other attorneys across Missouri and the United States has brought recognition to our firm's ability in handling complex and catastrophic injury cases.  Because many of our victories are executed under " court seal" (confidential), it would be a violation of these agreements to openly discuss case details. However, following is a mere snapshot of a few of our recent accomplishments. Additional case details and client testimonials are available upon request.

Missouri Dram Shop Claim

Case Disposition:  $2,300,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Premises Liability, Negligence,
Facts:  Represented  surviving parents who tragically lost their children in a serious motor vehicle crash.  It was later discovered that the driver of the other car had been drinking alcohol at a local bar.  It was further discovered through litigation that the staff at the bar failed to exercise responsible beverage service in violation of Missouri dram shop laws.    
Comment:  Bars are clearly in business to serve alcohol to patrons.  The problem arises when employees fail to observe the training provided by TIPs and other organizations who offer guidance on when to halt beverage service to a "visibly intoxicated" individual.  The laws in Missouri make it difficult for a plaintiff to prove that a customer was visibly intoxicated, however, circumstantial evidence and expert testimony can offer guidance in determining fault.

Missouri Tractor-trailer Crash

Case Disposition:  $5,500,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence per se, Negligence, Respondeat Superior
Facts:  Client was driving a motorcycle on a rural highway in central Missouri when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the motorcycle and caused serious injury.  It was heavily disputed whether or not the motorcycle driver had a mechanical problem and whether the truck driver was even working at the time of the crash, which was on a Sunday.
Comment:  Accidents involving a tractor-trailer are very serious and require legal representation of lawyers who have a wide knowledge of both federal and state law.  These types of crashes are notoriously complicated and time consuming.  The documents relevant in a tractor-trailer crash can reach thousands of pages.  Only a skilled truck crash lawyer with a detailed understanding of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations can achieve maximum compensation for the client.

Missouri Tractor-trailer Crash

Case Disposition:  $225,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence per se, Negligence, Respondeat Superior
Facts:  Client was a restaurant employee. Upon entering the restaurant's walk-in cooler, she was injured by a full keg of beer that was negligently stacked by a beer distribution company. Client recovered under her employer's workers' compensation coverage, but also had a viable cause of action against the distributor itself.
Comment:  Most of the time if an employee is injured while acting in the course and scope of his/her employment, the sole remedy is workers' compensation. However, on occasion that worker will have a third-party negligence action against a wrongdoer other than the employer. In this case, the distributor was partially to blame for the injuries sustained. Therefore our client was entitled to recovery under workers' compensation laws AND negligence attributable to the distributor.

Bernard v. D & D Beverage et al.

Case Disposition:  $190,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Premises Liability, Negligence, Respondeat Superior
Facts:  Client was a restaurant employee. Upon entering the restaurant's walk-in cooler, she was injured by a full keg of beer that was negligently stacked by a beer distribution company. Client recovered under her employer's workers' compensation coverage, but also had a viable cause of action against the distributor itself.
Comment:  Most of the time if an employee is injured while acting in the course and scope of his/her employment, the sole remedy is workers' compensation. However, on occasion that worker will have a third-party negligence action against a wrongdoer other than the employer. In this case, the distributor was partially to blame for the injuries sustained. Therefore our client was entitled to recovery under workers' compensation laws AND negligence attributable to the distributor.

Head-on Car Accident

Case Disposition:  $300,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence
Facts:  Young man was seriously injured a car accident when another driver crossed the center line of traffic and struck his car nearly head-on. 
Comment:  Crossing the center line of traffic is a very common cause of serious car accidents in the state of Missouri and this case is reality of what happens each day due to driver inattention.  Don't text message or email when you are driving because an accident will eventually happen. 

Escalante v. Pollard

Case Disposition:  Policy Limits
Cause(s) of Action:  Wrongful Death, Negligence, Assault, Battery
Facts:  18-month old boy dropped off at a home daycare operated by defendant. Later on that day, the young boy was taken by ambulance to the hospital and was treated for almost three full days before he passed away. The coroner and physicians determined that his death was attributable to Shaken Baby Syndrome (SKS), brought about by the defendants.
Comment:  The facts of this case are tragic in so many respects and received both local and national media coverage. Archived media coverage is available at KMOV's website.  Criminal charges have also been brought against the defendant in this case.

Marland v. Wilson

Case Disposition:  Policy Limits
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence, Negligence per se
Facts:  Client was injured when her vehicle was crashed into from behind. Although there was never a police report made because damage to the vehicles was minimal, our firm was able to argue liability and settle this matter prior to filing a lawsuit for the full policy limits of insurance available to the defendant.
Comment:  It is always good measure to call police and demand that a crash report be made on the scene. Evidence will be obtained by the reporting police officer, which will include any witness statements, insurance information, conditions at the scene, and even the police officer's opinion on what circumstances contributed to cause the crash itself. Sometimes people have a tendency not to report accidents to police when damage to the cars is minimal. This is a mistake! Getting the police involved in each and every collision is the best way to protect yourself from fraud or an obtuse insurance company later on down the line.

Crittendon v. Parties Liable

Case Disposition:  $75,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Premises Liability, Negligence
Facts:  A man was injured when he was filling up his truck at a fuel island and slipped on ice and snow that were not properly removed by the gas station owner. The defense attorney argued that the station owner did not have a duty to remove naturally accumulating snow and ice. Despite this argument, the case was settled prior to trial for a confidential amount.
Comment:  Slip and fall is a species of premises liability law. In Missouri, the duty that is owed to a patron of a business depends upon the classification of that patron. To learn more about premises liability, visit our website's premises liability resource center.

Barrett v. Wishon

Case Disposition:  $121,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence, Negligence per se
Facts:  A young woman was injured when the vehicle she was riding in lost control and flipped over.  It was suspected that the driver may have consumed alcohol earlier in the evening. Furthermore, the defendant was a relatively new driver and failed to properly obey the Missouri statutory "rules of the road".
Comment:  Many of our clients involved in car crashes are struck either from behind or head-on by a car crossing the center line of the road. It is important to always practice defensive driving techniques and anticipate that other drivers can and will cross over into your lane of traffic for reasons as common as using a cell phone or lighting a cigarette. Being inattentive is a common reason for the cause of vehicular collisions in Missouri, so PAY ATTENTION to the road and anticipate that other drivers don't.

Wagner-Barnett v. Famous Dave's

Case Disposition:  $115,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Premises Liability, Negligence
Facts:  Plaintiff slipped on barbeque sauce inside of a popular restaurant.  Plaintiff alleged that the barbeque sauce was concealed by the dark redish color of the tile floor, making it impossible for her to notice in time to avoid the fall.
Comment:  Business owners have a duty of care to make certain that the premises is free from hazards, otherwise known as dangerous conditions, that the owner knew, or should have known, existed.  Restaurants commonly struggle with this, as liquids are regularly spilled on the floor in customer walking areas.  Nonetheless, restaurant owners must take time to sweep the common areas for liquids and other hazards and to warn or remedy the condition.

Enloe v. Rhino Fitness LLC

Case Disposition:  Lawsuit filed, confidential pre-trial settlement achieved
Cause(s) of Action:  Premises Liability, Negligence, Negligent Supervision/Training/Retention
Facts:  Plaintiff was seriously injured when performing a body movement under the direct supervision and care of a personal trainer. It is believed that the personal trainer was not properly qualified to train plaintiff and was requesting that plaintiff perform a body movement that was extremely advanced given her status as a beginner. Plaintiff was required to undergo knee surgery to repair the damage sustained in the injury.
Comment:  Everyone knows that fitness activity carries a certain degree of exposure to personal injury. In fact, most gyms require new members to sign a "waiver of negligence" that will preclude them from suing the gym if they are injured when using fitness equipment on the premises. In certain situations however, this type of liability waiver is not enforceable if the victim is injured under the direct care and supervision of a personal trainer.

School Bus Accident

Case Disposition:  $140,000
Cause(s) of Action:  Negligence, Negligence Per Se
Facts:  Plaintiff was a student on a school bus when the driver drifted off the road, causing the bus to roll several times and eject students from their seats.
Comment:  Drivers of school buses are required to exercise the highest degree of care when transporting students.  Bus drivers are required to go through rigorous training in order to make certain they are adequately qualified.  We trust our children to these drivers.  When they are negligent or reckless, the results can be catastrophic.

Looking for additional documentation of the victories achieved by our St. Louis injury lawyers?  Contact Missouri injury attorney Stephen Schultz by calling (314) 448-0934 and your request will be handled personally.