Chesterfield Tort Lawyers

Find the right Litigation attorney in Chesterfield, MO

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Litigation Lawyers in Chesterfield

A "tort" is defined in Chesterfield, Missouri as a legal wrong, not criminal in nature, for which the law provides compensation to the victim.

When a tort is committed in Chesterfield, Missouri, thereby giving the victim the legal right to sue the person who allegedly harmed them, the victim's right to sue is recognized as a "cause of action."

Chesterfield, Missouri's laws recognize many different torts. However, the civil litigation system only deals with a few of these dozens of torts with any frequency. While the most obscure torts are occasionally litigated, there are only a small amount that the average person is likely to deal with (either as a plaintiff or defendant) at some point in their lives. They include fraud, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and battery.

Types of Torts in Chesterfield, Missouri

Negligence: In Chesterfield, Missouri, negligence is, far and away, the most frequent tort that the civil litigation system has to deal with. Negligence is a failure to exercise the level of caution that's necessary in a given situation, and causing harm (physical injury or property damage) as a direct result of this failure. An obvious example is drunk driving. If a person is drunk behind the wheel, and causes an accident, they are clearly going to be required to compensate the victim for whatever harm they cause, since driving while intoxicated is extremely careless, and everybody should know this. Of course, there are many other situations, most of them far less evident, where negligence can occur.

Fraud: Fraud is another frequent tort litigated in Chesterfield, Missouri courts. Fraud is defined as the deliberate misrepresentation of facts made for financial, or other personal gain, which causes harm to someone else. Normally, fraud is committed when a product or service is sold, and the seller lies about the nature or quality of the thing being sold. If, in deciding to buy what the fraudster is selling, the victim relies on the false statements, the seller has committed fraud. The buyer can then sue the seller, to seek compensation for their losses. At the very least, they will normally receive the difference between the fair market value of the thing they bought, and what they paid for it.

Battery: Battery in Chesterfield, Missouri is defined as any harmful or offensive contact with the person of another, without the victim's consent. Punching someone in the face would qualify as battery, as would essentially any unwanted physical contact, particularly of a sexual nature. It can also occur when a doctor operates on a body part without the patient's consent.

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: Intentional infliction of emotional distress is also called IIED in Chesterfield, Missouri, and it was not recognized as a valid cause of action until fairly recently (for the longest time, physical harm was a requirement before someone could sue for tort damages). To hold a defendant liable for IIED, it must be shown that the defendant engaged in some type of outrageous conduct, targeted at the plaintiff. Additionally, it must be shown that this conduct directly caused severe emotional distress in the plaintiff, and that that was the defendant's intent. Showing that actual emotional distress occurred is the most difficult element of this tort, and the plaintiff's word is far from sufficient. It often requires intensive examination by a psychiatrist, who will then testify as to the plaintiff's mental state.

How Can A Chesterfield, Missouri Tort Lawyer Help?

If somebody has hurt you, either intentionally or negligently, in Chesterfield, Missouri, you might have a cause of action. On the other hand, if you find yourself in the unenviable situation of being sued for a tort, you have a right to defend yourself, and will probably want to, for evident reasons.

In either case, a Chesterfield, Missouri attorney who is accomplished in handling tort cases will be able to help. Your lawyer can advise you on the best trial strategy, should the case go to trial, and negotiate with the other side, to try and reach a resolution that both parties can live with.

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Life in Chesterfield

Chesterfield, Missouri is a city of approximately 47,000 people.

It is located a relatively short distance (about 25 miles) west of St. Louis, Missouri, the second-largest city in the state. This allows easy access to the many attractions St. Louis offers, such as fine dining, theater, art museums, and sporting events.

For those who have jobs in St. Louis, but prefer to live in a smaller, quieter town, Chesterfield is a good option to consider. Its quiet, suburban character makes it a good, safe place to settle down and raise a family. However, if you still have an itch for the city life, its close proximity to St. Louis means you'll be able to enjoy the excitement a large city has to offer, pretty much whenever you want.

Chesterfield, Missouri is also a very affluent community - with a median family income of over ,000, and a per capita income of over ,000. Less than 3% of the population of Chesterfield lives below the poverty line. It should come as no surprise, then, that the people who live in Chesterfield tend to be very successful and well-educated.

Accordingly, Chesterfield, Missouri lawyers have to be ready to take on some fairly sophisticated cases. This means that, when you hire a Chesterfield, Missouri attorney, it's a near certainty that they'll be able to handle whatever legal issues you can throw at them.

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