Practice Areas
Placzek Winget & Placzek, LLC located in Springfield, Missouri.
We offer quality representation for people who have suffered injuries. Some of the injuries we have experience in helping our clients with include:
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
We offer free initial consultations, home and hospital visits for those too injured to travel. We handle cases on a contingency basis, meaning that you don't pay unless we win or recover for you.
You owe no attorney fee unless we win your case or make a recovery for you.
Workers’ Compensation
We represent employees who have been injured in work-related accidents. People who are hurt on the job who are not able to work and are in need of medical treatment. A work-related injury is a traumatic experience. If you are injured on the job or have been exposed to occupational disease in your work, you may be entitled to compensation under the Missouri Workers' Compensation law.
Missouri law requires most employers carry insurance, which pays for medical treatment and lost time benefits for employees who are injured on the job. The law requires prompt payment of benefits at no cost to you if you sustain a work-related injury covered under the law.
If you have been injured on the job, give us a call. It doesn't cost you anything to talk to a lawyer and determine whether we can help.
Whistleblower Litigation
Safeguarding your interests in False Claims Act and qui tam cases.
The Problem—Government Fraud
Every year government fraud costs American taxpayers billions of dollars. Medicare fraud is a prime example. In 2013, Medicare financed health care services for approximately 51 million Americans at a cost of about $604 billion. While not all of these payments were fraudulent, the FBI estimates that anywhere from 3-10% of all payments made in the Medicare system may be the result of fraud. Across all sectors of the United States government, improper payments are estimated to exceed $125 billion.
The United States Government is working hard to fight back against those seeking to profit by stealing from American taxpayers. For instance, in 2013 more than $2.6 billion dollars was recovered related to health care fraud, with more than $3.8 billion across all sectors of the federal government. While these recoveries are significant, it still means that fraudsters are making off with billions in taxpayer dollars every year.
The Solution—You
America needs your help. The sheer size of Medicare and other government programs makes it difficult for enforcement agencies to pursue all but the largest and most brazen offenders. However, under the False Claims Act, private citizens with evidence of government fraud can file lawsuits to help the United States Government recover its losses due to fraud.
Claims brought by private citizens under the False Claims Act are called qui tam actions, where a concerned citizen (often referred to as a “whistleblower”) essentially stands in the shoes of the government. When successful, whistleblowers in a qui tam action are entitled to recover between 15-25% of the amounts recovered. This means that when the fraud is large enough, whistleblowers can end up receiving millions of dollars for their efforts.
Protections
Often times, a potential whistleblower is concerned about losing his or her job, because the individual or entity or entity guilty of fraud is his/her employer. The False Claims Act offers two layers of protection to whistleblower employees. First, qui tam actions are initially filed under seal, which means that no one outside of court personnel, the responsible enforcement agency, and the whistleblower are aware that a suit was filed. Second, federal law prohibits any sort of retaliatory action against a whistleblower making a good faith claim.
Government fraud can take a variety of forms:
Real Questions. Real Answers
What Is A “Personal Injury” Claim? Personal injury lawsuits, or “torts,” are civil legal actions brought by plaintiffs who seek compensation for wrongs committed by individuals or entities who caused them preventable harms and losses (damages). The ultimate goal is to prove that the at-fault party is financially responsible (liable) for your damages.
Do I Have a Case? It depends. Whether you have a viable injury claim will be determined by the unique facts of your case. Generally, individuals who recover damages have suffered actual damages (i.e. medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.) due to another’s negligent or wrongful acts.
Do I Need a Lawyer? Having represented thousands of clients and families, we believe that everyone should have an advocate in a legal dispute. Choosing an experienced, qualified legal advocate ensures that you will maximize the recovery for your injury claim.
Can I Afford to Hire a Lawyer? Our firm does not charge up-front fees for our services, so you won’t have to worry about being able to afford an experienced lawyer. We handle our cases on a contingency basis, which means you only pay a fee if we win or make a recovery for you.
What Can You Expect During Your Accident Case?
Putting the pieces of your life back together after an accident is not easy. Our attorneys and staff members will guide you through every step of the process, helping you in ways that go far beyond simply handling your claim.
Of course, making a claim is a major part of the process, and securing just compensation for our clients is at the heart of what we do. Here is what you can expect when you choose our Springfield, Missouri personal injury firm to represent you:
1. Filing Your Insurance Claim
Once you obtain a diagnosis and treatment and we have a comprehensive understanding of all of the various ways that your injuries will impact your life, we will make a demand for payment to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
2. Negotiating with the Insurance Company
Once we file your claim, we will negotiate aggressively for a fair settlement. We will use your medical records, employment records and other documentation to paint a picture of the damages you have suffered in the past and will likely sustain in the future. Often, an individual's family members will be involved because they will have personal knowledge of what you went through while recovering from the accident related injury.
3. Advising You Regarding Settlement
If the insurance company offers a settlement, we will sit down with you to go over the offer and help you make an informed decision about resolving your claim. We will let you know if we think more is on the table, and we will discuss the potential outcomes involved in taking your case to court. This is your decision after consulting with us and we will respect that decision.
4. Taking Your Case to Court
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will file a lawsuit in court. While this will mean preparing your case for the possibility of trial, we will continue to negotiate, and we regularly resolve our clients’ lawsuits via settlement prior to trial. We are skilled trial attorneys, so if you want to proceed to trial, we will be there for you.
We offer quality representation for people who have suffered injuries. Some of the injuries we have experience in helping our clients with include:
- automobile accidents
- pedestrian injuries
- truck accidents
- insurance disputes
- uninsured motorist claims (where the other driver did not have insurance)
- underinsurance motorist claims (where the other driver involved did not have enough insurance)
- product liability (defective products)
- traumatic brain injures
- catastrophic injuries
- wrongful death
- premises liability
- trip and fall/slip and fall accidents
- on-the-job injuries
- dog bite accidents/attacks
- equine (horse) or other livestock accidents
- gun accidents
- tree stand accidents
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
We offer free initial consultations, home and hospital visits for those too injured to travel. We handle cases on a contingency basis, meaning that you don't pay unless we win or recover for you.
You owe no attorney fee unless we win your case or make a recovery for you.
Workers’ Compensation
We represent employees who have been injured in work-related accidents. People who are hurt on the job who are not able to work and are in need of medical treatment. A work-related injury is a traumatic experience. If you are injured on the job or have been exposed to occupational disease in your work, you may be entitled to compensation under the Missouri Workers' Compensation law.
Missouri law requires most employers carry insurance, which pays for medical treatment and lost time benefits for employees who are injured on the job. The law requires prompt payment of benefits at no cost to you if you sustain a work-related injury covered under the law.
If you have been injured on the job, give us a call. It doesn't cost you anything to talk to a lawyer and determine whether we can help.
Whistleblower Litigation
Safeguarding your interests in False Claims Act and qui tam cases.
The Problem—Government Fraud
Every year government fraud costs American taxpayers billions of dollars. Medicare fraud is a prime example. In 2013, Medicare financed health care services for approximately 51 million Americans at a cost of about $604 billion. While not all of these payments were fraudulent, the FBI estimates that anywhere from 3-10% of all payments made in the Medicare system may be the result of fraud. Across all sectors of the United States government, improper payments are estimated to exceed $125 billion.
The United States Government is working hard to fight back against those seeking to profit by stealing from American taxpayers. For instance, in 2013 more than $2.6 billion dollars was recovered related to health care fraud, with more than $3.8 billion across all sectors of the federal government. While these recoveries are significant, it still means that fraudsters are making off with billions in taxpayer dollars every year.
The Solution—You
America needs your help. The sheer size of Medicare and other government programs makes it difficult for enforcement agencies to pursue all but the largest and most brazen offenders. However, under the False Claims Act, private citizens with evidence of government fraud can file lawsuits to help the United States Government recover its losses due to fraud.
Claims brought by private citizens under the False Claims Act are called qui tam actions, where a concerned citizen (often referred to as a “whistleblower”) essentially stands in the shoes of the government. When successful, whistleblowers in a qui tam action are entitled to recover between 15-25% of the amounts recovered. This means that when the fraud is large enough, whistleblowers can end up receiving millions of dollars for their efforts.
Protections
Often times, a potential whistleblower is concerned about losing his or her job, because the individual or entity or entity guilty of fraud is his/her employer. The False Claims Act offers two layers of protection to whistleblower employees. First, qui tam actions are initially filed under seal, which means that no one outside of court personnel, the responsible enforcement agency, and the whistleblower are aware that a suit was filed. Second, federal law prohibits any sort of retaliatory action against a whistleblower making a good faith claim.
Government fraud can take a variety of forms:
- Health care, Medicare and Medicaid fraud
- Upcoding
- Phantom billing
- Off-label marketing of prescription drugs
- Kickbacks
- Fraud by defense contractors
- Procurement of contracts
Real Questions. Real Answers
What Is A “Personal Injury” Claim? Personal injury lawsuits, or “torts,” are civil legal actions brought by plaintiffs who seek compensation for wrongs committed by individuals or entities who caused them preventable harms and losses (damages). The ultimate goal is to prove that the at-fault party is financially responsible (liable) for your damages.
Do I Have a Case? It depends. Whether you have a viable injury claim will be determined by the unique facts of your case. Generally, individuals who recover damages have suffered actual damages (i.e. medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.) due to another’s negligent or wrongful acts.
Do I Need a Lawyer? Having represented thousands of clients and families, we believe that everyone should have an advocate in a legal dispute. Choosing an experienced, qualified legal advocate ensures that you will maximize the recovery for your injury claim.
Can I Afford to Hire a Lawyer? Our firm does not charge up-front fees for our services, so you won’t have to worry about being able to afford an experienced lawyer. We handle our cases on a contingency basis, which means you only pay a fee if we win or make a recovery for you.
What Can You Expect During Your Accident Case?
Putting the pieces of your life back together after an accident is not easy. Our attorneys and staff members will guide you through every step of the process, helping you in ways that go far beyond simply handling your claim.
Of course, making a claim is a major part of the process, and securing just compensation for our clients is at the heart of what we do. Here is what you can expect when you choose our Springfield, Missouri personal injury firm to represent you:
1. Filing Your Insurance Claim
Once you obtain a diagnosis and treatment and we have a comprehensive understanding of all of the various ways that your injuries will impact your life, we will make a demand for payment to the at-fault party’s insurance company.
2. Negotiating with the Insurance Company
Once we file your claim, we will negotiate aggressively for a fair settlement. We will use your medical records, employment records and other documentation to paint a picture of the damages you have suffered in the past and will likely sustain in the future. Often, an individual's family members will be involved because they will have personal knowledge of what you went through while recovering from the accident related injury.
3. Advising You Regarding Settlement
If the insurance company offers a settlement, we will sit down with you to go over the offer and help you make an informed decision about resolving your claim. We will let you know if we think more is on the table, and we will discuss the potential outcomes involved in taking your case to court. This is your decision after consulting with us and we will respect that decision.
4. Taking Your Case to Court
If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we will file a lawsuit in court. While this will mean preparing your case for the possibility of trial, we will continue to negotiate, and we regularly resolve our clients’ lawsuits via settlement prior to trial. We are skilled trial attorneys, so if you want to proceed to trial, we will be there for you.