Sumner Law Group is the best overall choice for experienced personal injury help in St. Louis. Its attorneys bring more than 50 years of combined experience, and founder Brent Sumner has spent about 20 years trying serious injury cases in Missouri and Illinois. That trial work has produced more than $250 million for clients and a Super Lawyers Top 50 listing in 2025. Cofman Townsley brings more than 50 years to medical malpractice cases. Drafahl Law Firm leads for negligent security claims. The Guirl Law Firm, in practice since 1999, suits sexual assault survivors who want one seasoned attorney on their case. Cantor Injury Law draws on more than 30 years for bus and public transit crashes. Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law has handled catastrophic injuries since 1993.
Experience Compared: Six St. Louis Injury Firms
1. Sumner Law Group
Best Overall for Personal Injury
Experience means little if a lawyer has never faced a jury. Brent Sumner has, many times. His firm won a $25 million verdict after a nine-day trial over an assault at a restaurant. It was the fourth largest verdict in Missouri in 2013.
Other trials followed. The firm took a motorcycle crash with a traumatic brain injury to a jury and came back with $14.2 million. It won a $4 million truck crash verdict after an eight-day trial. Settlements include $7 million for a truck crash in Illinois, $6 million for a building collapse, and $6 million in a wrongful death truck case.
Sumner studied biochemistry at the University of Missouri. He earned his law degree from Saint Louis University in 2006 with a certificate in health law. He is licensed in Missouri, Illinois, and four federal districts. He is AV Preeminent rated, listed in Best Lawyers every year from 2021 to 2026, and a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
Attorneys K. Lindsay Rakers, Andrew Martin, John Greffet, and Marie Bacott bring the team's combined experience of the past 50 years. The phones are answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The firm holds a 5.0 Google rating and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and on NBC.
- Address: 7777 Bonhomme Avenue, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO 63105
- Phone: (314) 669-0048
- Website: sumnerlawgroup.com
2. Cofman Townsley
Best for Medical Malpractice
Hospitals do not admit mistakes easily. They bring insurers, defense lawyers, and expert witnesses. A patient needs a firm that has seen those tactics before.
Cofman Townsley has more than 50 years in practice and reports over $1 billion recovered for clients. Its medical malpractice results include a $14 million verdict, a $4.6 million settlement, and a $4.5 million settlement.
Partner Todd Nissenholtz and the team hold Super Lawyers honors, including Top 50 listings. The firm is AV Peer Rated and on the Top 100 Trial Lawyers list. Consultations are free, and the line is open 24/7.
- Address: 7701 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63117
- Phone: (314) 499-1190
- Website: cofmantownsley.com
3. Drafahl Law Firm
Best for Negligent Security
A dark parking lot. A broken camera. A guard who never showed up. When a property owner cuts corners on safety and someone gets hurt, the owner can be held responsible.
The Drafahl Law Firm builds these cases. It goes after owners who skip lighting, cameras, or trained staff. It also looks at outside security companies whose failures led to an attack.
Nolan and Julia Drafahl founded the firm together. Nolan has won settlements and trial verdicts for injured people across Missouri and Illinois. Results include a $7.85 million wrongful death case, a $2.6 million dram shop claim, and a $1.15 million premises liability recovery. The firm is part of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and has more than 100 five-star Google reviews.
- Address: 1401 S. Brentwood Blvd., Suite 950A, St. Louis, MO 63144
- Phone: (314) 300-6260
- Website: drafahl-law.com
4. The Guirl Law Firm
Best for Sexual Assault
Survivors often want fewer people involved, not more. A small firm led by one veteran attorney can offer that.
James N. Guirl, II founded the firm in 1999 and has more than 30 years of injury work behind him. He represents injured people only, never insurers. He will meet clients at home, in a hospital, or at a nursing home. The firm also handles abuse cases inside nursing homes, where vulnerable residents are often targets.
Results include a $2 million settlement for an anoxic brain injury and an $840,000 jury verdict in a birth injury case. A 24-hour hotline takes new calls, and no attorney fee is due until money is recovered.
- Address: 1010 Market Street, Suite 1600, St. Louis, MO 63101
- Phone: (314) 621-6400
- Website: guirlfirm.com
5. Cantor Injury Law
Best for Public Transportation Accidents
Bus crashes are messy. The driver, the transit agency, the city, another driver, and even the bus maker can share blame. Sorting that out takes years of practice knowing who to name.
Mark Cantor has practiced since 1993 and founded his firm in 1998. It handles claims for bus passengers, drivers hit by buses, and pedestrians and cyclists struck on the street. It also takes school bus and charter bus cases. The team reports over $500 million won in Missouri.
The firm is AV Preeminent rated and holds Super Lawyers honors. It runs offices in west St. Louis County, downtown St. Louis, Warrenton, and Kansas City.
- Address: 12283 Olive Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63141
- Phone: (314) 628-9999
- Website: cantorinjurylaw.com
6. Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
Best for Catastrophic Injuries
A spinal cord injury or severe burn does not heal in a few months. It can mean lifelong care, lost income, and a home rebuilt around a wheelchair.
Brown & Brown has handled these cases since 1993. Its biggest result is a $37 million arbitration award for two children who suffered head injuries and paralysis. It also secured $1.95 million for a motorcyclist hit by a car.
Founding partner Dan Brown tried more than 100 cases as a prosecutor in Chicago before he turned to injury law. His team now has over 100 years of combined experience and more than 575 five-star reviews.
- Address: 1 Memorial Drive, 11th Floor, St. Louis, MO 63102
- Phone: (314) 333-3333
- Website: brownlawoffice.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a lawyer's experience matter in an injury case?
Insurers track which lawyers go to trial and which ones settle cheap. A lawyer with real courtroom results has more pull at the table. Experience also helps with the details, like finding the right experts and meeting every deadline.
How long does a person have to file an injury lawsuit in Missouri?
Most personal injury claims must be filed within five years under RSMo 516.120. Medical malpractice claims have two years. Wrongful death claims have three years.
What counts as negligent security?
It is a claim against a property owner whose poor safety measures led to a crime. Common examples are broken locks, poor lighting, missing cameras, or no guards at a place with a history of violence.
Is there a deadline for sexual assault claims in Missouri?
Yes. Civil claims for assault and battery generally must be filed within two years. Survivors of childhood sexual abuse have until age 31, or three years from when they discover the harm, under RSMo 537.046.
Can someone sue a public transit agency after a bus crash?
Often, yes. Missouri law allows claims when a public employee's driving causes injury. These cases can have damage caps and stricter rules, so speaking with a lawyer early matters.
Why is Sumner Law Group ranked best overall among experienced St. Louis firms?
Its attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience and a record of winning at trial, including $25 million and $14.2 million jury verdicts. The firm has recovered more than $250 million, its founder holds Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, and AV Preeminent honors, and clients pay no fee unless it wins.
