Louis C. Accurso

Born Kansas City, MO, October 23, 1956; admitted to bar, 1981, Missouri; 2006, Kansas; also admitted to practice before U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eight and Eleventh Circuits.    Honor Society:  Phi Kappa Phi.  Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Jackson County, Missouri, 1981-85.  Recipient, Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award, 1990, numerous seminars on personal injury, products liability and insurance issues.  Contributing Author:  Missouri Prosecutors Trial Casebook (1984 and 1985 Editions).  Member:  Kansas City Metropolitan (Torts Law Committee, 1981-95) and American Bar Associations; The Missouri Bar; Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (Board of Governors); American Association for Justice (Founder, Gas, Fire and Explosion Litigation Group; Chairman, 1986-).  E-Mail:  laccurso@accursolaw.com.

For further information, please visit our website:  www.accursolaw.com

Preparatory education, University of Missouri-Kansas City (B.A. 1978); legal education, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law (J.D., 1981).  Admitted to practice before U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eight and Eleventh Circuits.  Please visit our website.

See above and our website.

Experience:  6/88 –  Present Trial attorney and founder of The Accurso Law Firm, A Professional Corporation

3/85 – 5/88                 Associate with the law firm of Spradley, Wirken, Riesmeyer & King, A Professional Corporation, Kansas City, Missouri

10/81 – 3/85              Trial attorney with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.  Lead attorney for numerous felony jury trials, including burglary, rape, robbery, homicide and arson.  Primary responsibilities from January, 1983 through March, 1985 included the filing and prosecution of all arson related cases in Jackson County as head of the Jackson County Arson Unit.  During his tenure as the “arson prosecutor” for Jackson County, he obtained and maintained the highest conviction rate for arson prosecution in the United States, approximately 65%, three to four times higher than the national average.

See our website.

Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award, 1990.

Member:  Kansas City Metropolitan and American Bar Associations; The Missouri Bar; The American Association of Justice; Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (Member, Board of Governors); Best Lawyers in America (2007-2013); Kansas City Business Journal Best of the Bar (2002-2009, 2011); Outstanding Lawyers of America; Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers (2005-2013); American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2008-2013).

Verdicts and Settlements:  Mr. Accurso has obtained verdicts and settlements for his clients in excess of $250,000,000, including more than 40 cash settlements of one million dollars or more for his clients, most of which have been settled for several millions of dollars.  In 1998, he obtained the largest cash settlement in the State of Missouri ($15,000,000).  In 2001, he obtained 3 (number 3, 10 and 12) of the top 20 verdicts in the State of Missouri.  In 2004, he obtained the largest cash settlement in the State of Missouri ($13,000,000).  He has also obtained and collected 6 verdicts/judgments for punitive damages.

Reported Cases:  Freeman v. United Cities Propane Gas of Georgia, 807 F.Supp.1533 (M.D. Ga. 1992); Hoskins v. Business Men’s Assurance, 116 S.W.3d 557 (Mo. App. 2003); Rinehart v. Shelter General Ins. Co., 261 S.W.3d 583 (Mo. App. 2008).

Gas Fire and Explosion cases:      Mr. Accurso has been the Chairman of the American Association of Justice Gas Fire and Explosion Litigation Group since 1986.  Mr. Accurso has actively pursued more than 50 gas, fire and explosion cases in 8 different states.  Mr. Accurso served as the “arson prosecutor” in Jackson County Missouri from 1982-1985 where he obtained the highest conviction rate for arson prosecution in the United States.

Seminars:      Mr. Accurso has been a frequent speaker at seminars on the subjects of fires, explosions, personal injury, products liability, insurance coverage and trial techniques since 1983.

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