Mr. Accurso specializes in civil litigation with primary emphasis on personal injury,
products liability, negligence, insurance coverage and commercial litigation. Mr.
Accurso has extensive jury trial experience withnumerous jury trials as lead attorney
in State and Federal Courts. Mr. Accurso has experience in pursuing personal injury
and product liability lawsuits in 8 different states. He has been a speaker at numerous
seminars on the subjects of personal injury, products liability and insurance issues.
Mr. Accurso was the recipient of The Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer Award 1990,
given annually by the judiciary to the outstanding trial attorney in the State of
Missouri under the age of 36. After founding The Accurso Law Firm in 1988 Mr. Accurso
quickly built an astonishing record of success that has contributed greatly to the
benefit of his clients and to improve safety warnings for dangerous products and
better safety standards in dangerous industries.
- Martindale-Hubble A.V. Rating
- 1990 Lon O. Hocker Trial Attorney Award
- Best Lawyers in America (2008-Present)
- American Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2008-Present)
- Outstanding Lawyers of America
- Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers (2008-Present)
- Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- The Missouri Bar
- The Kansas Bar
- The American Association of Justice
- Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (Member, Board of Governors)
- Best Lawyers in America (2007-Present)
- University of Missouri-Kansas City, B.A. 1978
- University of Missouri-Kansas City, J.D. 1981
- Mr. Accurso has obtained verdicts and settlements for his clients in excess of $300 million,
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).
In 2015 he obtained the largest cash settlement in the State of Missouri ($10,800,000). In 2017 he, again, obtained the largest settlement in the State of Missouri ($80,000,000). He has also obtained and collected 6 verdicts/judgments for punitive damages.
- 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); Elsea v. U.S. Engineering Company, 463 S.W.3d 409 (Mo. App. 2015).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.