Personal Injury Attorney, Springfield, MO
When you are injured because someone else was careless, it is unjust for you to be responsible for immense medical costs and other financial losses. You could hold the other party accountable for their failure and recover the financial, emotional, and psychological losses that you sustained. A personal injury attorney in Springfield, MO, can allow you to do this.
After a sudden injury, you are dealing with physical pain, emotional stress, medical procedure bills, lost income, and all these losses on top of your usual expenses. These are all losses that can be recovered in a successful personal injury suit.
However, the act of filing and navigating this claim can also add to the stress of your injury. By working with a skilled personal injury attorney in Springfield, MO, you can cut down on this stress and know that you have the greatest chance at recovering compensation.
Experienced Personal Injury Attorney in Springfield, MO, at Wendt Law Firm P.C.
Wendt Law Firm P.C. assists injured individuals and their families after a serious personal injury. We are proud to support our communities and have over 50 collective years of experience working in personal injury law to protect the rights of the injured individual. We fight for you, bringing comprehensive legal care and compassionate support for your claim.
Our proven record of success in litigation and settlements shows what we are capable of. When you bring your case to the team at Wendt Law Firm P.C., we review the viability of a claim and determine what you can do to recover compensation. We fight for the most positive outcome to your claim, committed to securing the most compensation that is available.
Personal Injury Suits We Have Experience With at Wendt Law Firm P.C.
The right attorney should have relevant experience with the injury you sustained and the accident you were injured in. This experience can help your claim be more successful because an experienced personal injury attorney in Springfield, MO, will be familiar with the following:
- Methods of investigating your type of accident.
- Potential common causes.
- Evidence needed to prove liability.
- Damages commonly associated with your injuries.
This experience often helps your claim be resolved more quickly and with a higher settlement.
Attorneys with relevant experience are also necessary when your claim is complex, such as if you suffered significant damages or there are multiple at-fault parties. An inexperienced attorney may not know the right ways to navigate these claims, and it could take much longer to resolve.
At Wendt Law Firm P.C., we have experience in numerous types of injuries and accident causes. These include:
Motor Vehicle Collisions
Automobile accidents can involve passenger cars, commercial trucks, motorcycles, buses, and many other types of vehicles. When several vehicles are involved in a collision, compensation is typically recovered through an insurance claim with the at-fault party’s insurer. A civil claim may be possible in rare circumstances, such as if the at-fault party does not have insurance or if the accident is caused by a defective car part or other third-party liability.
Car accidents are some of the most common causes of personal injury, and even a small collision can result in severe trauma and injuries that take significant time and cost to treat. Collisions like motorcycle or commercial truck accidents often cause life-altering injuries and even death. An attorney is crucial when filing these claims and getting fair compensation.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Accidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles are very serious for those not in a vehicle. Pedestrians and cyclists often suffer severe injuries, even when the collision is at low speeds. Hazards on roads and sidewalks can also cause cyclist and pedestrian injury if the roadway is improperly maintained. An injured pedestrian or cyclist may be able to hold a negligent driver or negligent maintenance agency liable for their failures.
Aviation Accidents
Aviation accidents can occur on commercial airplanes, private planes, helicopters, and other types of aircraft. In aircraft collisions and other accidents, there is often a negligent party that is liable for the injuries that passengers suffer. There may have been insufficient training, the failure to properly maintain the aircraft or a defective component of the craft.
A skilled attorney can investigate the cause of an aviation accident to determine the negligent party or parties and hold them liable for the resulting injuries or deaths.
Boating Accidents
Injuries on the water while on a boat or in a collision with a boat can be dangerous and can be caused by a negligent boat operator or owner. A boat operator can be negligent, just like the driver of a car. This may include being distracted, failing to follow safety procedures, or operating the boat under the influence.
Other hazards can also be present on the boat, such as faulty or poorly maintained equipment. These hazards may be due to negligence by the owner of the boat or be the result of a defective product.
Premises Liability
The managers and owners of public and private property are responsible for maintaining their premises and keeping them free from hazards. When property owners are aware of hazards, they must address them, such as by fixing them, cleaning the area, and warning guests of the hazard.
Property owners also have a responsibility to check their premises for hazards and can be held responsible for a hazard that they didn’t know about but should have known about with a check of the premises. If a hazard is not addressed, and someone is injured because of that hazard, the property owner can be held liable.
Dog Attacks
Dog and other pet owners are strictly liable for damages done by their animals in Missouri. An attorney can help determine if you have a valid claim for dog bite injuries.
Medical Malpractice
Medical negligence and malpractice by those we trust to care for our health can be very emotionally traumatic. Malpractice can also cause serious and life-altering injuries, such as those in a surgical error or the harm caused by an illness that should have been diagnosed and was not.
Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse
The staff of nursing homes are responsible for the care and support of the elderly residents. Negligence and abuse are unacceptable, and individuals should be held liable for the serious harm and sometimes death that results from their actions.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault and abuse can lead to both criminal and civil cases. The physical and mental harm from these crimes could be recoverable in a personal injury suit. An attorney can help an injured party review their options for getting justice and recovering compensation.
Wrongful Death
When an injury that was the result of negligence causes a person’s death, their loved ones can try to recoup damages by filing a wrongful death suit.
How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Suit?
Civil claims have time limits to encourage prompt filing, called the statute of limitations. In Missouri, the statute of limitations is five years from the date of the injury. If you do not file your personal injury suit within those five years, then you lose the right to recover damages from the at-fault party.
While this may seem like a lot of time, it’s important not to delay. The statute of limitations also exists to ensure evidence is recent. If you wait to talk with an attorney and file your claim, certain evidence may be lost. Eyewitnesses may be hard to find or not have a clear recollection of events. Evidence like CCTV footage may have been deleted. The sooner you begin working with an attorney, the more likely you will be able to recover that evidence.
Beginning your claims process early also gives your attorney time to investigate. When they do file a claim, this means they are more likely to have a stronger and more successful claim.
There are some cases where the statute of limitations could be extended. It’s important to discuss your situation with an attorney as soon as you are aware you were injured by another party’s negligence, even if you think the statute expired. You may still have time to recover compensation.
What if I Am Partially at Fault for a Personal Injury?
If you are found to be partially liable for the accident and your injuries, you could still recover compensation. Missouri is a modified comparative fault state, meaning that as long as you share 50% or less of the fault, you can still recover partial compensation. Your total damages are limited by the same percentage you are determined to be at fault, so limiting your fault is important.
It is also important because you cannot recover damages if you are determined to be 51% or more liable for the accident. The percentage of fault is determined by the insurance companies involved in the accident and/or by the attorneys involved. If these parties cannot reach an agreement on fault, then the claim may move to litigation and a civil court judge or jury will determine it.
Working with a skilled attorney can help significantly in this fault determination. An attorney’s third-party investigation and the evidence they gathered can be incredibly useful in proving fault and potentially limiting the amount you are determined to be at fault. The less at fault you are proven to be, the more damages you can recover in your final settlement.
Why Do I Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Springfield, MO?
After a personal injury, you could be facing weeks to months of recovery. Many claims need to be filed soon after an accident, and this is difficult to do while dealing with physical pain, medical treatment, and the costs of your numerous losses. By working with an attorney, you can limit your stress. You can focus on recovery while your attorney handles your claim.
An attorney handles all aspects of your claim, including negotiations. Many personal injury suits deal with an insurance provider, and these companies are solely focused on lowering their liability and financial loss in the accident. An attorney protects your interests against these providers.
Without an attorney, you will have to negotiate with these providers yourself, who will be attempting to undermine your claim wherever possible. They may claim you were partially or fully liable for the accident or may state that your damages are not worth as much as you are asking.
An insurance company may also send you compensation quickly after an accident, hoping you will accept it as a settlement to cover your immediate damages before you realize it does not recover the entirety of your losses.
An attorney helps you avoid this. When you have a personal injury attorney, you don’t have to deal with insurance people at all. Your attorney will negotiate for you and inform you of important updates as they work to secure you the most favorable settlement. If the insurance adjusters will still not accept a settlement that covers your damages, then your attorney can represent you in a court claim.
Find the Right Personal Injury Attorney in Springfield, MO
When you are injured in an accident that was not your fault, contact Wendt Law Firm P.C. quickly.
