You can sue for a burn injury caused by someone else’s negligence in Missouri. A Kansas City burn injury lawyer will need to prove that someone else owed you a duty of care, violated their duty, and directly caused your burns to bring you compensation through a lawsuit.
Suing the liable party may give you money to cover all of your economic and non-economic losses after you sustain a burn injury.
When Can You Sue for a Burn Injury in Missouri?
Burn injury victims can file a lawsuit in the civil court system if someone else caused their injuries through negligence or misconduct. You may qualify for a lawsuit if your Kansas City personal injury lawyer can establish that someone caused an accident that left you with financial losses.
Your attorney must provide proof of another party’s negligence to resolve a personal injury lawsuit successfully. Therefore, attorneys need to investigate quickly after an accident so they can collect evidence. Your attorney may need to:
- Visit the site of your accident
- Talk to eyewitnesses to take down their official statements
- Get copies of accident reports
- Work with burn injury experts
Any evidence your lawyer collects may improve the odds of a successful result for your burn injury lawsuit. Hiring an attorney immediately after your accident can improve your odds of success.
What Compensation Can You Get if You Sue for a Burn Injury?
You can sue for a burn injury in many cases, and when you do, you have a chance to secure compensation to cover all your expenses. Depending on your situation, your attorney may help you get funds to cover your:
Medical Expenses
Burns typically require expensive medical treatments, including surgeries, skin grafts, and extensive physical therapy. You may also need medications to prevent infections and help with the pain.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit may help you get the money you need to pay for all of your healthcare bills.
Pain and Suffering
Burn injury victims often deal with long-lasting effects on their mental and emotional well-being. Your attorney may help you get the funds you need to cover your emotional distress, pain, and mental anguish through a lawsuit.
Lost Wages
You may miss time at your job to recover after a burn injury. The liable party could provide funds for your lost page.
Some burns leave victims disabled and unable to return to their jobs. In this situation, the court may order the at-fault party to provide additional funds for the lost earning potential.
Punitive Damages
The court system in Missouri only awards punitive damages in rare cases. These damages will punish the person responsible for your accident, and they do not directly relate to your losses. An attorney can discuss your eligibility for punitive damages before filing your lawsuit.
Contact our Kansas city personal injury lawyers now.
Do You Have to Sue for a Burn Injury?
You may not have to file a lawsuit if you need compensation for your losses after sustaining a burn injury. Instead, your attorney may resolve your claim through negotiations with the insurance company that represents the at-fault party.
Many injury claims settle outside of court in Missouri. Settling may have some benefits. For example, going through settlement negotiations often takes less time than filing a lawsuit.
However, insurance companies will not always negotiate in good faith. Sometimes, they offer consistently subpar settlements or deny a burn injury victim’s losses altogether. In these situations, your attorney may move forward with a lawsuit.
How Long Do You Have to Sue After a Burn Injury?
Typically, you have five years to move forward with your legal claim after an accident that results in burn injuries. After five years, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims expires in Missouri in most cases.
Note that exceptions may change the amount of time available for you to take action after your accident. Fortunately, a lawyer can review your situation and provide exact details about the deadlines you face.
Talk to Us About Filing a Burn Injury Lawsuit
So, can you sue for a burn injury in Missouri? You may qualify to file a lawsuit if your lawyer can show that someone else caused your injuries through misconduct or negligence. Our team at Foster Wallace can immediately investigate the causes of your injuries and gather evidence to support your claim.
Our personal injury law firm has over four decades of combined experience that allows us to confidently help clients like you. We also have a reputation for bringing our clients over $1 billion in compensation.
We are fully prepared to assist with all your legal needs after you or a loved one suffers a burn injury, so reach out to us today. We’ll discuss your next steps, review your eligibility for a lawsuit, and stand by you until the final resolution of your claim.
