You never expect to be living your life as you normally would in one moment, only to be badly injured in the next. But one careless action—a red light ignored, a floor left wet and slippery, a loose dog—can leave you dealing with real pain and exorbitant medical bills.
At Foster Wallace Personal Injury Lawyers, we take on cases that turn someone’s ordinary day into something they can’t walk away from. Our Lee’s Summit personal injury lawyers work one-on-one with people who’ve been hit hard by someone else’s choices.
We’ve recovered over $1 billion for people across Missouri. When the insurance company starts making excuses, we make your case impossible to ignore.
What a Personal Injury Claim Involves in Lee’s Summit
When someone else causes your injury, Missouri law gives you the right to seek damages through a personal injury claim. These claims don’t just focus on what happened—they focus on what you’ve lost: income, stability, health, and peace of mind.
Whether you were in a car accident on Highway 50 or fell in a grocery store on Ward Road, the legal process starts the same way: with a clear look at who caused the harm, how it happened, and what your life looks like now. We gather the evidence, document your damages, and deal with the insurance company so you don’t have to.
We also help clients understand case timelines, how Missouri’s comparative fault laws may impact recovery, and what happens if your case involves multiple negligent parties. Each case is different, and we tailor our approach accordingly.
Types of Personal Injury Claims We Handle in Lee’s Summit
Our legal team helps people across Lee’s Summit and the surrounding area recover after serious injuries. The Foster Wallace team includes experienced attorneys in the following practice areas:
- Lee’s Summit Car Accident Lawyer: We help injured drivers, passengers, and pedestrians hold others accountable after rear-end crashes, rollovers, and multi-car collisions throughout Jackson County.
- Lee’s Summit Truck Accident Lawyer: We pursue claims against trucking companies, logistics teams, and commercial drivers in crashes involving semis, box trucks, and 18-wheelers.
- Lee’s Summit Motorcycle Accident Lawyer: We represent riders who’ve been hit by inattentive drivers or forced off the road. We also handle cases involving helmet law disputes and insurance coverage denial.
- Lee’s Summit Dog Bite Lawyer: Dog Bite Accidents can leave people—especially children—with long-term trauma. We hold pet owners accountable under Missouri’s strict liability statute.
- Lee’s Summit Wrongful Death Lawyer: Families can come to us for support and clarity after losing a loved one due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence.
- Lee’s Summit Premises Liability Lawyer: When dangerous property conditions lead to injury, we hold owners accountable. This includes cases involving poor lighting, broken stairs, icy walkways, faulty railings, or other hazards that should have been addressed.
- Lee’s Summit Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer: When long-term care facilities fail to provide safe and respectful care, we take legal action for victims and their families. This includes emotional abuse, neglect, or preventable injuries like bed sores and fractures.
- Lee’s Summit Construction Accident Lawyer: We represent workers and bystanders injured by unsafe equipment, falling objects, or code violations on job sites.
- Lee’s Summit Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: We advocate for those injured in crosswalks, sidewalks, or parking lots, especially in areas with poor signage or traffic visibility.
These are just a few of the personal injury cases we take on. You can contact our personal injury attorneys in Lee’s Summit to discuss your specific situation and find out what legal options may be available.
Contact our Kansas city personal injury lawyers now.
Why Lee’s Summit Injury Cases Are Unique
Lee’s Summit might not be the biggest city in Missouri, but its mix of growing neighborhoods, busy traffic corridors, and local businesses brings unique legal challenges. A crash on 291 Highway is handled differently from a fall in a downtown coffee shop. Understanding the local ordinances, road conditions, and regional courts gives you an edge.
At Foster Wallace, we know the area. We understand how local police departments write reports, how nearby hospitals handle trauma care, and how Jackson County juries think. That matters. When the insurance company tries to paint your case with a broad brush, we bring local context that makes your story specific and powerful.
We also live here. We care about what happens on our roads, in our schools, and in our long-term care facilities. That connection fuels how we handle your case.
Common Injuries in Lee’s Summit Personal Injury Cases
Our firm has worked with clients who’ve suffered everything from bruises and bone fractures to catastrophic injuries. Some of the more serious injuries we see include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Lacerations and deep cuts
- Limb loss or permanent paralysis
- Vision loss or hearing damage
- Serious burns and disfigurement
- Hip and joint injuries from slip and fall accidents
We also work with families facing the long-term impacts of elder abuse, nursing home abuse, and wrongful death litigation. Injury severity often dictates the value and direction of your claim, and we don’t treat minor cases like they don’t matter. If it affected your ability to live normally, it matters.
We consult with medical professionals, rehabilitation specialists, and economists to quantify the medical costs, lost income, and future care needs tied to each case.
Personal Injury Law and Children or Elderly Victims
Children and elderly adults face unique risks when injured due to someone else’s negligence. A fall that a healthy adult could recover from may leave an older person with a hip fracture, long-term immobility, or even permanent disability. Children may not fully express the pain they’re in or how seriously the injury has impacted their development.
We take special care in these cases. We work closely with families and caregivers to fully document how the injury has changed day-to-day life. This might include new learning difficulties, lost independence, or emotional struggles that can’t always be seen in X-rays or MRIs.
Our Lee’s Summit personal injury lawyers advocate for the full picture. If your loved one lives in a nursing home or got hurt in a daycare accident, we take those cases seriously and pursue accountability from every angle.
Understanding the Timeline of a Personal Injury Case
Many people want to know: How long will this take? While every case is different, most follow a general process:
- Initial consultation and case investigation
- Gathering of medical records and supporting evidence
- Demand letters and insurance negotiations
- Filing a lawsuit if a fair settlement isn’t offered
- Discovery phase, depositions, and trial preparation
- Settlement discussions or trial in civil court
Some claims resolve in a matter of months. Others, especially those involving permanent injuries or wrongful death claims, may take longer. Our Lee’s Summit personal injury attorneys will walk with you through every phase and keep you informed about next steps.
The Role of Insurance in Lee’s Summit Injury Claims
Insurance coverage plays a major role in most personal injury claims. In auto accidents, slip and fall cases, or dog bites, it’s often the insurance company—not the individual—that pays the settlement. But getting a fair offer isn’t automatic.
We deal directly with the insurance adjusters and claims handlers. We handle coverage disputes, delays, and underpayment issues so you don’t have to fight alone. If the insurance policy doesn’t fully cover your losses, we also explore other recovery options, including umbrella policies and third-party claims.
It’s not just about filing a claim—it’s about building one they can’t ignore.
When Fault Isn’t Clear
Some injury cases have multiple defendants. A construction accident might involve a general contractor and a subcontractor. A truck crash could include the driver, the freight company, and the truck manufacturer. We sort through the facts to identify everyone who shares responsibility.
We also push back when defendants try to point fingers at each other—or you. Missouri’s comparative fault law makes it tempting for defendants to blame the victim. Our personal injury lawyers in Lee’s Summit make sure your voice is the one the court hears clearly.
What if You’re Partly at Fault?
Missouri uses a pure comparative fault system. That means even if you were partially responsible for what happened, you may still recover compensation. Your percentage of fault reduces the amount you can recover.
If you were 20% at fault for a car accident, for example, and the damages totaled $100,000, your recovery could be reduced to $80,000. Insurance companies often try to inflate your share of the blame, and we fight that.
Our team builds cases that reflect the full truth of what happened. We use evidence, witness testimony, and expert opinions to challenge any unfair blame-shifting.
Building a Strong Case: Evidence and Documentation
Strong personal injury cases require proof. Our legal team investigates each case to gather evidence such as:
- Surveillance video or dashcam footage
- Eyewitness accounts
- Crash reconstruction reports
- Medical records and doctor statements
- Product testing in defective products cases
- Maintenance logs and inspection records in trucking cases
We preserve this evidence early—before it disappears or becomes harder to obtain. Supporting evidence shapes the narrative and pushes back against insurance tactics designed to minimize your claim.
Types of Damages in a Lee’s Summit Personal Injury Claim
Your injury isn’t just physical. It touches every part of your life, from your job and your family to even your future. Missouri law allows injury victims to recover a wide range of damages when someone else’s negligence causes harm.
We help our clients pursue compensation for:
- Medical expenses: ER visits, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, and long-term care
- Lost income: Time you missed from work during recovery
- Reduced earning capacity: The impact on your future wages if you can’t return to the same job
- Rehabilitation costs: Ongoing treatment, assistive devices, or home modifications
- Out–of–pocket expenses: Travel to appointments, home health aides, or medical equipment
- Pain and suffering: Physical pain, discomfort, and long-term limitations
- Loss of enjoyment of life: Inability to take part in hobbies, sports, or activities you once loved
- Emotional distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and the emotional toll of recovery
- Loss of consortium: The impact on your relationship with your spouse or partner
Our attorneys work with financial planners, doctors, and life care experts to fully document these losses. Every dollar should reflect what you’ve actually been through—not just what’s on paper.
How Personal Injury Settlements Are Calculated
No two cases settle for the same amount, because no two injuries affect people in the same way. Settlement value depends on what the injury took from you—physically, financially, emotionally, and personally.
We calculate all of the “on paper” costs. But we also consider things like your pain levels, your loss of mobility, how the injury impacted your work, and whether your personal relationships or independence have suffered.
Our legal team works with doctors, life care planners, and economic experts to build a complete picture of your losses. That includes both hard numbers and the human toll your injury has taken.
Wrongful Death in Lee’s Summit
Losing someone you love changes everything. When their death was preventable—caused by reckless driving, unsafe conditions, or medical negligence—it leaves even more pain and unanswered questions.
A wrongful death claim won’t undo the loss, but it can hold the responsible party accountable and give families financial relief. These claims often include funeral costs, lost income, emotional suffering, and loss of companionship.
Our Lee’s Summit wrongful death lawyers help families through the legal process with respect and care. You focus on grieving and healing, and we’ll focus on making sure the people responsible face the legal consequences.
Missouri’s Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury
Missouri law gives most injury victims five years from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline comes from Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo) § 516.120. If you miss that window, the court can dismiss your case—no matter how strong your evidence is.
Wrongful death cases work a little differently. In those claims, you usually have three years from the date of your loved one’s passing to file under RSMo § 537.100.
There are exceptions in some cases involving children, medical malpractice, or injuries that weren’t immediately discovered. But those are rare. It’s always safer to speak with a Lee’s Summit personal injury lawyer early so that you don’t risk running out of time.
Civil Personal Injury Cases vs. Criminal Cases
Some personal injury claims arise from situations that also involve criminal charges, such as drunk driving and assault. But civil claims and criminal trials serve different purposes.
A criminal trial is about punishment. A civil personal injury case is about financial accountability. Even if no charges are filed, or if the defendant is found not guilty, you can still file a personal injury claim.
We build cases that stand on their own. Our focus isn’t on jail time; it’s on helping you recover what you need to move forward with dignity and stability.
What to Bring to Your Free Consultation
The first meeting is about listening to your story, your questions, and your concerns. To get the most out of your consultation, it helps to bring a few key items.
This includes any accident or incident reports, medical records, photos of injuries or the scene, contact info for witnesses, and correspondence from insurance companies. If you’ve kept a journal of your recovery or medical appointments, bring that too.
You don’t need everything figured out. Just bring what you have. Our team will walk you through the rest.
Speak With a Personal Injury Lawyer in Lee’s Summit
Foster Wallace is proud to serve the Lee’s Summit community with thoughtful, personalized legal advice. We don’t take every case. We take the ones that matter to real people who need real help.
You don’t have to guess what to do next. You don’t have to settle for less than what’s right. Our injury attorneys will fight for the full story of your case and the full recovery it deserves.
Call Foster Wallace today to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Lee’s Summit. We’ll leverage our 45 years of combined experience to deliver the respect, honesty, and attention your case deserves. Reach out for a free consultation.
