How a Blue Springs Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You
If you were hurt, suffered financial damages, or lost a loved one in a Blue Springs, Missouri personal injury accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the party responsible for your losses. While you might expect the recovery process to be a simple matter handled through insurance, getting the damages you deserve can be difficult and often requires litigation. That's because insurance companies and their adjusters aren't looking out for your best interests. Their primary concern is keeping the company profitable, not ensuring claimants are fully and fairly compensated.
Seasoned injury lawyers – particularly those familiar with the tactics insurers use to reduce their financial obligation to claimants – can improve the chances for a positive outcome in your case. If you're looking for knowledgeable and aggressive legal representation and compassionate client support to help you navigate unfamiliar civil court procedures, you've found the right law firm.
Our Blue Springs Personal Injury Attorneys Are on Your Side
When you've been hurt because of another person or company's negligence, there's far too much at stake to go it alone. Fortunately, you don't have to. Foster Wallace, LLC is here to help. From our conveniently located law office in Kansas City, Missouri, attorneys Michael Foster and Brian Wallace serve clients from Blue Springs and throughout Kansas and the Show-Me State.
Cases We Handle
We assist our clients in resolving a wide range of personal injury matters. Here's an overview of the cases we accept.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Foster Wallace, LLC handles motor vehicle crash cases of all kinds, including car accidents, truck crashes, motorcycle wrecks, and pedestrian or bicycle accidents. These devastating events can have any number of causes, such as speeding, distracted driving, drunk or drugged driving, drowsy driving, reckless or aggressive driving, complicated roadways, and inexperienced or elderly drivers. Common injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents include bruises, lacerations, broken bones, head and brain injuries, back injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, internal injuries, and limb loss.
Premises Liability/Slips and Falls
Missouri law requires people who own, occupy, or control businesses, residences, and other properties to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of guests, patrons, vendors, and other lawful visitors. Slips and falls are the most well-known kind of premises liability case. Still, other examples include claims based on inadequate maintenance, defective conditions, insufficient security leading to injury or assault, theme park injuries, swimming pool accidents, and dog bites.
Injuries vary depending on the incident. For instance, back, head, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are common among slip and fall victims. In contrast, dog bite victims are more likely to suffer severe head, neck, and facial injuries that may result in permanent scarring or disfigurement.
Sports Injuries
Were you or your child hurt while competing in an athletic competition? If your injuries and damages were due to the negligence of a coach, sponsor, another player or participant, or a sports facility, you might be entitled to pursue a recovery. Foster Wallace can help you explore your options.
Nursing Home Neglect
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are supposed to be safe and caring places where our elderly and disabled loved ones can live comfortably. Sadly, insufficient funding and inadequate staffing can lead to neglect and abuse. If someone you love shows signs of nursing home abuse or neglect – such as dehydration, unexplained bruises, malnutrition, or untreated conditions – contact us immediately to discuss how we can help protect your vulnerable loved one.
Wrongful Death
Did your loved one die as a result of a car accident, truck crash, motorcycle wreck, slip and fall, or other personal injury accident they didn't cause? Missouri allows certain family members (the victim's surviving spouse, parents, children, or the children's descendants) to file a wrongful death claim to hold the responsible party accountable. Claimants in a wrongful death action may be able to recover compensation for their loved one's funeral and burial costs, final medical expenses, and the value of wages and benefits they would have earned in their lifetime. Relatives may also recover for the loss of the love, companionship, comfort, guidance, counsel, training, and support their loved one would have provided to the family.
Possible Damages in a Blue Springs Medical Personal Injury Case
Depending on the quality of the facts and evidence available in your case, your potential recovery could include compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages.
These are losses that have a specific monetary value. Examples include all related medical costs (including the cost of future care), repair or replacement costs for damaged property, wages lost while out of work recovering from your injuries, loss of earning potential/permanent disability if you can no longer work, out-of-pocket expenses, and other costs.
Non-economic damages.
Unlike economic damages, non-economic losses don't correspond to specific losses and, as a result, are more difficult to quantify. Examples include physical pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, scarring or disfigurement, reduced quality of life, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Factors That Can Affect Your Recovery
- The type and severity of your injuries
- Your financial losses
- Whether the injury results in permanent impairment or disability
- How long it takes you to recover from your injuries
- Whether you were partially responsible for the incident
- Insurance coverage and other resources
- The knowledge and skill of your personal injury attorneys
Our Blue Springs injury lawyers can review your case and discuss the damages and factors that may apply to your claim.
What to Do After an Accident
Knowing what to do – and what not to do – after you've been hurt can significantly affect the outcome of your personal injury claim. Here's what you can do to protect yourself and your case.
Report the accident.
If you were involved in a car crash, report it to law enforcement. However, if you slipped and fell in the grocery store, you would report the incident to a manager or supervisor.
Don't apologize.
Even a casual apology offered due to nervousness can come back to haunt you, as the defense will try to portray the apology as an admission of fault.
Gather evidence.
Take photos or videos of visible injuries or damages and the area where the accident occurred. Get contact information from witnesses and potential defendants.
Seek prompt medical care.
See a doctor as soon as possible, even if you don't feel seriously injured. Not all injuries are immediately apparent—and if you delay care, the defense will try to attribute your injuries to other causes.
Beware early offers.
Insurance adjusters may approach you with a settlement offer within days of an accident–before you know the full extent of your injuries and damages. Talk to an attorney before agreeing to anything.
Refuse the request for a recorded statement.
When the insurance company asks for a recorded statement, you don't have to provide one, nor should you. Insurers ask for a recording, hoping you'll misspeak and they'll be able to use your words against you in court. Don't risk it.
Consult and hire an attorney.
Don't try to navigate the civil court process on your own. Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you understand your legal rights and options.
