O’Connor Law Blog

A Kansas City personal injury lawyer knows how to get the full damages his or her client deserves for costs related to injuries.  Many people assume that if successful, they will be awarded compensation for medical costs, however there are many other costs to be considered.  It is important that you consult with an injury attorney before you speak with the insurance company, or take legal action on your own.

The fact is, a personal injury attorney in Kansas City will thoroughly review your case to determine all of the damages you may be eligible for.  For instance, you may be unable to work because of your injuries, which impacts your family’s life financially.  Depending on the nature of your injuries, additional medical treatment may be required in the coming months or even years.  This could mean that you will be unable to work again in the future.  Your attorney takes all of these things into consideration after talking with your doctor and other experts who may have insight into whether there will be further costs in the future.

While you may not believe you need a Kansas City personal injury attorney if you plan to work with the insurance company and obtain a settlement out of court, this is not the case.  Insurance companies rarely give the claimant the full damages he or she deserves unless the claimant has secured the legal services of a capable lawyer.  If you do have an attorney, you’re far more likely to receive the settlement you are entitled to, simply because the insurance company does not want to be taken to court.

In the majority of cases involving negligence, matters are settled outside of the courtroom.  However, if it is necessary to file a lawsuit, your Kansas City personal injury lawyer will fight hard for your rights, gathering evidence, filing the necessary documents, bringing in expert witnesses, and doing whatever it takes to ensure you are fairly compensated for what you have been through.  Injured victims aren’t usually aware of it, but failing to use a lawyer can mean serious financial issues down the road if you do not get the full compensation you deserve.

Before you do anything on your own, consult with a competent and caring Kansas City personal injury attorney, who can explain the process and the many advantages of having a lawyer on your side.  Your lawyer will collect no fees unless he or she recovers an award for you.

Kansas City personal injury lawyers not only represent clients injured in car accidents, but other types of negligent accidents as well – including slip and fall.  These types of accidents are fairly common, and usually caused by property owners’ negligence.  The result may be head, brain, or spinal cord injury, concussion, broken bones, paralysis, and soft tissue damage.  These are injuries which often require costly medical treatment, and you want the negligent party to pay.

While you might expect that the property owner would take responsibility for his or her negligent actions, this is usually not the case.  A seasoned Kansas City personal injury attorney knows that most likely, you will get the run around from the property owner’s insurance company.  They will try to place partial blame on you, deny the claim altogether, or do everything possible to delay payment.  This is why it is urgent that you consult with an injury lawyer, who can best determine how to proceed.

The fact is, you may be eligible for far more than medical costs alone.  In most cases, slip and fall victims may be compensated for medical expenses, along with lost wages and pain and suffering.  It’s also possible that you will be eligible for future income and medical costs as well, if your injuries are extensive and may require further medical treatment and/or rehabilitation.  Your Kansas City personal injury lawyer will review your case thoroughly, determine its value, and the best approach to take to ensure you are fully compensated, whether inside or outside the courtroom.

How were you injured, and who is responsible?  You may have slipped on a wet or freshly polished floor in a retail store, where there was no warning or caution sign exhibited.  In this scenario, it is likely that the owner of the establishment will be held accountable.  An experienced Kansas City personal injury attorney will know who to hold responsible for the compensation you deserve.

Property owners are responsible for keeping their premises safe and properly maintained.  When a potential risk or danger is present, they are also responsible for making sure any person who may come onto the property is properly cautioned or warned.  Unfortunately, negligent accidents happen every day.  If you have sustained injuries due to a slip and fall accident, contact a capable injury lawyer today.  Without skilled legal counsel, it is doubtful you will be fully compensated for your injuries.

Regardless of how you sustained injury, if it was caused by the negligence or misconduct of another person or party it is greatly to your advantage to seek the support and guidance of a skilled Kansas City personal injury lawyer.  True, you are the one who was injured – but that does not mean that it will be easy to secure the damages you deserve.  Quite the opposite, in fact.

Insurance companies are not easy to deal with.  While you might expect the responsible party and his/her insurance company would offer you a fair settlement, it’s simply not the case.  In fact, insurance companies work to lower the value of your claim, or deny it altogether.  Agents are taught to protect the insurance company’s interests, and will use tactics such as trying to place partial blame for your injuries on you. A Kansas City personal injury attorney is skilled at negotiating with insurance companies, and getting the full damages you deserve.  Most insurance companies do not want to have a lawsuit filed against them, and are far more willing to cooperate when an injury lawyer is involved.

Even if you decide to file a lawsuit from the get-go, it’s important to have a talented personal injury lawyer in Kansas City on your side.  While you are the victim, it is up to you and your attorney to prove your injuries were caused due to negligence on the part of the defendant.  This isn’t always easy, or cut and dried.  Your lawyer will gather crucial evidence, medical and police reports, even consult with experts who can testify on your behalf.  All of the necessary documents will be filed in a timely manner as well.  In addition, your attorney can analyze the situation and determine the monetary value of your claim.

Without benefit of a competent Kansas City personal injury attorney, it is doubtful that you will get the full compensation you deserve for costs associated with your injuries.  These costs may include not only medical/doctor bills, but lost wages, even future income or medical expense due to long-term treatment or disability.  You may be eligible for pain and suffering as well.  Without fair compensation, many injury victims find they face substantial financial difficulty following their injuries.

If you fear that you simply cannot afford to file a lawsuit or hire an attorney, you will be relieved to know that most work on a contingency fee basis.  This means that your Kansas City personal injury lawyer will not be paid unless he or she recovers a monetary award for you.  Once you have been awarded damages, you will then pay attorney fees so you don’t face out-of-pocket expense you cannot afford.  If you have been injured due to someone else’s careless or negligent actions, hire a lawyer – it’s the smart thing to do.

Being injured because of someone else’s negligence can turn your life upside down.  No matter how you sustained your injuries, the medical costs can be enormous – and if you cannot work, the financial impact to your life can be devastating.  An experienced Kansas City personal injury attorney will work to help ensure you are not unfairly taken advantage of by the responsible party and their insurance company.

You may assume that you only need to hire a personal injury lawyer in Kansas City if you intend to file a lawsuit, however this is not actually the case.  Having an attorney on your side can help greatly when negotiating with the insurance company.  These companies often try to de-value claims in order to limit the money they pay out to injured victims.  Agents are trained to use a variety of tactics to avoid paying out the full compensation you deserve.  However, when you have an injury lawyer in your corner, the insurance company is far more likely to offer you a fair settlement simply to avoid a lawsuit.

Should it become necessary to take the negligent party/individual to court, you definitely want to have the expertise and skill of a seasoned Kansas City personal injury lawyer behind you.  As the plaintiff, you have the burden of proving the defendant’s responsibility for costs associated with your injuries.  The defendant is ultimately innocent until you and your attorney provide the evidence or proof that the defendant should be held liable.  This is not easy to accomplish on your own; your attorney will know exactly how to proceed, when certain documents must be filed, and other details which are essential to obtaining a good outcome.

Ultimately, your Kansas City personal injury attorney can handle all of the legalities so that you can focus on healing.  From collecting and reviewing evidence to analyzing police reports, videos, or other documents, your lawyer will work diligently to ensure you are fully compensated for costs related to your injuries.  These damages may include medical costs, lost or in some cases future wages, property repair or replacement, pain and suffering, and more.

Why risk getting only a fraction of what you really deserve?  Since most injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, you have nothing to lose.  Contact a highly qualified Kansas City personal injury lawyer early on, and eliminate much of the stress of trying to get what is rightfully yours.

A Kansas City personal injury lawyer is your biggest ally when you’ve sustained serious injuries in any type of auto accident or other accident caused by someone else’s negligence.  Contrary to popular belief and ads you see on television, most injury attorneys are not “ambulance chasers,” and do not get paid unless his or her client gets paid.  How does a lawyer help his client, and what all does he do to help those who are injured?  Here is a brief overview of what you can expect when you hire a personal injury attorney in Kansas City.

First of all, when you consult with a lawyer he or she will assess whether you do indeed have a viable claim.  Your attorney will know if your claim is worth pursuing, or if it may be considered frivolous or weak.  In addition, your lawyer will have past experience with cases similar to yours, so he or she will be able to give you a good idea of the results you may expect.

Next, an experienced Kansas City personal injury attorney will be able to determine how much your claim is worth, and the range of compensation you may be awarded according to past cases.  Your lawyer works with judges and juries every day in your local jurisdiction, and is familiar with the financial damages typically awarded in such cases.

Whether you suffered a brain injury, burns or explosion injuries, bicycle accidents, construction accidents or injuries, motorcycle accident, or any other type of serious injury such as nursing home abuse or wrongful death.

Personal injury lawsuits frequently take weeks, months or even longer to reach settlement.  If your Kansas City injury lawyer has years of experience, he or she may not be able to give you an exact answer as to how long it will take to reach conclusion, but will be able to give you a realistic estimate of the time it will take so that you can determine whether you want to pursue your claim in court.

Most of the time, Kansas City personal injury lawyers will advise an injured individual not to accept a settlement offer from the negligent party or his/her insurance company without first reviewing it with an attorney.  Insurance companies often under value claims, and do not offer an injured victim the full damages he or she is entitled to.

If you do decide to file a lawsuit, your lawyer will work to build a strong, effective case on your behalf.  As the injured party, it is up to you and your Kansas City personal injury attorney to prove that the defendant is guilty, and did in fact cause your injuries.  Your attorney will investigate the accident, review police and medical reports, collect evidence, interview potential eyewitnesses, talk to police and leave no stone unturned in his or her effort to win your case and get the full compensation you deserve.

Most people know that Kansas City personal injury attorneys work to obtain fair compensation for their clients, but that is about all they know about the process.  Car and motorcycle accidents, defective products, slip and fall accidents or even nursing home negligence can leave victims with serious injuries.  While you know there will be medical bills for treatment of your injuries, you may not realize just how far-reaching the expense related to an accident can be.  A personal injury lawyer in Kansas City will work to determine the extent of the financial damage, then pursue fair compensation for the injured victim.

Other than the obvious medical costs, experienced lawyers know that victims of negligence often face other costs which can negatively impact their lives.  Lost wages if you are unable to work, the expense of having your property repaired if it was damaged in the accident, pain and suffering, even future medical costs for further medical treatment that may become necessary.  Your Kansas City personal injury attorney will take all of these things into consideration when working to determine the value of your claim.

In addition, your lawyer will enlighten you about how personal injury claims work.  Most Kansas City personal injury lawyers will settle your claim out of court by negotiating with the defendant and his/her insurance company.  However, if it becomes necessary to proceed to court and file a lawsuit, your attorney will explain the process so that you understand what to expect.  He or she will investigate the accident, gather records and evidence which may include medical reports, police reports and proof of your medical expenses and more so substantiate your claim.

Whether you have been the victim of a catastrophic brain injury, you have an elder that experienced nursing home abuse, you or a family member were the victim of burns or explosion injuries or other incidents; we can help.  There are a wide array of personal injury cases including construction accidents or fatalities, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, and then extremely serious cases such as wrongful death claims in Kansas City.

A skilled personal injury attorney in Kansas City will go much further than that, though.  Your claim will be investigated as your attorney analyzes photographs, physical evidence and witness statements.  Past medical records may be examined so that your attorney understands your medical condition, and specific reports may be requested from experts so make for a strong, solid case.  Your lawyer will also review your own health insurance coverage or government based benefit plan to determine the portion of medical costs that you may be responsible for in order to seek that amount from the responsible party.

Most importantly, a Kansas City personal injury lawyer goes to whatever lengths necessary to ensure you are fairly compensated for costs associated with your injuries.  Before you ever speak with the insurance company, be sure to have capable legal counsel on your side.  It is critical that your legal rights are protected, and that you have an attorney who is aggressive, skilled and dedicated to seeking the full damages you deserve so that you can avoid financial issues and possibly bankruptcy in the future.

When you suffer injuries after a slip-and-fall accident caused by property owner negligence, a Kansas City personal injury attorney will protect your legal rights and pursue justice.  These types of accidents often result in permanent back injuries, bone fractures, broken hips and even head injuries.  Property owners must maintain their properties so that anyone who comes on to it is safe; unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Kansas City personal injury lawyers work to hold negligent property owners accountable when someone is injured because of dangerous conditions.  When a retail store floor is mopped or polished but no signs are displayed warning of the potential danger, a victim may have a claim depending upon the seriousness of his or her injuries.  Perhaps you fell after slipping on loose or torn carpeting, or on steps or stairs that were in disrepair.  Regardless of the circumstances, if there are no warning signs posted and you sustain injury, you can file a lawsuit.

Most of the time these issues are settled out of court; however, when negotiating with the responsible party’s insurance company does not result in a fair settlement, your Kansas City personal injury lawyer will not hesitate to take your claim to court.  Insurance companies tend to under-value victims’ claims, meaning you will likely not be given the full compensation you are entitled to.  When this happens, your attorney will fight for the full damages in a lawsuit which may include lost wages, medical costs, future income if you will not be able to work for an extended period of time, pain and suffering and more.

Kansas City personal injury attorneys do far more than simply representing you in court.  Your lawyer will investigate immediately so that evidence of the property owner’s negligence is preserved.  Whether you slipped and fell at a shopping center, apartment building, on a parking lot or even at a neighbor’s house, you deserve to be compensated for the damages.  Otherwise, you may find yourself in a serious financial situation due to skyrocketing medical costs and lost income.

Your lawyer will work diligently to collect all of the information necessary to prove your case, so that you are awarded the full damages you deserve.  Part of his or her job may involve documenting witness statements, checking for code violations, reviewing footage captured on security cameras and even taking photos.  The fact is that without a capable Kansas City slip and fall injury attorney, you may not get the full compensation you deserve, which could mean financial trouble in the near future.  Don’t let the insurance company win; contact a talented lawyer today.