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Car Accident Lawyers in Kansas City, MO, Maximizing Compensation for Our Clients
We Know That Auto Accidents Can Be Devastating. If you have been hurt in a car accident, you’re probably in pain, under stress, and dealing with a lot of unanswered questions. You’re likely concerned about paying your medical bills, recovering lost wages, dealing with an insurance adjuster who keeps calling, and a whole host of other issues. While these may seem unavoidable, they’re really just distractions preventing you from healing. With a car accident lawyer in Kansas City, MO, on your side, you can stop worrying about these burdens and focus on your physical and mental well-being.
At Mohlman Gurney Injury Law, our personal injury attorneys have decades of combined experience advocating for clients who need it the most. We understand that this may be the first time you’ve ever been faced with such an extraordinary set of circumstances, and you may not know what to do next or who to turn to. Our goal is to help you navigate complex legal waters so you can get your life back as quickly as possible. We advocate for our clients so that their voices are heard, and we offer free case evaluations so you can understand your situation without paying out of pocket. Contact us today to learn how we can help.
How Does Liability Work in Kansas City Car Accidents?
When you’re injured in an auto collision, the success or failure of your car accident claim relies on proving liability. Every driver on the road has a duty of care to others. This means they must practice safe driving to avoid potentially injuring others. When they fail in this duty and cause serious injuries or other damages, they can face liability and often must provide financial compensation. Of course, liability laws can vary by state. In any Kansas City personal injury case, the courts will use the system of comparative negligence to decide who is at fault for an accident and how much compensation they must pay.
As indicated by the name, comparative negligence involves comparing the negligence of all parties involved in a case. Imagine for a moment that you’re speeding down an interstate and colliding with another driver who ran an intersection’s red light. A jury may feel that the other driver is mostly at fault, but they might also believe that you were 10% liable for the accident as well. In this situation, the court award in your car accident case would be reduced by 10%. This means that—if you’re awarded $1 million in compensation—you’ll actually receive $900,000. Of course, this is still significant—so you should never let partial fault on your part stop you from speaking to a personal injury law firm.
Speaking with a car accident lawyer following a collision is also important to help identify all negligent parties. For instance, imagine you’re driving down the road when another vehicle suddenly enters your lane and runs you into the median. It seems obvious that your personal injury is the result of the driver’s negligence, but what if it turns out they entered your lane to avoid a massive pothole the city hadn’t fixed in months? In such a situation, the city government may also hold some level of fault for your car accident injuries. This showcases just how complex liability can be in Kansas City personal injury cases, so don’t hesitate to seek legal advice today.
What Most Frequently Leads to Auto Accidents?
Recently, Missouri experienced more traffic fatalities than in any year since 2007. That same year, more pedestrians were killed by automobiles than at any other time in the state’s history. What makes this even more disheartening is that these increases occurred during a time when traffic volumes were actually declining. Understanding the most common causes of such accidents can help you better safeguard yourself on the road, but it also showcases just how many of these incidents are caused by someone else’s negligence. These include:
- Aggressive driving
- Fatigue
- Obstructions in road
- Distracted driving
- Failing to stop or yield
- Reckless driving
- Speeding
- Drunk driving
- Weather
This list is certainly extensive, but it’s not necessarily exhaustive. The injured clients we work with at Mohlman Gurney Injury Law have suffered harm due to just about every negligent act you could envision. If you’ve been hurt in such an incident—even if you’re unsure of who’s at fault or an officer didn’t assign blame in their report—a car accident lawyer in Kansas City, MO, can help you figure out how to move forward. You have a right to recover compensation for any injuries caused by negligent drivers. A personal injury attorney at Mohlman Gurney Injury Law can help.
Common Injuries After Car Crashes
If you’ve been involved in a Kansas City car accident, you’ll hopefully walk away with no injuries. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. In fact, four people are injured in car collisions every minute in America. Most such injuries are minor—although this doesn’t mean they can’t have a significant effect on a person’s life. Imagine a concert pianist who sustained nothing more than a fractured pinkie. Such a minor injury could still result in a significant loss of earnings for this individual. Of course, other forms of physical harm can be detrimental to anyone. These are some of the common injuries we’ve seen after Kansas City car accidents:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injury
- Whiplash
- Burn injuries
- Internal damage
- Back injuries
This is just a small sampling of injuries that befall car accident victims. Unfortunately, these can lead to significant medical expenses, lost time at work, the need for ongoing treatment, and other losses. Additionally, not all damages are physical in nature. Personal injury lawyers are often able to secure full compensation for non-economic damages as well. These could include emotional distress and even reimbursement for pain and suffering. The simple fact is that a Kansas City car accident can cause significant disruption to your and your family’s life. You shouldn’t have to face such a personal and financial burden on your own. We can help.
What are Punitive Damages?
When you’re injured in an auto accident, liable parties typically have to pay compensatory damages. These are meant to compensate an individual for the losses they sustained in the accident. As discussed in the previous section, these damages won’t always be related to monetary losses. While you certainly can recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other economic difficulties, it’s also possible that non-economic losses may be included in your settlement or court award (e.g., loss of consortium, chronic pain). However, there are also rare instances where maximum recovery may include punitive damages.
Punitive damages are a form of compensation that exceed normal compensatory damages. They’re essentially meant to punish the at-fault party for gross negligence, severe recklessness, wanton actions, or other extremely harmful behaviors. The goal is to dissuade the liable party from engaging in any similar conduct in the future. Such damages are often applied in cases involving drunk drivers, vehicular assault, and distracted driving. Insurance adjusters won’t include such compensation in an insurance claim, so speaking with an auto accident attorney in Kansas City, Missouri, will likely be in your best interest.
Do I Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
A few things happen with injury victims after being involved in car accidents. First, they start remembering the commercials of every Kansas City law firm they’ve ever seen. This is because they initially recognize the need for legal representation. At some point, however, they’ll also wonder if they need to work with personal injury lawyers at all. This typically happens once insurance company adjusters start calling them to offer a settlement. During these conversations, the adjuster will act very concerned about your well-being. Unfortunately, this is merely part of a strategy to convince you to accept a low offer.
This is one of the primary reasons you should speak with a Kansas City car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Yes, even before insurance companies start reaching out. In nearly every situation, auto insurers like Allstate, State Farm, American Family, Progressive, Farmers, GEICO, Travelers, AAA, Farm Bureau, and others will work to delay, deny, and aggressively “defend” themselves against an injury claim. When car accident victims have an attorney on their side, though, insurers recognize that their typical lowball strategies won’t work. This can help you get a fair settlement offer from the start.
Additionally, an experienced attorney with a background in litigation can prove even more invaluable. While there’s a good chance your personal injury accident claim will settle without a trial—as most do—the possibility also exists that an insurer won’t offer fair compensation. This frequently happens when the potential settlement would be considerably large due to serious injuries or wrongful death claims. In such a situation, you don’t want to sit across the aisle from experienced insurance company lawyers on your own. Let our Kansas City attorneys handle your car accident claim so you can move on with your life.
Let Experienced Car Accident Lawyers in Kansas City, MO Handle Your Case
A car accident can leave injured victims wondering how to go forward. You may be unsure how you’ll afford your medical bills, or you could face even bigger concerns due to catastrophic injuries. Regardless of your specific circumstances, a Kansas City personal injury attorney may be able to help. At Mohlman Gurney Injury Law, we will deal with the insurance company. Our priority is to make sure they get the information they need but keep them from invading your privacy. If we get involved in your case, you will deal with us, and we will deal with everyone else. And if an adjuster does not pay your insurance claim, we will fight to hold them accountable at trial.
With a car accident attorney on your side, you can focus on healing. Our goal is to help you recover compensation so you can continue with your life. We understand your concerns, and that’s exactly why we offer free consultations to all prospective clients. We want you to understand your rights and the potential for maximum recovery, but we also want you to be able to judge whether we’re the law firm for you. And since we work on a contingency fee basis, you won’t pay a dime unless we secure the compensation you deserve. Contact us today by calling (816) 648-6000. With our car accident lawyers in Kansas City, MO, on your side, you’ll be better prepared to hold negligent parties accountable.
