Life after a catastrophic injury often brings major physical, emotional, and financial challenges. You may go through long hospital stays, ongoing treatments, and a painful recovery. Many people lose mobility or independence and require assistive devices or home modifications.
Your injuries might keep you from working and supporting your family, adding financial strain. If your accident and injury happened because of the actions of another person, you deserve compensation. Our catastrophic injury lawyers in Blue Springs will help.
Our team has recovered millions of dollars in awards and settlements for injured accident victims. Call Kevin McManus Law today for your free consultation and find out how our Blue Springs personal injury lawyers will get you the results you deserve.
What Is a Catastrophic Injury?
A catastrophic injury is a serious, life–changing injury that often leads to long-term or permanent disability. These injuries affect your ability to work, care for yourself, or enjoy the life you had before. They usually require extensive and ongoing medical care.
Examples include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Severe burns
- Amputations
- Major fractures
- Organ damage
- Loss of sight or hearing
There are benefits to hiring an attorney for your personal injury case, especially when your injury has serious potential complications. Our catastrophic injury attorneys in Blue Springs will work to get maximum compensation that covers your present and future hardships.
Get the compensation you deserve with trusted legal guidance.
How Our Attorneys Will Help With Your Catastrophic Injury
To prove liability in your catastrophic injury case, our team will show that another party acted carelessly or failed to act when they should have. We must also prove that their actions directly caused your injury and that the injury led to significant harm.
Some of the actions our catastrophic injury attorneys will take in your case could include:
- We will investigate the cause of your injury and identify all potentially liable parties.
- Our team will gather evidence and consult with medical experts to understand the full extent of your injuries and your future challenges.
- We’ll calculate current and future costs related to your injury, such as medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, ongoing treatments, and pain and suffering.
- We’ll file your claim and deal with insurance companies, working toward a fair settlement offer for your accident injury that completely covers your damages.
- If the insurers are unwilling to agree to the settlement you deserve, our catastrophic personal injury lawyers in Blue Springs will file a lawsuit and represent you in court.
Compensation in Catastrophic Injury Cases
In Missouri, you may be able to recover compensation for both the financial and personal impact of your injury in the form of economic and non-economic damages. Our Blue Springs catastrophic injury lawyers will work to make sure all of your losses are completely represented.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the measurable financial losses you’ve suffered. They may include:
- Medical bills, both past and future
- Lost income and loss of future earning ability
- Costs for home modifications, mobility aids, or in-home care
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are compensation for the intangible effects of an injury, such as:
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship or support in wrongful death cases
Punitive Damages
In rare cases, you may be able to recover punitive damages. Under Missouri law, punitive damages are not meant to compensate you; they’re meant to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar behavior in the future.
To receive them, you must show that the defendant acted with intentional misconduct, malice, or reckless disregard for the safety of others.
Statute of Limitations for a Catastrophic Injury Claim
According to Missouri Revised Statutes § 516.120, the standard statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is five years from the date the injury occurred. However, several important exceptions can shorten or extend this time limit:
- For medical malpractice, the time limit is usually two years from the negligent act or discovery of injury, but no claim can be filed more than ten years after the alleged negligence.
- If the injured person is under 18, the statute of limitations for most claims is paused until they turn 21. This means they generally have five years from their 21st birthday to file, or until their 26th birthday. (For medical malpractice claims, the deadline is their 20th birthday.)
- If the injury was not immediately discoverable, Missouri allows for a discovery rule. This means the statute of limitations may begin when the injury is discovered or should have been discovered.
- In cases where a defendant intentionally hides their wrongdoing, the statute of limitations may begin when the concealment is uncovered, not when the injury occurred.
It’s important to act quickly and speak with a lawyer as soon as possible after a serious injury. If you miss the window for filing a claim, you could lose your legal standing.
We’ll help you appeal and secure your rightful benefits.
Talk to a Catastrophic Injury Attorney in Blue Springs
A catastrophic injury can mean long-term disability and rehabilitation, or it can change your life forever. You know the accident wasn’t your fault, but it’s tough to make sense of your options while you’re recovering, especially when insurance companies don’t seem willing to help.
Fortunately, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our catastrophic injury attorneys in Blue Springs will handle your claim, hold liable parties or their insurers responsible, and take your case to court if need be. Our goal is to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.
Our team at Kevin McManus Law is on your side, and we have more than 60 years of combined legal experience protecting the rights of people like you. Call today for your free consultation if you are searching for a “catastrophic injury lawyer near me.”
