After suffering a serious injury, you have the right to compensation if another party’s negligent actions caused your damages. However, making them pay could prove more challenging than expected. With help from an experienced personal injury lawyer of Lake of the Ozarks, MO, at Kirsch & Kirsch, you can pursue compensation. Call us for a free consultation today to find out what is next for your case.
How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer
In many cases, it’s best to get a recommendation from a friend or family member who used a personal injury lawyer. They can share their experience on how their case went, giving you an honest opinion. If you do not have a personal recommendation, there are several things you can consider when choosing a personal injury lawyer. The best thing you can do is ask questions when you speak with a potential law firm. You will want to ask about their experience in trying personal injury cases, along with their success rate.
You should discuss the law firm’s fees for handling your case. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means there is no upfront cost to hire a lawyer, and their fee will come from any settlement you may receive at the end of your trial. The average contingency fee is 25% to 40% of the settlement amount. Since the law firm directly benefits from the amount you win in your case, this encourages the attorneys to fight for maximum financial compensation.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
The lawyers at Kirsch & Kirsch Attorneys at Law focus on a wide array of personal injury cases, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Slips and falls
- Dog bites
- Motorcycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Bicycle accidents
- Work injuries
- Wrongful death
How Do I Know If I Have an Injury Claim in Lake Ozark, MO
For your claim to be successful, you need to prove that another party is negligently responsible for your injuries or damages. To win an injury claim in Lake Ozark, you must prove the following:
- Someone owed you reasonable care
- The party breached that duty of care
- That breach resulted in your accident
- You suffered financial damages due to the accident
The last piece is the most crucial in a personal injury claim. You cannot make a financial recovery if you do not lose money from the injury. Financial loss occurs if you were unable to work while you recovered from the injury or attended physical therapy appointments.
Types of Liability and Negligence in Lake Ozark, MO, Injury Claims.
The lawyers at Kirsch & Kirsch have great success in getting compensation for many types of personal injury claims, including:
- Gross negligence: Gross negligence is when a person shows reckless and severe disregard for the safety of another person.
- Ordinary negligence: Ordinary negligence is when a person fails to take reasonable precautions that any right-thinking person would take, and harm is caused to another person due to their actions.
- Negligent entrustment: Negligent entrustment is when one party allows a second party to use a device or do something when they know the other party is not capable of doing so.
- Vicarious liability: Vicarious liability is when someone in a supervisory position is held liable when people under them do something negligent.
- Strict liability: Certain types of claims state that an individual or an organization will automatically be liable for your injuries, no matter their intent or disregard for safety.
- Third-party liability: Third-party liability is when you hold someone besides your employer liable in a worker’s compensation claim, such as the manufacturer of a dangerous product that injured you while working.
Ozarks Personal Injury FAQ
Can a Lake of the Ozarks Personal Injury Lawyer Maximize My Claim?
Personal injury lawyers are experienced in dealing with many types of cases. Lawyers are trained to gather required information, examine the evidence collected in the case, and speak with eyewitnesses who can help with your claim so that they may maximize the compensation you can receive.
Why Hire a Personal Injury Attorney After an Accident or Wrongful Death in Missouri?
It is not legally required to hire a personal injury attorney after you have been in an accident. Still, filing a lawsuit and understanding legal jargon can be overwhelming for anyone, especially at a time when you may be injured, out of work, and already stressed. Your lawyer has your best interests in mind and will negotiate on your behalf in settlement discussions. You have the ultimate say in what you decide to do or accept, but a lawyer will keep you informed on how your decision will affect your compensation settlement.
How Long Does a Personal Injury Lawsuit Take in Lake Ozark, MO?
If you or a loved one have suffered a personal injury in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, you may wonder how long a personal injury claim could take to be resolved. There are many factors in determining how long your case may be from start to finish. However, the average is one to two years for your claim to go from pretrial to trial.
If the caseload in Missouri courts is heavier than usual, this will lengthen the time it takes for your case to go to trial. At that point, the discovery process will begin. During the discovery process, both parties—along with their lawyers—would have the opportunity to investigate the claims made by the other party. Afterward, both sides will have the chance to argue before the court, and a judge or jury will have the final say in the matter.
How Do I Find the Right Lake Ozark, MO, Personal Injury Lawyer For My Case?
When a victim has experienced an injury or incurred damages in an accident, a personal injury lawyer is there to help them throughout their claim process. There are many lawyers in the Lake of the Ozarks area that work with personal injury claims. A quick online search for personal injury lawyers can be overwhelming with the number of suggestions that appear. It is essential to do your research and find an experienced personal injury lawyer who specializes in cases similar to yours.
How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Lawsuit in Lake of the Ozarks, MO?
When it comes to filing a personal injury lawsuit, each state has its own requirements and sets a statute of limitations that dictates when the lawsuit must be filed. In the state of Missouri, you have five years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. If you miss the five-year statute of limitations, you may be barred from filing. The statute of limitations is put in place to preserve the integrity of witness testimony and evidence that has the potential to break down over time or for the memory of individuals to fade.
In addition, the statute of limitations in Missouri will vary based on what type of case you’re bringing, where the injury occurred, and who you are suing. Given the circumstances of your case, you want to be sure to give yourself plenty of time to find a lawyer and begin the lawsuit process. The lawyers at Kirsch & Kirsch can help you.
Contact Our Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys in Lake of the Ozark, MO, Today
Whether you are dealing with a personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, or motor vehicle accident, an experienced attorney at Kirsch & Kirsch has the experience you need to fight for your case. Call us today or fill out our contact form for a consultation to discuss how we can represent you in your personal injury claim.