Personal Injury Lawyer in Kansas City, MO

The Law Offices of Edward A. Stump, LLC pursues injury claims on behalf of clients for medical bills, lost wages, diminished work capacity, and pain and suffering. Among the types of accidents that attorney Stump hands are the following:

• Auto Accident
• Motorcycle Accident
• Commercial Truck Accidents
• Workers Compensation Claims
• Medical Negligence
• Discrimination and Harassment
• Slip and Fall
• Defamation: Libel/Slander
• Property Dispute and Damage

Whether you're injured in a car accident or you slip while visiting a store, there are certain steps that you need to take for your physical and mental wellbeing, as well as to protect your case. Your priority is your safety and physical recovery, but it's also important that you take appropriate measures to protect your claim during negotiations or litigation.

• Ensure Your Personal Safety - If you're in a car accident, remain in the vehicle. If that's not safe, move cautiously to a safe location on the side of the road. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, don't get up and move from the ground unless you're sure that you won't exacerbate your injuries.
• Contact 911 - Call 911 and answer the dispatcher's questions. The dispatcher will determine whether you require police, fire rescue, an ambulance, or some combination. Stay on the line until they tell you that it's okay to hang up. They may need additional information from you prior to the arrival of rescue services.
• Identify Possible Witnesses - It's normal for witnesses to check on your safety, and then leave. If you're approached by potential witnesses, ask them what they saw. If they are a witness, try to get their contact information.
• Take Photos and Video - If you are able to use your phone to capture images and video of the scene and your surroundings, try to do so. Do not rely on security cameras or evidence that other witnesses collect. Make your own record of the incident.
• Cooperate With Rescue Workers - If EMTs want to check you for injuries or suggest a ride to the emergency room, you should agree to go. This will not hurt your case. The additional costs of the ambulance ride and the ER visit can be added to the total damages of your claim.
• Do Not Sign a Waiver of Liability - In some types of cases, a claims adjustor will respond right to the scene or to the hospital and offer to cut you a check right there. The amount may seem fair at the time, but when you realize the true cost of a personal injury accident, you will find that it's probably not enough to cover anything but your immediate expenses. Furthermore, they will want you to sign a waiver. DON'T. This will prevent you from pursuing further damages.
• Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Immediately - Once you've ensured that your medical needs are being tended to, you need to contact an attorney to go over your options regarding your potential claims. A personal injury attorney will review your case, tabulate your damages, and negotiate on your behalf. Because personal injury lawyers in Missouri work on a contingency basis, you will not be paying out for legal fees on an hourly basis but rather the attorney will get paid only if he obtains a settlement or judgment on your behalf.

All states have a statute of limitations for filing civil cases. Missouri is no exception. The day your accidental injury occurs, the clock starts ticking. The statute of limitations for most Missouri personal injury accidents is five years from the date of injury unless the injury wasn't discoverable until a later time or involves a wrongful death situation of medical negligence.

If you are in an accident due to the negligence of the city or one or more of their employees, you need to give the municipality notice of intent or potentiality of filing the lawsuit within 90 days of the injury. That does not give you and your attorney much time, so it's important to act immediately.

Some of the damages in a personal injury claim are fairly straightforward and are easy to calculate. Others require the skill of a seasoned personal injury lawyer to determine what the courts will accept as part of a comprehensive claim. This is a brief overview.

These costs are usually easy to calculate as long as you have access to the data. Monetary damages include things like the cost of a hospital stay, surgeries, followup appointments, physical therapy, medical tests, medication, lost wages from being out of work, vehicle damage, impound fees, and other property damage.

It's often difficult to determine the overreaching effects of an accident. How do you put a dollar amount on the pain caused by a moderate to severe injury or the loss of a limb? An experienced personal injury attorney has the ability to use comparative data to determine a dollar figure for the injuries that you have suffered. If the defendant objects to their figure, they can respond with case law and the opinions of expert witnesses. Noneconomic damages include compensatory and punitive.

If you've been injured in an accident, your first priority is to recover. At the Law Offices of Edward A. Stump, our first priority is to make sure you have the resources that you need to do it. Successfully representing hundreds of clients in the Kansas City area, attorney Edward Stump has the experience and knowledge to get you the settlement or award that you deserve. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.