Nobody plans for injuries. If you were involved in an unforeseen accident, it can be challenging to figure out the right steps to take—especially when someone else was at fault.
In these situations, the first thing you should do is take care of yourself. Seek immediate medical attention for any injuries that occurred. This is, first and foremost, to ensure your health and safety, but the records will also be important for any legal claims that follow.
After you receive medical attention, you need to contact a personal injury attorney in Kansas City. Only an attorney who specializes in personal injury cases will be able to obtain fair compensation for your case.
Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader is the trusted name for personal injury law in Kansas City. Our attorneys deliver the answers, accountability, and justice for victims of catastrophic accidents in Kansas City.
If you or a loved one was involved in an accident and you’re not sure what to do next, the best course of action is to schedule a consultation with our personal injury lawyers.
In this blog, our personal injury attorneys in Kansas City explain what you can expect from working with a personal injury lawyer.
Why You Need Legal Representation
Personal injury cases can be highly complex. Between long-term medical bills and non-economic damages (like pain and suffering), it is nearly impossible to determine the value of a case without an experienced personal injury attorney.
Unfortunately, insurance companies will do everything they can to pay less than a claim is worth. Because of this, they won’t take claims seriously unless the claimant is represented by an attorney who regularly handles personal injury matters.
It’s not enough just to have an attorney. An attorney without experience in complex personal injury cases will have no basis or point of reference to evaluate a case, and the insurance company will take advantage of this. Only a personal injury attorney with extensive experience in these claims is qualified to take on these cases.
What Personal Injury Attorneys Provide
When you work with a qualified personal injury attorney in Kansas City, they will understand how to handle complex litigation. Complex litigation is more technically challenging than simple personal injury claims.
A simple personal injury claim is something with finite, limited injuries. For example, this might include a small fender bender accident. While these cases are still vitally important, the value is limited because the damages are limited (injuries, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.).
On the other hand, if a person suffers a catastrophic injury where hundreds, thousands, or millions of dollars are at stake, these cases become highly complex. More evidence must be gathered, more aspects of the case will need to be proven, and most importantly, there are more ways that the defense will try to defend the claim.
This makes it significantly more challenging to obtain a fair and reasonable recovery. For attorneys who do not handle this type of work frequently, it’s very difficult for them to know how to overcome these obstacles and have success for their clients.
The Process of Working With BFRR
We know the thought of legal proceedings can be overwhelming, but our skilled attorneys are here to support you every step of the way. Here’s what you can expect when you partner with our firm.
1. Intake
If you think you might have a personal injury case, the first step is to contact our office. We will gather some initial information from you and schedule an appointment for you to meet with our Kansas City personal injury lawyers.
2. Consultation
We will personally meet with you to discuss your situation and the reasons that led you to contact our office. We will learn more about you and discuss what we are setting out to do on your behalf.
3. Investigation (Phase 1)
The first thing we will do is gather all the evidence of your case. This includes requesting all records and documentation of the event—medical records, police reports, incident reports, ambulance records, etc. Depending on the event that occurred, your personal injury attorney in Kansas City may go to the scene of the accident to gather physical evidence for your case.
4. Investigation (Phase 2)
After we’ve gathered and evaluated the evidence of the case, we involve experts to help us answer the questions of what happened and why. Every case requires different types of experts depending on the situation.
We may involve neurosurgeons, obstetricians, amusement park experts, safety and warning experts, daycare experts, insurance adjusters, biomechanical engineers, truck drivers, or any other individual with the specialized knowledge we need for your case.
Cases We Handle
Our firm has handled complex cases with resounding success for over 40 years. Hard work, dedication, and honesty are the pillars of our success. We routinely handle cases of:
Medical Malpractice
Definition: When a healthcare provider or medical facility fails to provide care that meets proper standards, which results in injury or death to the patient.
Unfortunately, medical errors are more common than you might think. Studies show that they are the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Medical malpractice cases can involve:
- Birth injury
- A missed diagnosis
- Failure to treat a known condition
- Delayed diagnosis
- Surgical error
- Failure to inform patients of risks, benefits, and alternatives
Car Accidents
Definition: When a person has been injured in a car accident due to the negligence or recklessness of another driver.
Due to the number of cars on the road and increasing distractions for drivers, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in the United States.
Car accident cases can involve injuries that result from:
- An impaired driver
- A driver who is speeding or acting recklessly
- A distracted driver
- A driver who violated traffic laws
Other Transportation Accidents
Unfortunately, no method of transportation is 100% safe. We’ve handled cases from nearly every type of transportation accident, including:
- Boating accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Commercial transportation accidents
- Trucking accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Train accidents
Premise and Product Liability
Definition: When a manufacturer or property owner fails to ensure safe properties and products, resulting in injury.
Product liability cases can involve:
- Flawed design of a product
- Flawed manufacturing of a product
- Defective parts
- Failure to complete proper maintenance
Premise liability cases can involve:
- Failure to ensure safe grounds
- Failure to complete maintenance
- Improperly addressing hazards
Workplace Injuries
Definition: When an employee is injured while performing job duties due to negligent or wrongful actions of their employer.
Workplace injuries can involve:
- Unsafe working conditions
- Failure to follow safety protocols
- Defective equipment or machinery
- Exposure to harmful substances
- Electrical shocks or burns
Amusement Park Accidents
Definition: When an amusement park patron sustains an injury due to negligence in the design, operation, or maintenance of the equipment.
While theme park accidents don’t happen often, they can end in catastrophic injuries. Amusement park accidents can be the result of:
- Inadequate restraints
- Inadequate operator training
- A failure to fix known issues
- Mechanical malfunctions
- Poor structural integrity
- Flawed design
What to Do if You’re Involved in an Accident
Experiencing (or witnessing) an accident can be very frightening. It’s important to stay calm as you follow these steps:
1. Remove Yourself From Danger and Seek Medical Attention
Even if you think your injuries aren’t severe, it’s critical to seek medical attention. It’s possible you have internal injuries that are not immediately obvious. Medical documentation will be essential if you need to pursue a case.
2. Report the Incident
It’s important to report the incident to someone who will document it. This might be a police officer, a facility owner, or someone else depending on where the incident took place.
3. Gather Evidence
If possible, take photographs of the area and anything that contributed to the accident.
4. Collect Eye Witnesses
Take down the names and phone numbers of individuals who witnessed the accident. This can be extremely helpful later in your case.
5. Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Kansas City
The most important thing you can do after an accident is to contact a qualified lawyer to handle your case. They can help you navigate the process to protect yourself and your rights.
Contact Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader When You Need a Personal Injury Attorney in Kansas City
The lawyers at Bartimus Frickleton Robertson Rader understand that your case is your only case. When we represent a client or a family after a catastrophic event, we devote the time, resources, and experience for the best possible result.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact our personal injury firm in Kansas City for a consultation at no cost.
The above is not intended to be legal advice. Each individual case is different and must be analyzed on its own set of facts and circumstances. If you believe you may have a case, it is critically important that you timely contact a lawyer to ensure your rights are protected.
