Columbia Personal Injury Lawyer

Common Injuries Victims Sustain in Missouri Accidents

People are injured every day in Columbia and throughout the state of Missouri in different types of accidents caused by some form of negligence. It doesn’t matter if you’re walking down the street, going to the grocery store, or just sitting in your home; you’re always at risk for an injury.

Some of the most common personal injuries that occur in Columbia include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries are one of the most common personal injuries that occur in Columbia. These injuries can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can vary widely depending on the severity of the damage. They can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, changes in mood or behavior, and difficulty concentrating.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries are some of the most debilitating and life-altering injuries a person can suffer. They can cause loss of sensation and movement and, in some cases, even death. If you suffer a spinal cord injury, you must get medical help immediately. You can do many things to prevent a spinal cord injury, such as always wearing a seat belt when you drive and using caution when playing sports.

Soft Tissue Injuries

One of the most common types of injuries that occur in Columbia is soft tissue injuries, which can occur as a result of a fall, car accident, or sports injury. Soft tissue injuries are typically caused by an impact on the body and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, bruising, and limited movement. If you have sustained a soft tissue injury, it is vital to seek medical attention right away. Treatment may include rest, ice packs, and pain medication. Surgery may be required, depending on the injury.

Whiplash

Whiplash is one of the most common personal injuries that occur in Columbia. It’s caused when the head is suddenly jerked backward and forwards, typically as a result of being in a car accident. Symptoms can include neck pain, headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision. If you think you may have whiplash, it’s important to see a doctor as soon as possible. If left untreated, the symptoms can worsen and may lead to long-term health problems. There are treatments available for whiplash, including medication, physiotherapy, and acupuncture.

Amputation

Amputations can be extremely dangerous and can often lead to infection or even death if not treated quickly and adequately. Amputations can also occur when a body part is crushed or mangled, leading to severe blood loss. There are a few different types of amputations, but the most common is a partial or complete limb severing. If you or someone you know has suffered an amputation injury, don’t hesitate to seek medical help. The sooner you get treatment, the less likely you are to experience serious complications.

Broken Bones

Some of the most common broken bones that occur in Columbia accidents are fractures of the arm, leg, and hip. However, any bone in the body can be fractured in an accident. If you think you may have fractured a bone, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. Failure to get proper treatment can lead to long-term problems and even disability. So don’t wait—seek help today!

You must know your rights and seek legal help if you’re injured in an accident. Contact a Columbia personal injury attorney at Peterson & Associates, P.C. for a free consultation.

Compensation Available to Victims of Personal Injury in Columbia 

Accident victims in Columbia can seek damages from all at-fault parties by filing a personal injury lawsuit. You may be entitled to compensation if you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault. Many factors determine the amount of compensation a victim receives. These include the injury’s severity, lost wages, and medical expenses. Some of the different types of compensation available to victims of personal injury in Columbia include:

Lost Income

If you have to take time off work due to your injuries, you may be entitled to additional compensation. The dollar amount of compensation you may receive will vary depending on the facts of your case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you determine what damages you may be able to recover.

Medical Expenses

If you’ve been injured in a personal injury accident in Columbia, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses. This includes the costs of current treatment and any future medical expenses that may be needed because of the injury sustained in the accident. Our team of experienced attorneys can help you file the necessary paperwork and effectively represent your case in court. We’re here to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Property Damage

If you are a victim of personal injury, you may be entitled to compensation for any property damage that was caused by the accident. This includes damage to your car, home, or other property.

Loss of Consortium

If you are the victim of a personal injury, you may be eligible for compensation for a number of losses. One such loss is known as loss of consortium. This term refers to the damage done to the relationship between the injured person and their spouse or partner. In some cases, the consortium loss can be a significant award. It can help cover the costs of damages in your relationships, such as loss of affection, care, support, and companionship.

Pain and Suffering

One of the common types of compensation available to victims of personal injury in Columbia is pain and suffering. If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. Hhhhh This includes damages for physical pain, mental anguish, and emotional distress. This type of compensation can be challenging to quantify, as it varies from person to person. Generally speaking, the amount of compensation you can receive for pain and suffering will be based on the severity of your injuries. The more serious your injuries are, the more compensation you can expect to receive. It’s essential to speak with a personal injury lawyer to get a better understanding of your specific situation and what damages you may be able to recover.

Punitive Damages

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence, you may be eligible for punitive damages in addition to your other compensation. Punitive damages are intended to punish the defendant for their actions and deter them and others from committing similar offenses. These damages are not available in every personal injury case, so you must speak with an experienced attorney to determine if you’re eligible. The amount you may be awarded will depend on the severity of your injuries and the extent of the defendant’s negligence.

If you have been injured and want to seek compensation for injuries and losses in Missouri, you must speak with an attorney who can help you understand your rights and legal options. Contact our Missouri personal injury lawyers to learn more about your legal options today.

What to Do After Sustaining an Injury in Columbia?

If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault in Columbia, you may feel overwhelmed and uncertain about where to turn. 

If you’re injured in Columbia, taking the necessary steps to protect your legal rights is vital in building a solid case.

There are some steps you need to take to make sure you don’t suffer any further damage and to ensure you receive the fair compensation you deserve. These steps include:

Seek medical treatment

If you’ve been injured in Columbia, the most important thing is getting medical help immediately. You must seek medical attention immediately after an accident to document your injuries and receive treatment. Don’t try to tough it out— even if your injury seems minor, it’s important to have it checked out by a professional.

File a police report

Filing an accident report will help law enforcement officials investigate the accident and gather evidence that can be extremely helpful in determining liability. It may also help your case if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Preserve evidence

When you’ve been injured in an accident, one of the most important things to do is to preserve evidence. Preserving evidence means keeping track of everything related to the accident, from the clothes you wore to the pictures and videos of the scene. If you can, try to take photos of the location of the accident and gather any other evidence you can. Make sure to take pictures of everything—the injury, your surroundings, and any property damage. This will help you document the accident and can be helpful when filing a claim. 

Get witnesses’ statements

One of the most important things you can do after sustaining an injury is to get a statement from any witnesses who saw the accident happen. This will help you build your case and prove that the other person was at fault.

Do not give a statement to the insurance company

When you’re dealing with a personal injury, the last thing you want to do is deal with the hassle of an insurance company. Unfortunately, they will often try to contact you to get a statement as soon as possible after the accident. However, it’s important to remember that anything you say can and will be used against you. The best thing to do in this situation is to politely decline any requests for a statement and contact a personal injury lawyer. They will be able to deal with the insurance company on your behalf and protect your best interests.

Contact a lawyer

If you’ve been injured in Columbia, don’t wait to contact a lawyer. Many personal injury cases must be filed within a certain time frame, or they may be barred from court. A lawyer can help you assess your case, file the necessary paperwork and represent you in court if necessary. They can also help you negotiate a settlement with the other party’s insurance company.

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, it is important for you to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Contact our Missouri personal injury lawyers to discuss your case now. Remember, the sooner you take action, the better.

Proving Liability in a Missouri Car Accident 

In any personal injury case, the legal burden of negligence must be met. This means you will be required to prove that the respondent is liable for your injuries, even if you first file a claim with the respondent’s insurance company, rather than filing a suit with the court. Most claimants begin by filing a third-party claim with the respondent’s insurance company since insurance pays almost all awards and settlements.  

However, before paying out any claim, the insurance carrier will ask if you can prove that their policyholder is liable. This means proving that the insured’s wrongdoing or negligence or wrongdoing directly caused the accident and subsequent expenses and consequences for which you are claiming financial compensation.

To establish negligence, you must show that:

The respondent owed you a duty of care

A duty of care is the standard of conduct against which all other behavior is measured. It is assessed by showing what actions a reasonable or responsible person would have taken in a similar situation. For example, a rational or responsible person would not have chosen to drive their car after a night out drinking.

That duty of care was breached

The duty of care is said to have been breached or violated when a respondent behaves in a manner that directly contradicts their duty. Using the above example, because we know a reasonable or responsible person would not have driven drunk, the respondent breached their duty of care to other people on the road by doing so.  

That breach caused the accident

The breach of duty was the cause of your injuries and ensuing consequences and expenses you incurred. So, when the respondent breached their duty and drove drunk and stuck your car, the breach (drunk driving) is the direct cause of your injuries.  

The accident caused you damages

You have incurred tangible losses as a direct and proximate result of the respondent’s breach of duty. 

How to Prove Negligence in a Personal Injury Claim?

One of the key elements of any personal injury claim is establishing that the defendant was negligent. To prove negligence and win your case, you’ll need to provide evidence that the other party was at fault. This can be tricky, as you’ll need to prove that the defendant’s actions or inaction directly caused your injuries. 

Some of the common ways you can prove negligence in a personal injury claim in Columbia include:

Establishing the Duty of Care

When it comes to personal injury cases, one of the most important tasks for the plaintiff is to establish that the defendant owed them a duty of care. This means that the defendant had a legal obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure the plaintiff’s safety. There are a few ways to do this. Sometimes, it can be established by showing that the defendant was in a position of authority or control over the plaintiff. In other cases, it can be shown that there was a relationship between the plaintiff and defendant that created a duty of care.

Breach of Duty

To prove breach of duty, you must show that the defendant did not meet the standard of care that a reasonable person would have met in the same situation. This can be done by presenting evidence that the defendant did not act how a reasonable person would have acted or by presenting evidence that the defendant did not use reasonable care when performing their duties.

Causation

In order to prove that someone was negligent in a personal injury claim, you must show that their actions (or lack thereof) caused your injuries. This is known as causation. There are a few different ways to establish causation in a personal injury case. One common way is to show that the defendant’s conduct was a substantial factor in causing your injuries. You can also prove causation by showing that the defendant had a duty of care to you, and they breached that duty by acting negligently. Whatever method you choose, it’s important to have strong evidence to support your case. With the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer, you can make sure your claim has the best chance of success.

Proximate Cause

There are a few things you can do to strengthen your case and make it easier to prove the proximate cause. You should have a detailed timeline of all the events leading up to your injury. This will help to establish that the defendant was responsible for your harm. You should also gather evidence to support your cases, such as medical records, witness statements, and photos of the accident scene. With this evidence, you can show that the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries and left you with costly damages.

Damages

If you can prove that the defendant was negligent and that their negligence caused your injuries, you may be able to recover damages. Damages are the financial compensation that you can receive for your injuries. There are a few different types of damages that you may be able to recover, including economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. Economic damages are those that can be quantified in terms of money, such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages are those that are more difficult to quantify, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium. Punitive damages are awarded in cases where the defendant’s behavior was particularly reckless and are intended to punish the defendant.

If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to make a personal injury claim and get compensation for your injuries. The legal team at Peterson & Associates, P.C. are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact our Missouri personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.

Process of Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Columbia 

If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to file a personal injury claim and receive compensation for your injuries. This process can be complicated. Some of the steps involved in filing a personal injury claim include: 

Determine if you have a case

First, you need to determine if you have a case. Some factors that play into this include the severity of your injury, who was at fault, and whether or not you have any eyewitnesses.

Gather evidence

It’s important to gather as much evidence as possible to support your personal injury claim. This includes taking pictures of the accident scene, gathering witness statements, and obtaining medical records. If possible, you should also keep a daily journal documenting how your injury has impacted your life. This can help document the severity of your injury and support your claim for damages.

Schedule a consultation with a lawyer

After you’ve been injured, the next step is to seek the legal services of a personal injury lawyer. They can help guide you through the process of filing a claim and getting the compensation you deserve. The Columbia personal injury lawyers at Peterson & Associates, P.C. offer free consultations, so be sure to take advantage of that! During your consultation, they will ask about the accident, your injuries, and how the injury has impacted your life. They will also ask for any documentation related to the accident, such as medical bills, police reports, or photos of your injuries.

Investigation

After an accident, it’s important to begin the investigation process as soon as possible. This includes gathering evidence and speaking to witnesses. If you’re able to, take pictures of the scene of the accident and your injuries.

File a personal injury claim

If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be considering filing a personal injury claim. This is a process where you can seek financial compensation from the person or company responsible for your injuries.

Negotiation

We’ll work with you to build a case that proves the other party is at fault and then negotiate a settlement that covers your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. We understand how important it is to get your life back on track after an accident, and we’re committed to helping you do just that. If the negotiations fail, your lawyer will file a lawsuit and take the case to court.

Settle your claim

The final step in the process of filing a personal injury claim is to settle your claim. This usually involves negotiating a settlement with the insurance company. A settlement is an agreement between the parties that resolves the dispute without going to court. If you and the insurance company can’t agree on a settlement, the case will go to trial. However, most personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial.

If you have been injured in an accident, it is important to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. They will be able to help you through the legal process and advise you on what steps to take next. It’s important to remember that there is a time limit for filing a claim, so don’t wait too long!