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Your Grandview Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Missouri an injury to the person that no other section covers must be filed within five years (R.S.Mo. § 516.120). The trial court for Jackson County sits in Kansas City, at 415 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Grandview, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Missouri’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Grandview Attorney
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- The date. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file in your case. Missouri allows five years for an injury to a person that no other section covers, and three years for a wrongful death action (RSMo § 516.120, RSMo § 537.100).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask which rule applies to your kind of claim. For a product liability claim, fault chargeable to the plaintiff reduces the award in proportion and does not bar recovery (RSMo § 537.765), and for other claims the jury’s percentages decide what each defendant owes (RSMo § 537.067).
- Claims against the government. Ask whether a public body could be responsible. Missouri waives sovereign immunity only for injuries from the negligent operation of motor vehicles by public employees and for injuries from a dangerous condition of public property (RSMo § 537.600).
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
Common Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
After a crash, see a doctor even if you feel fine, since some injuries show up later. Take photographs of the cars, the road and any injuries, get the other driver’s insurance details, and save every repair estimate.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
Walkers and cyclists hurt by a vehicle should write down the location, the time of day, the lighting and the signals as soon as they can. Witnesses who stopped are valuable, so ask for their contact details before they leave.
Falls and unsafe property
Falls on someone else’s property usually depend on what the owner knew or should have known about the hazard. Photograph the spot before it changes, report the fall in writing, and keep the shoes you were wearing.
Wrongful death
When a death is caused by someone else’s wrongful act or neglect, the claim works differently from an injury claim. Missouri’s wrongful death statute lets the spouse, children or parents of the person who died sue when the death results from an act or circumstance that would have entitled that person to recover had death not ensued, and the time to sue is three years (RSMo § 537.080, RSMo § 537.100). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
Injured in Grandview? Get matched with an attorney now.
How Percentages Of Fault Are Used
If an insurer says the accident was partly your fault, that does not settle the question. For a claim that a product was defective, Missouri’s statute says any fault chargeable to the plaintiff diminishes the damages in proportion and does not bar recovery (RSMo § 537.765).
That statute covers product liability claims. For a crash or a fall, ask the attorney which rule applies to your facts, and how the jury’s percentages would change what each defendant owes (RSMo § 537.067).
Special Rules To Know
Ask early whether a special rule applies, because it depends on who is responsible. For a private defendant, punitive damages are limited to the greater of $500,000 or five times the net judgment (RSMo § 510.265).
For a public body, immunity is waived only for the operation of motor vehicles and for dangerous conditions of public property (RSMo § 537.600), and the amount that can be awarded is limited by statute (RSMo § 537.610).
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
Missouri has more than one filing limit. An action for an injury to the person that no other section covers must be brought within five years (RSMo § 516.120), and a wrongful death action must be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues (RSMo § 537.100). Assault, battery and false imprisonment actions have two years (RSMo § 516.140).
A claim accrues when the damage is sustained and capable of ascertainment (RSMo § 516.100). A person under twenty one or mentally incapacitated when the claim accrued may bring it within the stated time after the disability is removed (RSMo § 516.170). Ask any attorney to name the last day in your case.
Coverage Limits Behind a Crash Claim
Missouri requires an owner’s motor vehicle liability policy to carry limits of at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person in any one accident, $50,000 for two or more persons, and $25,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others (RSMo § 303.190). Those are minimums, and a serious injury can cost far more.
Your own policy matters too. An automobile liability policy issued for delivery in Missouri must include uninsured motorist coverage, subject to the terms of the statute (RSMo § 379.203). Ask your attorney to look at every policy that could apply.
Courts and Hospitals Near Grandview
Jackson County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Grandview. The Missouri court directory lists the 16th circuit court for Jackson County in Kansas City, at 415 E. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. In Jackson County, the state list of trauma centers shows Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City as a Level I trauma center. The state list of trauma centers names Research Medical Center in Kansas City, in Jackson County as well, as a Level I trauma center. In Jackson County, the state list of trauma centers shows Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City in Kansas City as a Level I trauma center.
Records matter later. Get the complete chart and an itemized bill from each place that treated you, and write down the date of every visit, including any transfer to another facility.
What To Do Once You Are Ready To Talk In Grandview
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Missouri. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Before the first call, collect the basics: the date, the place, names of witnesses, your medical visits and your missed work. A single folder for bills, letters and photographs saves time later.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I was partly responsible, can I still recover something?
It depends on the kind of claim. In a product liability claim, fault chargeable to you reduces the damages in proportion and does not bar recovery (RSMo § 537.765). For other claims, ask an attorney which rule applies to your facts.
Is there a limit on punitive damages in Missouri?
Yes. An award may not exceed the greater of $500,000 or five times the net judgment awarded to the plaintiff against the defendant, with exceptions such as a felony conviction or guilty plea arising out of the same acts (RSMo § 510.265).
What are Missouri’s minimum auto insurance limits?
At least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $25,000 for property of others (RSMo § 303.190).
Which records matter most after an accident?
Keep your medical records and itemized bills, photographs of the scene and injuries, any police or incident report number, proof of missed pay, repair estimates, and all messages from insurers.
Should I speak with the other driver’s insurance company?
You are free to talk to them, but you are not required to give a recorded statement immediately. Saying that you want advice first is a reasonable answer.
Is a claim against a public body different in Missouri?
It is. Sovereign immunity is waived only for vehicle operation and for dangerous conditions of public property (RSMo § 537.600), and the amount that can be awarded is limited (RSMo § 537.610).
Does it matter if my attorney knows the Grandview area?
Local knowledge can help with scheduling, courts and medical providers. The form on this page connects you with an attorney who takes cases near Grandview.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Missouri?
Generally five years (RSMo § 516.120). Assault, battery and false imprisonment have two years (RSMo § 516.140), and a wrongful death action has three years (RSMo § 537.100).
Serving Injured Clients Across Missouri
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