What kinds of damages can I recover in a personal injury claim in Stevensville, Missouri?

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence in Stevensville, Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other costs. Personal injury law in the state of Missouri is complex and can be confusing for individuals who have never filed a claim before. To help you understand what kinds of damages you may be able to recover in a personal injury claim in Stevensville, Missouri, here is an overview of the basics.

Medical Bills

When you are injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover the cost of all medical bills related to that injury. This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, medications, physical therapy, and any other treatments related to your injury. It is important to keep track of all of your medical bills as they will be essential evidence when making your claim.

Lost Wages

If your injury has caused you to miss work or reduce your hours due to a disability or impairment from the injury, you may also be able to recover lost wages from the negligent party. This includes both past and future wages that were lost due to the injury. In order to prove this kind of damage, it is important for you to keep records of any time missed from work and any changes in salary that occurred because of your injury.

Pain and Suffering

In addition to medical bills and lost wages, you may also be able to recover compensation for pain and suffering from the negligent party. Pain and suffering encompasses both physical and mental anguish caused by the injury such as anxiety or depression. It can also include non-economic damages such as loss of enjoyment in life that resulted from the accident. Pain and suffering can be difficult to prove since there are no receipts or documents that show these damages exist. However, if the injuries are severe enough, it is possible for an experienced personal injury lawyer to help prove them in court.

Punitive Damages

In some cases, especially those involving extreme recklessness or intentional harm, punitive damages may also be awarded. Punitive damages are intended to punish the negligent party for their actions and deter them from engaging in similar behavior in the future. These damages are not available in every case but can sometimes result in large awards if the negligence was egregious enough.

No-Fault Laws

Missouri is one of several states that have adopted no-fault insurance laws when it comes to car accidents. This means that injured parties are not allowed to sue another driver for damages unless their injuries meet certain criteria such as serious impairment or disfigurement or death. If these criteria are met, then injured parties may be able file a personal injury suit against another driver for all economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages as well as non-economic losses such as pain and suffering or punitive damages.

Filing a Claim
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence in Stevensville, Missouri it is important that you contact an experienced personal injury lawyer right away so they can help you understand what types of damages you may be able to recover. An experienced lawyer will help guide you through the process and ensure that all deadlines are met so that your claim has a better chance of being successful. They will also help ensure that all evidence is gathered properly so that your case is as strong as possible when it goes before a judge or jury.

In conclusion, if you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence in Stevensville, Missouri you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, punitive damages and more depending on the specifics of your case. It is important that if you are considering filing a personal injury claim that you contact an experienced lawyer right away so they can assess your case and advise on what types of damages might apply.