Springfield Personal Injury Attorneys

Fighting for the Rights of the Injured in Southwestern Missouri

Another party’s negligence, carelessness, or deliberate wrongdoing can change your life in a second. Whether through a car accident, medical error, or some other action, you may find yourself physically and emotionally traumatized while facing an uncertain but mounting financial toll. These unexpected injuries can put you out of work for days, weeks, or longer while you recover through hospitalization, various types of therapy, ongoing doctor visits, and more in the way of medical and personal care. In some cases, disability may be permanent, requiring an entirely new lifestyle and accommodations needed to address your altered physical condition.

The Springfield personal injury attorneys at Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law, LLC are ready to shoulder the legal burden so you can focus entirely on healing. Our team investigates your accident, preserves critical evidence, and aggressively negotiates with insurance companies to protect you from unfair settlements. By building a strong claim to hold the responsible parties accountable, we secure the maximum compensation you need for your medical expenses, lost income, and long-term suffering. 

Do not let an insurance company determine your future after a serious accident. Contact the Springfield personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free case evaluation and take the first step toward getting the compensation you deserve.

How Can Our Personal Injury Lawyers Help?

In all cases of personal injury where you have been harmed by another’s misconduct, you deserve the financial resources needed to recover as much as possible. At Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law, LLC, our skilled personal injury attorney team will work hard to win you the compensation you deserve for your medical care and other damages resulting from a preventable accident or incident. We have been providing representation to personal injury victims in Springfield and throughout Southwestern Missouri since 1976. Our history of proven success and legal industry awards and recognition reflect the quality of representation we provide to clients in this region.

When you contact us after an accident in the Springfield area, we can walk you through what to expect, from dealing with insurers to gathering medical records and documenting how your injuries affect your daily life. Our injury attorney Springfield team can also explain how Missouri negligence laws, including comparative fault rules, may impact your claim and the potential value of your case. Because we are familiar with local medical providers such as CoxHealth and Mercy Hospital Springfield, we understand the treatment paths many clients face and how to present those costs clearly in a claim.

What To Do After An Accident In Springfield

In the moments and days after an accident, many people are unsure about what steps to take and worry that a mistake could hurt their claim. Taking a few practical actions can help protect your health and your legal rights while you focus on recovering. These steps are especially important after crashes on busy roads like I-44, U.S. Route 60, or Glenstone Avenue, where law enforcement and multiple insurance companies may be involved.

Whenever it is safe to do so, you should seek medical attention, report the incident to the proper authorities, and collect basic information such as the names and contact details of witnesses, photographs of the scene, and the insurance information for any drivers or businesses involved. It is also wise to avoid detailed conversations or recorded statements with insurance adjusters until you have spoken with an injury lawyer Springfield residents rely on, so you do not accidentally say something that can be used to minimize your claim. As soon as you are able, consider writing down your own account of what happened and keeping a daily journal of your symptoms, missed work, and limitations so that this information is not forgotten over time.

Handling the Full Range of Personal Injury Claims in Springfield

Our attorneys draw on their decades of experience to handle any type of personal injury claim. Compensation in these cases may include medical expenses, property damage, lost income, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and lost opportunity for the future enjoyment of life. A personal injury claim helps you deal with the financial burdens that result from the harm you have suffered from various types of negligence-based accidents and incidents.

We regularly assist people injured in collisions on major routes such as I-44, U.S. Route 65, and city streets throughout Springfield, as well as those hurt at work or on unsafe property. When you work with an injury lawyer Springfield residents have trusted for years, you get guidance on practical questions such as how to coordinate your health insurance with a liability claim, what documentation to keep, and how to avoid common mistakes when speaking with insurance adjusters. We can also help you understand how a settlement or verdict might address both your immediate losses and the long-term impact of serious injuries on your ability to earn a living.

We fight to win compensation if you have been injured in any of the following scenarios:

• Vehicle accidents. If you have been injured in a car wreck, motorcycle crash, or truck accident, the insurance company for the negligent driver will try to settle with you for as little as possible. Do not accept that lowball offer. Instead, contact our firm. We are dedicated to pursuing the compensation you deserve.
• Construction accidents. Construction mishaps happen all too often on jobsites. They can lead to serious head, neck, brain, and spinal cord injuries. We stand up for victims of workplace injuries and fight for a settlement or judgment that fully compensates you for your lost wages, medical bills, diminished earning capacity, and other damages.
• Pedestrian accidents. If a driver ran into you while you were walking or jogging, we help you recover appropriate damages. In most situations, a driver has a duty to yield the right of way to someone who is on foot.
• Medical mistakes. Doctors are human; they make mistakes. The question is who should pay for their errors — the negligent doctor or the innocent victim. When healthcare providers’ mistakes cause you serious harm, justice demands that you receive compensation for their medical malpractice.
• Slip and fall. Businesses and property owners owe a duty of care to those legally on their property. When you slip and fall because a property owner failed to safely maintain the property or warn you about a dangerous condition, you deserve compensation for your injuries.
• Defective products. If a business manufactures and sells a product that is defective and this defect causes injury, the business can be strictly liable for these injuries. We are a large law firm that is capable of fighting these difficult and often complex cases on your behalf.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

According to Missouri Revised Statutes section 516.120, you generally have five years to file a claim for your personal injury case before the statute of limitations ends. If the statute of limitations ends before you file a claim, you will likely lose your opportunity to file, along with your right to recover compensation. There are some exceptions that can change this five-year time limit, so it is important to speak to an attorney as soon as possible. 

Because every situation is different, you may have questions about how this deadline applies to your specific circumstances, such as injuries to minors, claims involving government entities, or accidents where the full extent of your injuries was not immediately clear. A personal injury lawyer Springfield residents can turn to for guidance can review the timeline of your accident, help you understand which deadlines control your claim, and take steps to preserve evidence before it is lost. We are familiar with the local courts in Greene County and the surrounding counties, and we can file your case in the appropriate venue if negotiations do not lead to a fair resolution.

What Can I Recover in a Personal Injury Claim?

While the specific amount of compensation an injury victim can recover largely depends on the specifics of their individual case, there are three main types of damages that can be pursued in every personal injury claim. These types of damages are:

• Economic damages
• Non-economic damages
• Punitive damages

Economic damages compensate for the financial losses an injury victim suffers as a result of their injury. These losses could include hospital expenses, medication expenses, or missed wages due to the inability to work. Non-economic damages, perhaps the most well-known type of damage, compensate the injured party for their non-financial suffering, also called pain and suffering or mental anguish. Punitive damages differ from the first two in that their main purpose is to punish the negligent party instead of compensating the injured party for a loss. Because of this, punitive damages are the least awarded out of the three.

When you meet with a personal injury attorney from our firm, we can review how your injuries have affected your work, family responsibilities, and daily activities so we can identify all categories of damages that may apply. For example, a serious injury may lead to future medical procedures, the need for mobility aids, or retraining for a different line of work, all of which should be considered in any settlement discussion. We can also explain how Missouri law treats caps on certain damages in specific types of cases and how juries in the Springfield area have approached similar claims.

What Is a Catastrophic Injury?

A catastrophic injury is a serious injury or illness that was caused by the negligence of another party or parties. It typically leaves a victim suffering from permanent injuries or disabilities for the rest of their lives as well as stress on their family and a lifetime of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and medical bills.

Examples of catastrophic injuries include, but are not limited to, the list below:

• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
• Spinal injury resulting in paralysis (partial or total)
• Injuries resulting in severe scarring, disfigurement, or amputation
• Serious burn injuries
• Any serious injury that results in a long-term or permanent disability that changes the victim’s life -- it affects their ability to work, earn a living, and requires long-term medical care

Damages in Catastrophic Injury Cases

Similar to personal injury cases, the damages awarded in catastrophic injury cases are based on the seriousness of the injuries and will likely include loss of wages from not being able to work, bills for current and future medical treatment, as well as emotional distress and the victim’s pain and suffering. Punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the responsible party.

Catastrophic cases often involve complex questions about long-term care, housing modifications, and the need for support services, which can be overwhelming for families already coping with a life-altering event. A personal injury attorney Springfield victims can consult in these situations can coordinate with medical professionals, vocational specialists, and financial planners to help project the full cost of living with a permanent impairment. By building a clear picture of these future needs, we aim to present a thorough claim to insurers or, when necessary, to a jury in the appropriate Missouri court.