Experienced Attorneys, Aggressive Representation

Catawissa Personal Injury Lawyer

A couple shaking hands with a personal injury lawyer after agreeing to work together.

Catawissa, Missouri, is a very safe community. Goldblatt + Singer are proud to be a part of such a wonderful place and take care of our neighbors.

When you experience harm or damage that was caused by someone else’s actions in Catawissa, you should be able to receive compensation for your losses. A skilled personal injury lawyer will make sure that happens.

Goldblatt + Singer: The St. Louis Injury Law Firm is a team of personal injury attorneys who use their extensive knowledge and skills to procure legal compensation for clients harmed by the negligence of others. Having a knowledgeable lawyer by your side during your quest for what is rightfully yours is invaluable as they will help you understand your legal rights and fight to protect them.

When Does Someone Need a Catawissa Personal Injury Attorney?

Personal injury attorneys are your greatest asset in any personal injury case. These cases involve someone who alleges being injured or otherwise harmed by an accident and that accident was caused by someone else.

When someone else causes the accident, that person or party is responsible for compensating the victim for the harm that was done to them. The personal injury attorney proves the accident was caused by negligence and ensures the victim is adequately compensated.

How Does a Catawissa Personal Injury Attorney Prove Negligence?

There are four important elements that must be proven by the personal injury attorney in order to be successful in a negligence claim. The four elements required to prove a negligence claim are as follows:

  1. The defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care
  2. The defendant breached that duty of care
  3. The breach of care caused the accident
  4. The accident caused a compensable injury

Duty of Care

The plaintiff must have been owed a duty of care from the defendant. The duty of care generally means that someone must refrain from causing harm to another person.

For example, when someone drives a car on a public road, they owe a duty of care to everyone else sharing that road and must, therefore, drive safely and abide by the rules of the road. The personal injury lawyer must prove that the defendant was obligated to keep the plaintiff safe.

Breached Duty of Care

Once the duty of care has been established, the lawyer must then prove that the defendant did not uphold the duty owed to the victim. For example, the defendant may have been speeding or failed to stop at a red traffic light.

The Breach of Care Caused the Accident

Every personal injury case is different. There are countless scenarios, circumstances, and situations that may have caused a single accident.

The Catawissa personal injury lawyer must be able to prove that the breach of duty is what caused the accident. For example, if the defendant was speeding and collided with the victim, the lawyer must prove that the excessive speed was to blame for causing the accident.

They can do this by proving that the accident would not have occurred had the defendant been driving at a safe and legal speed using expert witnesses and evidence of stopping distances and reaction times. This is where the lawyer will need as much proof as possible and evidence to back up the claims.

The Plaintiff’s Harm Was Caused By the Accident and Is Able To Be Financially Compensated

The final element of a successful personal injury case is to prove that the victim’s injuries or other harms were caused by the accident. The accident must have caused compensable damage to the plaintiff in order for the plaintiff to seek compensation.

These damages are what will decide the amount of compensation the victim will receive. Medical expenses are usually the most substantial financial damages.

What Happens During a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Catawissa?

A typical personal injury lawsuit involves a victim of harm, the plaintiff, and another person or entity that allegedly caused the harm, the defendant. The plaintiff must file a civil complaint against the defendant in an attempt to recover financial compensation for the damages suffered.

The plaintiff must then prove that the negligent or careless actions of the defendant are what caused the accident that resulted in the plaintiff’s harm. The harm may be a physical injury, financial loss, negative change in lifestyle, or death.

Personal injury cases are often resolved through negotiations carried out by personal injury lawyers. When a satisfactory resolution is agreed upon by both sides, a document is typically signed stating that the matter is resolved.

The agreement will include the agreed-upon payment amount as well as the understanding that neither side will pursue any further legal action on the matter.

What Exactly Is the Meaning of Negligence?

According to the Legal Information Institute, negligence is the failure to behave with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances.

All people have the responsibility of preventing harm to others from their own actions. For example, anyone driving on a public street is expected to act responsibly and follow the rules of the road in order to prevent causing harm to other people on that street.

When someone disregards the safety of others, and someone else is harmed as a result, the victim may file a negligence lawsuit in order to receive compensation. The Catawissa personal injury attorney has to prove that the victim, or plaintiff, was harmed as a direct result of the defendant acting in a way that differed from the way a reasonable person would have acted in the same situation.

The plaintiff is responsible for proving that the defendant acted in a way that differs from the way a reasonably prudent individual would have acted in the same situation. They must provide evidence showing the reckless or careless behavior of the defendant caused injury to the plaintiff.

The victim should receive financial compensation as long as they are successful in providing this proof.

What Types of Personal Injury Cases Do Goldblatt + Singer Handle in Catawissa?

Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys at Goldblatt + Singer work as a team to combine our experience in order to successfully obtain fair financial compensation for our clients. We begin by offering free consultations where we answer any questions about whether you have a case and the process of filing your claim. We handle multiple types of personal injury cases, including the following:

  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Commercial Truck Accidents
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Workers’ Compensation
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Dangerous Drugs

Among these types, accidents involving motor vehicles are usually the most common situations that people think of when it comes to personal injury cases because they occur so frequently. People tend to take driving for granted, but any distraction or failure to adhere to traffic laws and safety regulations can lead to a horrible crash, even in Catawissa.

Anything that takes the driver’s attention away from the road is dangerous and potentially the proof a personal injury lawyer needs to establish the driver’s fault for the accident. Such distractions may include:

  • Texting
  • Eating
  • Manipulation of a navigation device
  • Adjusting the radio or other vehicle controls
  • Talking to passengers
  • Watching or reading something beside the road

Any of these distractions and countless more situations can result in an accident that causes injury or death to someone else on or beside the road. If you or your loved one have been injured by a negligent driver, you may be able to receive compensation for your damages.

Our Catawissa team at Goldblatt + Singer are skilled personal injury attorneys who hold negligent drivers accountable for their reckless driving. You should not hesitate to consult with us about filing a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation for damages caused by someone else’s actions.

What Type of Compensation Might I Receive From a Successful Personal Injury Lawsuit?

The compensation awarded to the plaintiff is meant to cover any damages that were suffered as a result of the accident caused by the defendant. The plaintiff should be returned to the same financial status that they had before the accident and their injuries through compensation for their economic damages.

The plaintiff is also entitled to receive compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.

What Are Economic Damages?

When the personal injury resulted from someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek financial compensation. Economic damages are any monetary damages that are a direct result of your accident. These can include the following:

  • Medical Expenses
  • Lost Wages
  • Lost Earning Capacity
  • Property Damage

Medical Expenses

When you are injured in an accident, you must get medical attention.

Medical bills in the United States are very expensive and add up quickly. They are often the most costly part of the accident.

Your medical bills include hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, therapy, medication, specialized equipment and care, and more.

Lost Wages

Most people are unable to work while they recover from their injuries. Losing your income is stressful, especially when bills are accumulating.

Some jobs offer their employees paid time off or disability to cover the time they spend not working, but these options are usually at a reduced rate and are limited. These lost earnings and loss of accumulated days off will be included in your claim.

You should not have to lose your vacation days from work because you are forced to recover from an accident that was someone else’s fault.

Lost Earning Capacity

If the accident has left you unable to continue your work, or you need to take on a role with a lower salary, you can also claim this loss of future earning capacity as economic damage. For example, if you were a surgeon and the accident left you with limited fine motor skills in your hands, you would no longer be able to continue in your profession.

Your future earning potential will be used by an economist to calculate your lost earning capacity.

Property Damage

Your vehicle, home, products, or anything else that you own is your property. Any damage to these items will have to be recovered through payment for repair, replacement, or the reduction of their value.

What Are Non-Economic Damages?

According to Forbes Advisor, non-economic damages compensate you for intangible losses due to your injuries from your accident.

  • Pain and Suffering
  • Emotional Distress
  • Diminished Quality of Life or Loss of Enjoyment of Life
  • Loss of Companionship or Consortium
  • Permanent Disabilities, Impairments, or Disfigurements

Pain and Suffering

Serious injuries cause excruciating pain. You deserve to be compensated for having to endure the discomfort that was caused by the accident.

Pain is usually short-term and fades as your injuries heal. Unfortunately, some pain becomes chronic and can last for years or even be permanent.

Emotional Distress

Personal injury accidents are traumatic. Many victims find themselves feeling fearful after an accident.

Serious injury, entrapment, and fatalities escalate emotional trauma. Some people develop anxiety, depression, phobias, decreased mental capacity, difficulty concentrating, or post-traumatic stress disorder, among other mental anguish-related issues, because of the accident itself or from their subsequent injuries and disabilities.

Diminished Quality of Life or Loss of Enjoyment of Life

Long-term and permanent injuries are a harsh reality for many surviving victims. The sudden inability to do something you love can lead to severe depression.

Loss of autonomy is humiliating and makes people feel like a burden to their families. Even losing the ability to work or earn the same income level as before the accident and then watching your family struggle can be heartbreaking.

These losses can change your personality and outlook on life, and you should be compensated for that.

Loss of Companionship or Consortium

The accident may leave you with injuries or disabilities that change your relationships with your loved ones. For example, how can you hug your family members if you have become paralyzed or when your arms have been amputated?

Perhaps your spouse and children once saw you as strong and dependable, but now you can barely move and are constantly irritable because of your chronic pain. You can seek compensation for losing the dynamic of these relationships.

Permanent Disabilities, Impairments, or Disfigurements

Permanent injuries quite literally change your life forever. They change the way you live, your relationships, and how others see you.

People may stare at your scars or look at you with pity when they see your disability, leading to frustration, humiliation, and depression. Compensation for any permanent damage is usually substantial.

Call Goldblatt + Singer, Your Personal Injury Law Firm in Catawissa, for a Free Consultation About Your Case

Goldblatt + Singer: The St. Louis Injury Law Firm is located in Catawissa to serve as your local Injury Law Firm because of how dedicated they are to winning the fullest possible amount of compensation for their clients. They give each case their full attention because they truly care about the people they represent.

Goldblatt + Singer takes care of all the legal matters and wants their clients to be able to focus on their recovery.

Call (314) 231-4100 today for a free consultation. There is no risk for you with Goldblatt + Singer because they will not charge you anything until you collect the compensation you deserve.

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