Accident Injury Law

Accident Injury and Wrongful Death Attorney

If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury caused by the negligence of another person or entity in a car, truck, slip and fall, work-related accident or medical malpractice, then you need an experience personal accident injury attorney. Our firm handles serious injury claims involving head, neck, back and spinal cord injuries.

Have you suffered a serious injury due to an accident caused by the negligence or wrongdoing of someone else? You may have been injured in a traffic accident involving a motorcycle, auto, bus, or truck which was caused by another driver’s recklessness, aggressive driving behavior, intoxication, or other misconduct. Or you may have lost a loved one in such an accident, which caused his or her wrongful death. In either case, you may have grounds for a personal injury or wrongful death claim. It is important to consult with an accident injury and wrongful death lawyer at our firm about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Wrongful Death Claims

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another in an accident, you and your family may be able to file a wrongful death claim. You may receive compensation for any medical expenses incurred by your family member before the death, funeral expenses, for the loss of financial support that your family member provided, and for the pain and suffering involved with this sudden, unexpected, and premature loss to you and your family. It is vital that you speak with our office about the accident and surrounding circumstances that resulted in the death of your family member.

A wrongful death happens when a person is fatally injured because of the negligence of some other person, business or organization.  Wrongful death may be caused by the fault of a doctor, a careless driver, a defective product, a hazardous premises, a sports accident, a car accident, a work injury, a job injury, a nursing home, or other medical professional.

This type of claim is different from a normal negligence lawsuit, which is filed by the person injured for the resulting damages.  The persons who often may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim may include the surviving spouse, children of the deceased, and parents of the deceased.    Statutes of limitation may limit the amount of time that you have to file your claim.  A wrongful death lawsuit can’t bring the person you love back, but they can help you get compensation for your loss and ensure whomever was responsible can’t hurt anyone else. We have experience in wrongful death lawsuits. A knowledgeable wrongful death attorney can make all the difference.

It is important to have a wrongful death lawyer who can also handle the probate of the deceased’s estate. Our office can gather financial information which is used to help wind up the estate, as well as to establish the financial loss that the family has suffered and will suffer as a result of the incident and its aftermath.  If a family member was fatally injured due to someone else’s carelessness or negligence, contact the office of Gary D. Rappard, P.A. today.

The law office of Gary D. Rappard, P.A. assists accident injury victims and wrongful death and fatally injured clients in many area cities including Overland Park, Leawood, Prairie Village, Olathe, Lenexa, Shawnee, Kansas City, Gardner, Spring Hill, DeSoto, Paola, Lawrence, Baldwin, Ottawa, and many more. We assist clients in areas including Johnson County, Wyandotte County, Miami County, Douglas County, and many more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a car accident cause a herniated disc in my neck?
Yes, a car accident can cause a herniated disc in your neck or back. Herniated discs are sometimes referred to as slipped discs, bulging discs, protruding discs or ruptured discs. Common signs of herniated discs are numbness or tingling in your arms, hands, legs or feet. However, often the injury is to your neck or back, not your feet. Your neck and back have rubbery discs between the vertebrae bones to cushion them so they don’t scrape against one another bone on bone. The impact of an automobile crash can cause the rubbery discs to bulge or herniate, where the bulging disc presses on a nerve exiting the spine next to the disc, on its way to an arm or leg. The numbness and tingling in your arms or legs may be radicular (or radiating) symptoms that radiate out from the pinched nerve in your neck or back.

Can a car accident cause a pinched nerve?
Yes, a car accident can cause a pinched nerve in your neck or back.  The impact of an automobile crash can cause a herniated or bulging disc to pinch a nerve exiting the spine on its way to an arm or leg. If you notice numbness and tingling in your arms or legs you should see a doctor right away and tell him about it. Ask the doctor if he believes you should have an MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan) of your back or neck. MRI scans can reveal whether or not you have a herniated disc. Ordinary X-rays are good at showing broken bones, but often are poor when it comes to detecting a herniated disc, which are softer tissue.

Can a car accident cause nerve damage?
Yes, a car accident can cause nerve damage. If the bulging disc pinches the nerve long enough and hard enough, it is possible for the nerve in the back or neck to suffer permanent damage. That is why it is important to see a doctor right away so he can treat your injury in an effort to avoid permanent nerve damage,  which can be disabling.

How long does it take a back injury to heal?
Your doctor is the best person to answer this question. However, if the doctor is able to treat the back or neck injury and pinched nerve promptly, he  may be able to help you recover sooner.

Can a car crash cause a coma or head injury?
Yes, a car crash can cause a coma or head injury. The crash impact can cause the victim’s head to hit hard against the steering wheel, dash board or head restraints or head rests, causing severe headaches, cranial nerve damage, hematoma or coma. In such cases, you should promptly see a doctor, as there could be internal bleeding.

What to do after a car accident?
If you are hurt in car accident you need to know what to do. Notify the police of the accident. Exchange insurance information with the other driver, but do not make admissions of liability to the other driver. If you are injured, seek medical treatment right away. Notify your insurance company of the accident. Call our law office right away to discuss your claim. If the other driver’s insurance adjuster calls you, be polite but explain that you have hired an attorney and recommend that they talk with your attorney. Do not give statements to the other driver’s insurance adjuster without your attorney present.

What is a bodily injury claim?
In the automobile insurance world, there are two types of claims–bodily injury claims and property damage claims. Bodily injury claims are injuries to your person, such as bulging discs, broken bones, sprained backs, concussions and scarring. Property damage is damage to your automobile, such as crunched fenders, bent bumpers and crushed doors. It is important that you take photos of any injuries to your body, such as bruises, cuts, scarring and broken bones, as well as casts and neck braces that you may wear. You should also take photos of the damage to your car, because those photos can be evidence of how severe the crash was, and provide evidence that the crash caused your injuries. Then promptly call our office to discuss your injuries with us, and send those photos to us, either by email or regular mail.

What if I am too injured to come to your office?
We can talk with you by phone and use email or regular mail to send items back and forth to you while you heal in the comfort of your home. We understand that when you are hurting, you may not feel able to come to our office. We are used to working with injured persons.

Will I have to go to court?
We are able to settle the vast majority of our clients’ injury claims out of court. Settlement often saves you more time and money than taking your claim to trial. However, there are still rare cases where going to court is necessary. Our policy is to communicate with clients regularly about the status of their claims and find out their preferences about whether or not to go to court.

What if my loved one was killed in a fatal car accident?
The law allows persons with certain relationships to the deceased car accident victim, to make claim for compensation on the deceased victim’s behalf. We can guide you through the process of recovering compensation for the victim’s heirs. However, there are short time limitations on filing those claims, so do not delay.

Which doctor to see for my back injury?
After you have obtained initial medical treatment, the emergency room or clinic may refer you to a specialist. The type of back injury you have will determine which type of specialist they refer you to. Back and neck injuries are often treated by either orthopedic surgeons, neurologists or neurosurgeons. Your specialist may decide to include other medical professionals in your treatment that may include pain management specialists and physical therapists.

Which doctor to see for my head injury?
After you have obtained initial medical treatment, the emergency room or clinic may refer you to a specialist. Head injuries are often treated by either neurologists or neurosurgeons. Some head injury victims also have a change in their vision after an accident, and may be referred to an Opthalmologist or eye doctor, or in some cases a Neuro-ophthalmologist specially trained in vision problems caused by a brain injury. If your head injury also includes scars, you may be referred to a Plastic Surgeon to work on removing the scars.

At the law office of Gary D. Rappard, we help auto accident victims to obtain money and medical treatment. We have 30 years of experience, and are attuned to the needs of injured clients. We are licensed in both Kansas and Missouri. We can explain the auto accident laws in ways that clients can understand. If you are looking for an auto accident lawyer in Kansas or Missouri, call us at our office in Overland Park to discuss your needs.