McDuffey Law Firm LLC

Friday, February 12, 2016

THE MCDUFFEY LAW FIRM'S NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING!

THE MCDUFFEY LAW FIRM'S NEW WEBSITE IS UP AND RUNNING

Come check out our new website at www.mcduffeylaw.com. After months of work, our website has been revamped. It is now more user friendly than ever. We think it is one of the best law firm websites in the county.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

What Is The Most Common Workplace Injury?

From federal agencies to small individual employers, everyone is doing their best to keep America's workplaces safe and accident-free. Despite these efforts, however, workplace injuries are still a common occurrence. This week, your trusted personal injury attorney in Osage Beach MO is here to examine some of the most common types of workplace injuries.

The Most Common Workplace Injury

Overexertion is by far the most common form of workplace injury. Due to the repetitive nature of most jobs, employees may suffer from overexertion, resulting in sprains, tears, or strains. These types of injuries can result from almost any action, such as pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, and throwing.

Overexertion is sometimes touted as America's least understood or appreciated form of injury, because it can be easy to minimize or dismiss the symptoms. However, repeated overexertion can lead to severe health problems, including:

Chronic pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Musculoskeletal disorders

It's important to be aware that every employee could be at risk for overexertion. Even those with desk jobs can suffer from overexertion in the spine (from sitting in one position for too long) or hands/wrists (from typing too much).

Other Common Workplace Injuries

While overexertion consistently ranks as the most common form of workplace injury, accidents at work can take on countless other forms. Examples of other common work-related injuries may include:

Falling from heights
Vehicle accidents
Slip and fall accidents
Machinery malfunction
Repetitive motion injuries
Caught in / compressed by machinery
Assault or violence

The list of potential workplace injuries does not stop there. Work-related injuries can occur in any number of different ways. No matter what the cause, it is critical that your injuries are reported and that you seek compensation for your injuries immediately.

McDuffey Law Firm: Your Workman's Comp Resource

All employers are required to have workers' compensation, a form of insurance specifically designed to pay for the injuries their employees may suffer. As with all insurance companies, however, it can sometimes be challenging to get the compensation you deserve from workman's comp.

Our workers' compensation attorney at the Lake of the Ozarks will be here to fight for your rights, ensuring that your needs are met and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help individuals who have suffered from work-related injuries in Camden County MO.

McDuffey Law Firm, LLC
www.McDuffeyLaw.com
Ph. (573) 302-7211
Fax. (573) 302-7215

5754 Parkside Village Ct.,
P.O. Box 368
Osage Beach, Mo 65065
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Thursday, January 21, 2016

What Are YOU Responsible For During Your Personal Injury Lawsuit?

We talk a lot about what our personal injury attorney in Osage Beach MO can do for you, but it's important to remember that a successful personal injury lawsuit requires complete cooperation between both the attorney and the client. Your lawsuit cannot reach a successful resolution without both of you working together.

As the client in a personal injury case, you have five predominant responsibilities. If you keep up with these responsibilities, you will be well on your way towards setting your personal injury case up for success.

1. Get The Medical Treatment You Need

If you have been injured, seeking proper medical treatment is the most important thing you can do. When seeking medical attention, however, be sure that you're getting care that will provide long-term benefits (rather than short-term relief). It's important to resolve the roots of the issue, rather than simply treating the symptoms.

2. Keep Up With Your Medical Costs

The goal of pursuing your personal injury case at the Lake of the Ozarks is to get financial compensation for your medical costs, associated pain and suffering, and any other hardships you may suffer in the process. Until your case is resolved, however, you are still responsible for paying your medical bills. If your case is won, you will be reimbursed.

3. Communicate With Your Attorney

From the very beginning of your lawsuit, your personal injury lawyer in Camden County MO will have a lot of questions for you. It's important to provide all of the information he requests (and then some). It's also crucial that you respond to all of your attorney's inquiries within a timely manner. Many of the proceedings within a personal injury case are time-sensitive, and failing to respond on time could prove detrimental for your case.

4. Keep Your Attorney Updated

Thoroughly discussing your case from the very beginning is important, but staying in frequent contact with your attorney to keep him updated is equally critical. Make sure your attorney is aware of any other resulting challenges that arise as a result of your injury, such as increased medical costs, loss of work, and even divorce. Armed with this new information, your attorney will be able to build your case to make it even stronger.

5. Be Honest With Your Attorney

We saved your most important responsibility for last. Above all else, it is absolutely crucial that you remain completely honest with your attorney at all times. Remember that your lawyer is on your side. You are both working towards a favorable outcome for your case. With your complete honesty, your attorney will be able to use all of the facts to build a powerful argument for your case.

Let's Work Together On Your Injury Case!

A successful personal injury case requires total cooperation between the attorney and the client. McDuffey Law Firm promises to be here to guide you through the entire process, serving as your advocate and your resource for your personal injury case. Should you ever find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney in mid-Missouri, we sincerely hope you'll remember McDuffey Law Firm.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Tim McDuffey Secures $2 Million Settlement!

Securing the best possible outcome for our clients is always our top priority. In order to determine what their best possible outcomes may be, our team of personal injury experts at the Lake of the Ozarks must carefully evaluate all of the associated factors and extenuating circumstances surrounding each individual case. For various reasons, some individuals may suffer greater long-term consequences than others. McDuffey Law Firm aims to uncover all of the potential consequences of each client's injury to fight for the settlements they deserve.

Tim McDuffey, Attorney At Law

Recently, we had the pleasure of representing a young local man who was badly injured in an accident with a school bus. McDuffey Law Firm is truly humbled to have had the opportunity to make a difference in this young man's life. Read the following article from the November 2015 issue of Missouri Lawyers Weekly to learn more about his unique situation:

High school student settles after bus crash

Motor Vehicle Collision

Venue: Camden County Circuit Court
Case Number / Date: 14CM-CC00006 / July 31st, 2015
Plaintiff's Experts: Dr. Chris Leslie, Camdenton (medical)
Defendant's Experts: Dr. Russell Cantrell, Kirkwood (medical); James Israel, St. Louis (vocational); Brooke Liggett, Springfield (accounting, damages, economics)
Special Damages: Past medical of$256,325.37. Future medical estimated between $277,500 and $329,800. Lost earning capacity estimated between $611,461 and $1,241,783.
Insurer: M.U.S.I.C. for School of the Osage
Caption: Adam Richard v. School of the Osage R-2 School District and Mark Elliot
Plaintiff's Attorneys: Tim McDuffey, McDuffey Law Firm, Osage Beach
Defendant's Attorneys: Scott Kehlenbrink, Childress Ahlheim Cary, St. Louis

By David Baugher

Special to Missouri Lawyers Media

A young man who was badly injured when his vehicle was struck by a school bus will receive a $2 million settlement from the school's insurance.

"The guy stopped at the stop sign and crossed two lanes of travel -- east-bound lanes of the divided highway there," plaintiff's attorney Tim McDuffey said of the bus operator. "He just kind of guns it through the intersection trying to go straight across the highway."

Motorist Adam Richard was traveling west on U.S. Highway 54 in Miller County when the larger vehicle allegedly struck him from the driver's side. He filed suit against bus driver Mark Elliot and the School of the Osage over the February 2012 accident.

The bus driver said he didn't see the plaintiff, according to McDuffey.

Richard, a high school senior at the time of the crash, was flown from the scene to the University of Missouri for multiple injuries, including concussion and brain injury.

"His left arm was fractured. Probably his most significant injury was that he had a tibial plateau fracture of his left leg," said McDuffey. "He was basically pinned in his car. When the bus hit him on the left side, basically everything was fractured."

McDuffey said his client underwent multiple surgeries on his left arm and knee.

"The case came down to damages. There wasn't really any fight on liability," he said. "The difficult part of the case was to try and figure out what kind of future consequences there were going to be from a medical standpoint."

Expert testimony established that Richard would develop progressive arthritis in his left knee, eventually requiring arthroscopic surgery and replacement of the joint, McDuffey said.

The other complexity of the case involved lost wages, he said. The defense contended that Richard was capable of attending college and could make an adequate living, he said. However, McDuffey said his client didn't wish to pursue college and wanted to be a construction worker, a field that would require manual labor. That meant future difficulties from his injuries would ultimately involve a diminished ability to work.

"It is not your typical case where you have somebody with clear wages where you can say here's what they earned in the past and here's how that's going to be affected in the future," he said. "Adam had no earnings. He hadn't ever begun his career."

Richard now works laying tile, he said.

Defense experts confirmed the need for an eventual knee replacement, though there was a debate over the cost, McDuffey said.

"I think that what turned the case is when even their experts, after they got a chance to look at all the facts, saw that this was a significant injury and it was going to impact him over a lifetime," McDuffey said.

McDuffey listed Scott Kehlenbrink of Childress Ahlheim Cary as representing the defense. He did not return a request for comment.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Do You Have A Healthcare Directive In Place?

When you are a minor, your parent or guardian is responsible for making decisions regarding your healthcare. Once you become an adult, you assume this responsibility for yourself. Unfortunately, you may not always be able to make your healthcare wishes known. If you sustain serious injuries at the Lake of the Ozarks that leave you unable to communicate your wishes, you need to have something in place to make your wishes known.

Healthcare Directives

A healthcare directive is an official document that legally dictates your wishes regarding your healthcare. Healthcare directives can include a variety of different instructions, including:

The types of treatment you would like (or would not like) to receive
Where you would like to receive treatment
Whether or not you would like to be an organ donor after your passing
Who should be in charge of making important decisions on your behalf
Special instructions for unique situations (for example: if you are pregnant)

Your healthcare directive will guide all of the procedures in the event that you are unable to communicate your wishes directly. If you are seriously injured without a healthcare directive in place, your healthcare provider should listen to your close family's opinions and follow their wishes. However, having a healthcare directive is the best way to ensure that your wishes will be known and met.

Who Should You Appoint As Your Representative?

Your healthcare representative will be responsible for making any important, real-time decisions in the event that you are unable to do so for yourself. For the most part, you are able to delegate anyone you would like as your representative. There are a few exceptions, however. For example, the following individuals may not be designated as your representative:

Your primary care provider
Anyone under eighteen years of age

Many people designate their spouse, sibling, or adult child as their representative. It is often wise to designate "back up" delegates as well, especially if you designate your spouse as your primary representative. Because you will most likely spend the majority of your time with your spouse, it is possible he/she could be subject to the same types of injuries as you. In the event that you are both incapacitated, you will need a third party to represent your wishes.

Set Up Your Healthcare Directive Today!

Putting together an official healthcare directive is the only way to ensure that your wishes will be followed in the event that you become unable to communicate. Hopefully you will never need this document, but it always better to be safe than sorry.

If you have any questions about personal injury law at the Lake of the Ozarks, remember that McDuffey Law Firm is always here for you.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

4 Personal Injury Law Myths

On the surface, personal injury law seems like it should be simple. If you've been injured due to the negligence of another, they should pay for your resulting medical bills and any associated pain and suffering - right? Unfortunately, personal injury law is usually not nearly this cut-and-dry. There are many different factors that can impact whether or not the negligent party will actually be required to pay for the damages, and many different details that must be addressed when filing a personal injury claim at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Because of these complications, misunderstandings surrounding personal injury law are incredibly common. Today, McDuffey Law Firm is here to clear up some of the confusion surrounding our legal field by dispelling some of these common myths.

Myth #1: If You Have Insurance, You Don't Need An Attorney

Unfortunately, this assumption is one of the most dangerous ones people can make. Having insurance does not mean you will not need an attorney's services. In fact, your attorney's most valuable service will probably be helping you stand up to your insurance company. Your insurance company is a business, and - like all businesses - they are out to make a profit. If they can find a reason to deny your claim, they probably will. At McDuffey Law Firm, we take over the communication with our clients' insurance companies and handle all the negotiations so that they do not have to.

Myth #2: Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer Is Expensive

Most people assume attorneys charge an exorbitant amount for their services, but the truth is that your personal injury attorney in Osage Beach MO should be incredibly affordable. At McDuffey Law Firm, we operate strictly on a contingency fee basis; that is, our fees are contingent upon us winning your case. If we do not win your case, we will not charge you a single penny for our services. Our clients can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to bring their case to a successful conclusion and that they will be able to easily afford our services when it's all said and done.

Myth #3: You Should Wait Until You Have Time To Assess The Damages Before Filing Your Case

Some people are tempted to wait a while before filing their personal injury cases, believing that they should first see the full extent of their medical bills, recovery time, and other expenses. However, it's critical that you not wait so long you let the statute of limitations expire, or else your case will be considered invalid. In Missouri, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the point of injury or the point when the injury should have been discovered. It is okay to file your personal injury case while still in the recovery process.

Myth #4: You Don't Have To Hire A Personal Injury Attorney If Your Only Sustained Minor Injuries

The assumption that you should only contact a personal injury attorney if your injuries are severe is a common misconception. The truth is that sometimes individuals with minor injuries are the most in need of an attorney's services, because their insurance companies are more likely to dismiss their cases. If they do agree to pay for damages, the payout amounts are frequently too low to cover even the most basic medical expenses. If you have suffered minor injuries, contact McDuffey Law Firm to evaluate your situation.

Questions About Personal Injury Law? Contact McDuffey Law Firm!

If you ever have any questions about your personal injury case, please don't hesitate to reach out to the team at our personal injury firm in Osage Beach MO. Thanks to our contingency fee structure, your initial consultation is always free. We look forward to working with you!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

17 Christmas Trivia Facts

Christmas is a time to celebrate all of the blessings in your life. It's a time to reconnect with family and friends after another busy year - a time to relax before charging into the year ahead. McDuffey Law Firm is here to help you prepare for your family gatherings this weekend by providing you with a few fun talking points. With these fun Christmas trivia facts up your sleeve, your friends and family are sure to be amazed and delighted!

Christmas Trivia Facts

1. The abbreviation "X-Mas" originated from the Greek's method of shortening the word "Christ" to "X."

2. The first artificial Christmas tree was made from dyed goose feathers.

3. If you received all the gifts described in the song "Twelve Days of Christmas," you would get 364 gifts.

4. The tallest Christmas tree on record measured 221 feet tall.

5. Purchases made for Christmas make up about 1/6 of all retail sales in the United States.

6. Georgia, Indiana, and Arizona all have towns named Santa Claus. Idaho has a town named Santa.

7. The twelve days of Christmas originated because it apparently took the three wise men 12 days to find the baby Jesus.

8. In 1836, Alabama became the first state to officially recognize Christmas as a holiday.

9. Oklahoma was the last state to declare Christmas as an official holiday. They waited all the way to 1907.

10. Poinsettias originated in Mexico.

11. The largest Christmas stocking in the world was 106 feet, 9 inches long and 49 feet, 1 inch wide.

12. Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, St. Nicholas, and Grandfather Frost are all alternative names for Santa Claus.

13. Christmas trees were first decorated with electric lights in 1895.

14. With over 100 million sales across the globe, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" is believed to be the best-selling single of all time.

15. Every year in the U.S., around 30-35 million real (that is, living) Christmas trees are sold.

16. Apples, nuts, and dates were used as the very first Christmas decorations.

17. There are two islands named "Christmas." One is in the Indian Ocean, and the other is in the Pacific Ocean.

Merry Christmas From McDuffey Law Firm!

From our Lake of the Ozarks personal injury lawyer to the rest of our team, everyone at McDuffey Law Firm wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas! Please be careful and stay safe while you are on the roads this year. If the worst should happen and you should find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney in Osage Beach, MO, we hope you'll keep McDuffey Law Firm in mind.