Civil Litigation
Trial lawyers handling personal injury, wrongful death, insurance, employment, and commercial disputes in Missouri and Kansas state and federal courts.
What is civil litigation?
Civil litigation is a legal dispute between two or more parties seeking money damages or specific performance rather than criminal penalties. It covers everything from a car accident claim to a breach of contract between businesses, and includes every stage of the case: demand, pleadings, discovery, motions, settlement negotiation, trial, and enforcement of the judgment.
More than a trial
Civil litigation is much more than just a trial. We represent clients from our first contact with an adversary through the final resolution of the dispute. The work done in those early weeks, before anything is filed, often determines what the case is ultimately worth.
Our litigators try cases. That matters even in the cases that settle, because opposing counsel and insurance carriers price a claim differently when the lawyer across from them has a record of taking matters to verdict. Jerome Brant has tried hundreds of judge and jury trials. Ward Brown is AV Preeminent rated and admitted before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Who we represent
We represent injured people and grieving families, and we also defend individuals and businesses when a claim is brought against them. Having worked both sides gives us a realistic view of what a case is worth and how the other side is evaluating it.
Our civil practice includes automobile and trucking collisions, catastrophic injury and wrongful death, premises and product liability, insurance coverage and recovery disputes, employment matters, workplace safety, consumer claims under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, and commercial disputes between businesses.
Where we practice
We appear regularly in the circuit courts of Clay, Platte, Ray, Clinton, and Jackson Counties, in Johnson County, Kansas, and in the United States District Courts for the Western and Eastern Districts of Missouri and the District of Kansas.
Common questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in Missouri?
Missouri generally allows five years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, and three years for a wrongful death claim. Some claims carry much shorter deadlines. Notably, claims against a city, county, or other public entity can require written notice within 90 days. Because a missed deadline usually ends a case permanently, you should have the specific dates reviewed by an attorney as early as possible.
What does civil litigation actually involve besides a trial?
Most of it happens before any trial. A civil case typically moves through a demand and investigation stage, the filing of a petition and answer, written discovery and depositions, expert disclosures, and pretrial motions. The large majority of civil cases resolve by settlement or mediation before reaching a jury. Effective representation means being genuinely prepared to try the case, which is usually what produces a fair settlement.
Do I pay attorney fees up front for an injury case?
No. Personal injury and wrongful death matters are generally handled on a contingent fee, meaning the firm is paid a percentage of any recovery and you owe no attorney fee if there is no recovery. Withers, Brant, Igoe & Mullennix offers a free evaluation on contingent fee matters.
Will my case be filed in Missouri or Kansas?
That depends on where the incident occurred, where the parties live, and where a defendant business operates. Kansas City metro cases frequently have connections to both states, and the choice can affect damage caps, comparative fault rules, and the trial timeline. Several of our attorneys are licensed in both Missouri and Kansas and admitted in the federal district courts of each.
Talk with a lawyer who knows this community.
Tell us what you are facing. We will point you to the right attorney and explain your options in plain language. No obligation.