Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Kansas City, MO (2026)
For this evidence-based 2026 list of Kansas City medical malpractice lawyers, we weigh published results and practice focus alongside experience and reviews.
Because of its long history and reviews describing clear, responsive service, Monge & Associates leads this list. The recovery it publishes, though, concerns a delivery-driver injury. If you're considering calling, ask who'll handle your file and check the firm's experience with your medical injury. When reading the Missouri malpractice rules, pay close attention to the filing deadline.
4.9129 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 129 reviews
Best for: Families prioritizing clear communication
When Monge & Associates clients describe the firm, they often mention quick responses and explanations they can understand. With a Google rating of 4.9 across 129 reviews, that picture of communication has support. Founding attorney Scott Monge started the firm's history in 1993.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.9451 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 451 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and nursing home claims
Because Brown & Crouppen Law Firm's site covers birth injury and nursing home neglect, families have specific medical-injury questions to bring to a consultation. The firm, founded in 1979, lists Terry Crouppen as a founding partner and has an office in Kansas City. Across its 451 Google reviews, the rating is 4.9.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
3.211 Google reviewsRated 3.2 out of 5 on Google from 11 reviews
Best for: Birth injury and cerebral palsy claims
With a published $25.4 million jury verdict for an infant injured during labor and delivery, Cullan & Cullan stands out. Alongside pages about cerebral palsy and misdiagnosis, its site reports another delivery verdict: $17 million for brain damage. At its Kansas City office, the firm lists attorneys Patrick Cullan and Joseph Cullan.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Kansas City can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
5.0367 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 367 reviews
Best for: Clients seeking published malpractice settlements
Among the medical malpractice settlements Schmitt Templin, LLC publishes are results of $5 million and $1 million. Rather than unrelated accident claims, these settlements concern malpractice itself. In repeated reviews, clients mention regular updates and detailed explanations.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and the results it publishes.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.666 Google reviewsRated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 66 reviews
Best for: Surgical errors and hospital negligence
Since 1986, Dempsey, Kingsland & Osteen has been in practice, with a substantial focus on medical malpractice. Alongside coverage of surgical errors and hospital negligence, its site has separate pages on birth injuries and cerebral palsy. At the Kansas City firm, you'll find Jason Osteen and Robert Kingsland listed, along with Leland Dempsey.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Where they are in Kansas City
What clients say about these Kansas City lawyers
Google reviews of the firms on our lists, quoted as their clients wrote them and linked to where they were posted. We don't write, edit or pick reviews for pay.
DS
Dae S.
October 2025 · Kansas City, Missouri
“A True Force for Good
My husband and I had the privilege of working with Robert Kingsland and his incredible team: Bob is so much more than an outstanding lawyer—he’s an extraordinary human being. He is a force to be reckoned with—brilliant, dedicated, and unwaveringly compassionate.
From the very first moment, it...”
“I had a great experience working with Peterson Law Firm. They were extremely helpful throughout the entire process and made what could have been a stressful situation much easier to navigate. Communication was excellent, they kept me informed every step of the way and were always quick to respond to any questions I...”
“I highly recommend them! I love knowing there are lawyers who care about our Hispanic community and, above all, who speak our language. After an accident, you need to feel heard, understood, and know that there is someone willing to help. 🙏⚖️ How comforting it is to find people who understand how important it is to...”
As you explain the medical event, gather the records you have. Because the general deadline is 2 years from the act of neglect, ask a Missouri lawyer to check the filing clock immediately; discovery exceptions apply to foreign objects and failures to report test results.
Assess medical support
Before proceeding, ask whether a legally qualified health care provider can give a written opinion that negligence caused the damages. After you file, Missouri requires an affidavit based on that opinion. When discussing the medical review, ask how the firm arranges it and who pays.
File the complaint
Filing the complaint starts the lawsuit. When explaining the filing rule that applies, your lawyer should address the statute's 10-year outer limit and the twentieth-birthday rule for children. Until someone has reviewed the facts, don't rely on those provisions to settle your deadline.
Submit the required affidavit
After filing, you have 90 days to provide Missouri's required affidavit. In it, you must state that a legally qualified health care provider supplied the required written opinion. If there's good cause, the court may allow up to 90 more days to meet the deadline.
Discuss resolution and recovery
If a settlement is proposed, have your lawyer explain it and the possibility of trial. Although Missouri caps non-economic damages against health care providers, the cap is higher for catastrophic injury and death. Have the lawyer explain fees and case expenses clearly too.
Malpractice claims in Kansas City: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Missouri
The clock startsOn the day of the treatment
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most10 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Missouri
Pain and sufferingCapped at about $481,493
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkWithin 90 days after filing (extendable by up to 90 more for good cause), file an affidavit that a legally qualified health care provider has given a written opinion that the defendant was negligent and caused the damages.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
According to eight listed firms, they work on contingency: the lawyer receives a share if there's a recovery, but no lawyer's fee if the claim fails. A free consultation is offered by all. Separate case costs include court fees, along with the expense of getting records and medical opinions. Before proceeding, ask whether you're expected to pay those expenses or the firm advances them. If there's no recovery, ask what you'd still owe. Before you sign, confirm the arrangement directly with the firm and get written fee terms explaining how costs change the amount you'll have left.
According to all ten listed firms, their consultations are free. Contingency arrangements are also offered by eight.
What to bring to your first call
A treatment timeline you've written, including when you learned something was wrong
Your available medical records, with relevant delivery notes and the chart included
Messages about whether anyone reported the test results, plus the results themselves
Names of the hospitals and providers involved in your treatment
Payment records related to your medical bills, plus the bills
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
Photos relevant to the injury, if you have any
A short account of how the injury affects daily life
Questions to ask a lawyer
1For this treatment or diagnosis, have you handled a claim?
2Which lawyer will take responsibility for my file, and who'll review my records?
3Given my situation, which Missouri filing deadline applies?
4For the required affidavit, how will you obtain the medical opinion?
5What will paying your fee and case expenses involve?
6What would I owe if the claim fails?
7Who should I contact with questions, and how will you update me?
8Before you decide whether to take my case, what else do you need?
Choose around your medical injury
First, identify what went wrong during treatment. If the injury happened during delivery, your questions will differ from those about a missed cancer diagnosis or medication error. You'll find pages about these claims published by several Kansas City firms on this list. Before choosing a lawyer to handle your file, ask whether they've taken cases involving the same medical event. Ask for an example they're able to discuss.
Give the published results a close look. Alongside labor-and-delivery verdicts reported by Cullan & Cullan, you'll find malpractice settlements published by Schmitt Templin, LLC. When you read results from Monge & Associates and Brown & Crouppen Law Firm, you'll find vehicle injuries. What they tell you about a firm's work differs. Although a recovery tells you what happened in that case, it doesn't tell you what your claim is worth.
Ask how the file will be handled
After the consultation, who'll talk with you and review the chart? Ask for the responsible lawyer's name before they handle your file.
For Missouri's required affidavit, ask how the firm gets the medical opinion. If the firm declines your case, find out who pays for that review.
Agree on how you'll stay in touch. Because some firms here have mixed communication feedback, ask what happens when a message goes unanswered.
You'll find Spanish-language service listed at Peterson & Associates, P. C. If you prefer Spanish, ask who can discuss the medical details with you.
According to every listed firm, you can get a free consultation. Before signing anything, talk through your concerns and the treatment dates. According to eight firms, they work on contingency: if there's a recovery, the lawyer gets a share; if the claim fails, there's no lawyer's fee. Expenses for the case are separate. Before proceeding, ask for written terms covering other costs and medical opinions.
If someone promises outcomes or pressures you to sign before explaining the fees, be wary. What happened during your care isn't established by a hospital rating, either. If you have your chart, bring it and describe the harm in your own words. This information isn't legal advice; it's general. To learn how the rules fit your situation, speak with a Missouri lawyer.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to file a malpractice claim in Kansas City?
Under Missouri's general rule, the filing deadline runs 2 years from the act of neglect. If a foreign object was left in the body or test results weren't reported, discovery-based exceptions apply. The statute sets an outer limit of 10 years too. Before assuming that discovering the harm gives you more time, have a Missouri lawyer review your dates.
Can I speak with a lawyer without paying for the consultation?
According to all ten firms on this list, consultations are free; eight also say they work on contingency. When you have the consultation, you can ask about the firm's terms and your claim. Who pays later case expenses isn't settled by that. Before hiring the firm, confirm what the consultation includes and then ask for the fee terms in writing.
What medical support does a Missouri malpractice lawsuit need?
In Missouri's required affidavit, you must state that a legally qualified health care provider gave a written opinion that the defendant was negligent and caused the damages. After filing, you have 90 days to submit the affidavit. If there's good cause, an extension of up to 90 more days is allowed. Find out how the lawyer plans to obtain the opinion.
Does my child have a different filing deadline?
Instead of applying the general 2-year deadline, Missouri gives a child until the twentieth birthday to sue. To understand how that rule fits your child's treatment and injury, ask a Missouri lawyer. If you're asking about delivery injuries, Cullan & Cullan publishes birth-injury verdicts. You'll also find birth injury covered on the sites of several other listed firms.
Does Missouri limit the amount a family can recover?
Against health care providers, Missouri limits non-economic damages with caps. Rather than financial losses, these damages cover harms such as pain and suffering. Although catastrophic injury and death have a higher cap, all the caps increase by 1.7 percent annually. To understand which category applies and how the cap affects your claim, ask a Missouri lawyer.
How long will a medical malpractice case take?
You can't get a reliable estimate of how long a case takes from the firms' published information. When asking what the medical review involves, find out how you'll get updates. After filing, Missouri's affidavit deadline is 90 days; for good cause, an extension of up to 90 more days is possible. When your case will end isn't something that deadline forecasts.
What should I do before contacting a Kansas City firm?
As you write down when treatment happened, note what you believe went wrong. To discuss them with the lawyer, gather whatever medical records and test-result messages you have. Don't wait to ask about the filing deadline. Although you may recognize the harm later, Missouri generally counts its 2-year deadline from the act of neglect, not necessarily from that discovery.
What if my loved one died after medical treatment?
Among the listed firms covering wrongful death are Monge & Associates and Dempsey, Kingsland & Osteen. For death claims against health care providers, Missouri sets a higher cap on non-economic damages. When speaking with a Missouri lawyer, ask who may bring the claim and which deadline fits the circumstances. Those questions can't be answered by a firm's wrongful-death page alone.
Do high reviews or large settlements prove a firm fits my case?
You can get useful context from reviews and settlements. When you look closely, you'll see different cases: Schmitt Templin, LLC publishes malpractice settlements, but Brown & Crouppen Law Firm's published settlement involves a car crash. Rather than medical-claim experience, reviews often describe how the firm communicates. When asking the proposed lawyer about similar treatment injuries, find out their role in those cases. Also ask about the medical review your claim would require.