Bad Things Happen to Good People.

When they do, getting the right advice can make all the difference.

After you or a loved one has been seriously injured, it can be hard to know where to turn and who to trust. We will take the time to earn your trust by answering your questions, explaining your options, and getting you the result you deserve. We are proud to help good people through difficult times.

The Heenan Law Firm helps injury victims in Billings and throughout Montana.

Our firm has extensive experience with many forms of personal injury cases. Personal injury occurs when a person is injured by the wrongful or negligent action of another person or company.

Types of personal injury cases handled at the Heenan Law Firm include:

Auto Accidents Auto accidents can have devastating consequences to individuals and their families. Pain and suffering, loss of income, stress, and complications are but a few of the issues that victims of auto accidents will encounter during their case. We understand what you are going through and are here to make your life a little easier by helping you assert your rights quickly and diligently to maximize your recovery.

Trucking Accidents Heavier and larger than other vehicles with which they share the road, semi-trucks present unique hazards to other drivers. When large trucks are involved in auto accidents, affected drivers may be severely injured and saddled with expensive medical costs.

Railroad Accidents Accidents involving trains don't happen often, but when they do, the damage caused can be catastrophic. When a train collides with another moving vehicle, the lives of passengers and bystanders can be devastated by trauma, severe injury, or death. Often, injuries are permanent or require life-long medical treatment.

Construction Accidents At every construction site, there are multiple parties responsible for ensuring safety. When an accident does occur, everyone from the owner of the property to the contractor can potentially be held liable if their failure to meet the safety standards imposed by law results in an injury.

John Heenan is a proud member of the American Association for Justice, a nationwide organization of attorneys committed to ensuring that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.

Injured in an Auto Accident? Now What?

Protecting Your Rights. Maximizing Your Results.

Auto accidents can have devastating consequences to individuals and their families. Pain and suffering, loss of income, stress, and complications are but a few of the issues that victims of auto accidents will encounter during their case. At the Heenan Law Firm, we understand what you are going through and are here to make your life a little easier by helping you assert your rights quickly and diligently to maximize your recovery.

Studies by the Insurance Research Council have shown that auto accident injury claimants who hire a car accident lawyer received three and a half time better settlement than they would have if they had tried to negotiate alone.

Every car accident and every individual injured in an variety of injuries can result from a car wreck. Insurance companies want you to believe that handling auto accident claims is a simple matter that does not require the assistance of a personal injury attorney who specializes in car accidents. But you should know that insurance adjusters are trained to reduce the amount of a settlement that you are paid. The only way to make sure that you get a fair settlement or award is to have an auto accident attorney who understands the insurance system, is well prepared and experienced in trying these cases in court, and will do everything to fight for your rights.

Insurance Company Misconduct

You pay your insurance premiums so that you will be protected. When insurance companies fail to keep up their end of the bargain, we can help you make them.

When policyholders purchase insurance and pay premiums, they expect that their insurance company will be there when they need them. Unfortunately, sometimes policyholders are left in the lurch when insurance companies put profits ahead of what's right.

Montana law places heightened burdens on insurance companies in an effort to make them do the right thing. (To read the Montana statutes governing insurance companies, click here.)

We can help explain your rights, and help you make your insurance company live up to its end of the bargain.

When Malpractice Occurs, We Demand Accountability.

People place their faith and trust in professionals. Malpractice refers to the failure of a doctor, lawyer, or other professional's failure to live up to their standard of care.

Types of malpractice cases handled at the Heenan Law Firm include:

Medical Malpractice. The doctor and medical staff treating you are not the only people responsible for your care. The hospital has the responsibility of ensuring that the physicians, nurses, and any other employees perform their jobs without causing harm. It is the hospital’s duty to hold its staff accountable for their actions and to remove any staff member found to be performing his duties below an acceptable level. Sometimes, errors do happen. The lack of competent care can have devastating effects on the patient. When a mistake occurs, it is the patient and their family who pay the price, sometimes with their lives.

Legal Malpractice. Clients rightly place their trust in attorneys to shepherd them through the complexities of the legal system. When lawyers miss critical deadlines or otherwise fail to live up to their obligations, good claims can disappear.

John Heenan is a proud member of the American Association for Justice, a nationwide organization of attorneys committed to ensuring that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests.

Defective Products

When the design or manufacture of the product makes them unsafe, terrible and tragic injuries and even death can result.

Product liability can occur with industrial machines, motor vehicles, or any consumer product capable of causing injury.

A products liability claim is usually based on one or more of the following causes of action:

• Design defect,
• Manufacturing defect,
• Failure to warn.

In general, products liability claims are based not on negligence, but rather on strict liability. Under the theory of strict liability, a manufacturer is held liable regardless of whether it acted negligently. It allows recovery for an injured customer who might be in a difficult position to prove what a manufacturer did or did not do in its design or manufacturing process. It is presumed that a manufacturer with its deep pockets may be better situated to absorb the cost of liability and would consider such expense in setting price for its products.)

Montana law imposes special duties on the makers and sellers of products. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a defective product, we can help explain your rights and get you the result you deserve..