Does my friend have a personal injury///malpractice lawsuit

There is a good chance that he has a case. Your friend needs to contact an attorney as soon as possible.  There are many important details that an attorney must consider. Based on the information you provided, there may be a claim against the driver of the car, against one or more doctors, and possibly against the manufacturer of the rods and plates. In your question, I did not see any information about when your friend was hit by the car or the dates of the three surgeries. The dates on which the car hit your friend and the dates on which the surgeries occurred may effect what claims your friend still has. In Missouri, the statute of limitations for most personal injuries is five years. You also mentioned failed surgeries and faulty rods and plates. If medical malpractice occurred, Missouri has a two year statute of limitations for those claims, although if certain facts are present, that time may extend more than two years after the surgery. It would be helpful if you would provide more information about the date of the initial accident as well as the dates of the surgeries. Your friend's injuries are serious and it would be in his best interest to contact an attorney as soon as possible to evaluate his potential case and to determine the best steps to take. Even if he has additional time before the statute of limitations runs, it is better to gather evidence early while memories are fresh. An attorney will need to take a close look at evidence relating to the initial injury and all of the relevant medical records. I strongly encourage your friend to reach out to a qualified attorney to evaluate whether he has a case. Time is of the essence with legal claims. I wish your friend the very best.