Automobile Injury Attorney Boonville, MO
Boonville, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Boonville, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Boonville, MO. Injuries in auto crashes happen without warning, and the emotional, physical and economic hardships they create are quick to materialize as well. If you were injured in a Boonville, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to bring you justice and a fair financial recovery. At Halvorsen Klote, we fight for injury victims when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with the help of a knowledgeable attorney, they will not be able to prevent you from collecting the full financial recovery you are owed. We serve the injured in Boonville, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until we win your case. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Boonville, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a complimentary case evaluation.
We've gotten full compensation for our Boonville, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Boonville, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most people who call our office have never had to make an injury claim before, and understandably have doubts and uncertainties as to what to expect. Below are some of the questions we get most frequently:
Do I Even Have Auto Accident Case?
In order to have a realistic chance of being compensated, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some amount of financial loss, for instance urgent care bills or lost wages, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by somebody else. If you your back hurt for a few days after the accident, but you were never medically evaluated, it would be difficult for you to make a personal injury claim. If the accident was largely your fault, your own insurance company can pay for your damages, but your premiums will go up.
Fortunately, you don't have to rely on guesswork to understand if you have a case. Halvorsen Klote's Boonville, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free consultations for people who were injured and aren't sure if they have a case.
Is it Worth it to Get a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If there's no dispute about who to blame for the accident and your medical bills are minimal — say, one urgent care appointment — include detailed records in your letter to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get a little more on top for the nuisance. In those types of situations, an automobile injury attorney probably isn't necessary.
But, with more significant injuries that result in months of physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and result in lost wages, the insurance company is going to do whatever they can to pay you as little as possible. If the insurance company refuses to compensate you fairly, or is trying to convince you that your injuries weren't caused by the accident, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you deserve. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to get maximum compensation.
Other complications, such as if the other side denies liability, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Boonville, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you are eligible for after a car accident are meant to reimburse you for the economic, physical and emotional consequences of your injuries. With a skilled Boonville, MO automobile injury attorney, you can be reimbursed for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if you can no longer work
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as hiring transportation to and from medical appointments
- Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering, or loss of consortium if your spousal relationship is negatively impacted by your injuries
How much compensation you receive for your automobile injuries depends largely on the severity of your injuries.
How Much Will I Get for Noneconomic Damages?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate pain and suffering damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this method, your economic damages will be multiplied by a number, typically between 1.5 and 5, using higher numbers for more debilitating injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. With this method, your Boonville, MO automobile injury attorney determines how much money a day of suffering is worth, and multiplies that by the number of days your injuries affected you. So, using the same whiplash injury example, say $200 a day is a fair approximation of your pain and suffering:
Say you suffered a moderate neck injury, leading to $15,000 in economic damages, and which led to neck pain for four months, and further disrupted you because it forced you to wear a neck brace for a short period. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in medical bills and lost wages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (on top of your medical bills and lost wages)
Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your unique case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Covers My Medical Bills?
Yes. The settlement or judgment is based on all of your medical expenses, regardless of whether it was paid for by insurance or out of pocket. However, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your compensation. That allows them to be compensated by the liable party's insurance, just as you are being compensated.
The law allows a variety of avenues to reduce medical liens. A skilled Boonville, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and put as much money as possible in your pocket.
What If the Insurance Coverage is Limited?
Missouri and Illinois have nearly identical minimum auto insurance requirements:
- $25,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per person
- $50,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 (Missouri)/$20,000 (Illinois) minimum coverage for property damage
The other driver could have those, or other policy limits, but there is still a chance with more severe injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. That doesn't mean we can't get more compensation than the limits. First, your Boonville, MO automobile injury attorney can file an underinsured motorist claim under your own policy, asking them to make up the difference. Secondly, your attorney can find out if there are other liable parties.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Boonville, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver responsible for the crash. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An auto manufacturer may have negligently designed, manufactured, or tested a car component, and you can make a product liability claim
- In a truck crash, there are a variety of regulations the trucking company may have violated
- A mechanic may have improperly repaired an automobile, causing a defect that had a hand in the accident
- A licensed alcohol vendor if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A local, state or federal entity responsible for keeping roads safe
- A construction company if the accident was caused by an unsafe construction site
What if The Insurance Company is Saying the Accident is My Fault?
Shifting blame is a common trick insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. Providing strong evidence, as well as an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against insurance companies, will help prove you're not to blame.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially to blame. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and Illinois Law followed the legal doctrine of "comparative negligence." Meaning, each party pays for the percentage of fault they bear for the accident. In Illinois, you cannot make any recovery if it is determined that you were more than half at fault.
What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?
If you were injured in a car that somebody else was driving, you would still file a claim against the at-fault driver, even if it was the person driving your car. While your friend's or family member's insurance premiums might go up a little, which is likely substantially less than your economic damages. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
It's very unlikely that you'll have to go attend hearings or a trial for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that less than five percent of tort claims go to trial.
You'll likely have to take a deposition and may have to attend a mediation, but your automobile injury attorney will make sure you're adequately prepared and will handle most of the work.
How Long Will My Claim Take?
Each injury is different, and the more complicated a case, usually the longer it takes. A personal injury claim can last anywhere from six to eight weeks to several years before it's resolved. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they know that the plaintiff hired a lawyer. Other times, they'll wait until the eve of trial to finally agree to what is fair, or the liability and insurance coverage elements are so complex that they require considerable investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases reach a conclusion from anywhere between a few months to a year. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim as quickly as possible, it's always the best idea to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the maximum compensation you're owed. Once you agree to a settlement, you can never go back and ask for more money later.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Boonville, MO automobile injury attorney are paid through a contingency fee. That means we take a percentage of your final compensation as our attorneys' fees, and we only get paid at the conclusion of your claim. If we don't win, you don't owe us anything, so there's no financial risk involved in hiring our services.
We don't believe that money should be an obstacle for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.
To learn more about the claims process, have a look at our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other injury claims we handle in Boonville, MO include:
- Fatal Car Accident Lawyer
- Auto Accident Attorney
- Bike Wreck Lawyer
- What to Do After a Car Accident
- Premises Liability Attorneys
- Motorcycle Accidents Attorney
- Lawyer for Bicycle Accident
- Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
- Injury Claim Lawyer
Consult With an Automobile Injury Attorney in Boonville, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that an injury victim deserves the same standard of legal advocacy as the insurance companies that are trying to keep them from the financial recovery they are owed. Injuries are always unexpected and create fear and confusion. But we will be by your side every step of the way. We stand up to insurance companies every day and know how to get our Boonville, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your Boonville, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Boonville, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free consultation.
Joel Halvorsen
Attorney at Law
Joel Halvorsen and his partner Greg Klote founded the Halvorsen Klote law firm on the principle that injured people and their families should have access to the same quality legal representation as large insurance companies.
Greg Klote
Attorney at Law
Greg Klote is a partner and founder of Halvorsen Klote.
Greg has successfully fought for people who were injured through no fault of their own. He became a lawyer to help make a difference in the lives of those who have been wronged and treated unfairly.
