Automobile Injury Attorney California, MO
California, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | California, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in California, MO. Injuries in auto crashes happen in an instant, and the emotional, physical and financial burdens they create are quick to materialize as well. If you were injured in a California, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will get you the full compensation you need to be made whole again. At Halvorsen Klote, we have dedicated our practice to fighting for injury victims when the whole world seems to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with the help of a skilled attorney, they will not be able to keep you from the best possible financial recovery you are owed. We provide outstanding legal representation to the vulnerable in California, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You owe us no fees unless we win. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in California, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a complimentary consultation.
We've gotten full compensation for our California, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
California, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most injury victims have never had to make an injury claim before, and understandably have a lot of questions as to the process and how to proceed going about getting a financial recovery for their damages. Below is a list of FAQs to help you better understand the process:
How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Claim?
In order to have a case, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some form of financial loss, such as emergency room bills or time spent off work recovering, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by another party. If you your back hurt for a few days after the accident, but your injuries didn't lead to financial loss, you're unlikely to have a successful claim. If you were responsible for your injuries, you cannot file a claim against someone else's insurance.
Never assume that you can't make a successful claim without speaking to an attorney first. Halvorsen Klote's California, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case evaluations for people who were injured and aren't sure if they have a case.
Is it Worth it to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
There are some injuries where a lawyer won't be able to add much value to your claim. If there's no dispute about who to blame for the accident and your medical expenses aren't very high — say, one emergency room visit — include detailed records in your settlement letter, and see if you can get a little more on top for the hassle. In those types of situations, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.
However, with more significant injuries that result in several 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 give you a fair offer, 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 are entitled to. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to have just as much experience holding them accountable.
There are things besides significant injuries that require an attorney, such as if the negligent driver refuses to admit fault, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, also make an automobile injury attorney required.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in California, MO?
The damages you recover after a car accident are intended to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With a knowledgeable California, MO automobile injury attorney, you can be reimbursed for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent off work
- Lost earning capacity if you can no longer work
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as hiring a nanny or take care to look after your kids
- Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering, or loss of consortium if your injuries prevent you from helping and giving affection to your spouse
How much money you get for your automobile injuries depends largely on the severity of your injuries.
How Much Will I Get for Pain and Suffering?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate noneconomic damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this approach, we multiply the total of your medical bills, lost wages and out-of-pocket expenses by a number between 1.5 and 5, depending on how severe your injuries were. The more disruptive the injury, the higher the number.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." With this approach, your California, 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, with the above example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
For example, the negligent driver caused a moderate neck injury, leading to $15,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, and which caused you to have physical discomfort for four months, and inconvenienced you because you had to wear a neck brace for a week. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in medical bills and lost wages × 3 for a pain and suffering multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (on top of your medical bills and lost wages)
Your attorney will know the best way to determine your pain and suffering damages for your individual case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Pays For My Medical Expenses?
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, insurance companies and medical providers have a right place a medical lien on your claim. That allows them to be compensated by the liable party's insurance, just as you are being compensated.
There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. An experience California, 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
While the negligent driver may have a policy with higher limits, there is still a chance with more severe injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. If that happens, we have a couple options. First, your California, MO automobile injury attorney can make an underinsured motorist claim under your own policy, asking them to make up the difference. Secondly, in their investigation your attorney might uncover other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in California, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver that caused the crash. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An auto company may have negligently designed, manufactured, or tested a vehicle component, leading to a product liability claim
- In a truck crash, there are a variety of regulations the trucking company may have violated
- A mechanic may have negligently worked on the car, causing a defect that had a hand in the crash
- A licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused a crash
- A government body responsible for keeping roads safe
- A construction company if the accident was caused by an unsafe construction site
What if I'm Being Blamed For My Accident?
Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance companies use to avoid paying you. Providing strong evidence, in addition to having an automobile injury attorney experienced in fighting back against insurance companies, will help prove you're not at-fault.
If it's true that you were partially at fault for the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 followed the legal doctrine of "comparative negligence." Meaning, each party pays for the percentage of fault they bear for the accident. In Illinois, your right to compensation is barred if you were more than 50 percent liable.
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 they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, which is likely much less than your medical bills and lost wages. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
You probably will not be required to go to court for your automobile injuries. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that less than five percent of tort claims go to trial.
Depositions and mediations are common formal procedures in automobile injury claims, but your automobile injury attorney will prep you for those and do most of the work themselves.
How Long Will My Claim Take?
That depends on your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a month to three or four years before it results in fair compensation. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've received notice that there's an attorney on the case. In other cases, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require considerable investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your money as quickly as possible, it's always the best idea to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the full, fair financial recovery you deserve. You only have chance to receive compensation.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's California, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. That means we we get a portion of your final payout, and you don't owe us anything upfront. If we don't win, you don't pay, so there's no reason to see money as a barrier to hiring one of our lawyers.
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 call us at 866-382-4167.
Other injury claims we handle in California, 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
Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney in California, 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 can leave you with a profound sense of uncertainty. But you don't have to go through the claims process alone. We fight back against insurance companies every day and know how to get our California, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We always have open lines of communication with our clients, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your California, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in California, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a complimentary case evaluation.
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.
