Automobile Injury Attorney Elsberry, MO
Elsberry, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Elsberry, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Elsberry, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Elsberry, 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 to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with the help of a skilled attorney, they will not be able to prevent you from collecting the maximum financial recovery you are owed. We serve the vulnerable in Elsberry, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until you get the compensation you deserve. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Elsberry, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a complimentary consultation.
We have experience with a number of automobile injury claims, including:
Elsberry, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most of our clients have never had to make an injury claim before, and understandably have doubts and uncertainties as to what the experience will be like. Below are some of the questions we get most frequently:
Do I Even Have a Personal Injury Claim?
In order to have a case, your injury needs to create some form of financial loss, for instance emergency room bills or time spent off work recovering, and there has to be another party who is at least partially at fault for the accident. If you your back hurt for a few days after the accident, but you never sought medical treatment, it's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. If you were responsible for your injuries, your own insurance company can pay for your damages, but your premiums will go up.
Never assume that you don't have a case without speaking to an attorney first. Halvorsen Klote's Elsberry, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews 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 expenses aren't very high — for instance, one appointment with your doctor — send detailed records to the insurance adjuster, and ask for a little more on top for inconvenience. With milder injuries where fault is not in dispute, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.
But, with more significant injuries that require ongoing medical treatment and cause you to lose time off work, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all the ways the injury has affected your life. If the insurance company isn't coming close to giving you a fair offer, or is saying your injuries were pre-existing, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you deserve. Insurance adjusters know how to devalue claims; personal injury lawyers know how to fight back against them.
Other complications, such as if there is a dispute over liability, or if your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in Elsberry, MO?
The damages you recover after an automobile injury are meant to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With an experienced Elsberry, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from making a living as you're used to
- Out-of-pocket 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 spousal relationship is affected by your injuries
How much compensation you receive in your car accident settlement depends largely on the severity of your injuries.
How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?
The dollar amount a plaintiff receives for noneconomic damages is determined through one of two methods:
- The Multiplier Method — With this method, we multiply the total of your medical bills, lost wages and out-of-pocket expenses by a number 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 Elsberry, 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, if we stick with the same example, say $200 a day is a fair approximation of your pain and suffering:
Say the negligent driver caused a whiplash injury, leading to $15,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, and which caused you to have neck pain for four months, and further disrupted you because it forced you to wear a neck brace for a few days. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in economic damages × 3 for a pain and suffering 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 specific case.
Will I Still Get Compensation if My Medical Insurance Covers 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, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your claim. That allows them to be repaid by the liable party's insurance, just as you are being compensated.
There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. A knowledgeable Elsberry, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and make sure as little is taken out of your settlement as possible.
What If the Insurance Coverage is Limited?
Missouri and Illinois have very similar laws regarding minimum auto coverage:
- $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, you can use your own policy's underinsured motorist coverage. Secondly, in their investigation your attorney might uncover other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Elsberry, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver that caused the crash. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:
- An auto manufacturer may have negligently designed, manufactured, or tested a vehicle component, and you can make a product liability claim
- In a truck accident, there are a variety of regulations the trucking company may have violated
- A mechanic may have improperly repaired an automobile, which contributed to the crash
- A licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
- A government entity 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?
An insurance adjuster may try to blame you for your accident in order to devalue your claim. Providing sound 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, as in some cases, you really were partially responsible for your injuries, you can still make a recovery. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 allow for what's called "comparative negligence." Meaning, if you were 30 percent at fault for the accident, you can recover 70 percent of your damages from the other party. In Illinois, you cannot make any recovery if you were more than half liable.
What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?
If you were injured as a passenger, 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 far less than your medical bills and lost wages. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
You probably will not be required to go to court for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that more than nine out of 10 tort claims are settled before trial.
Depositions and mediations are common formal procedures in personal injury claims, but your automobile injury attorney will make sure you're adequately prepared and will do most of the work themselves.
How Long Will I Have to Wait Until I'm Compensated?
That depends on a lot of things, such as the severity of your injuries, how clear negligence is and even the insurance company or adjuster we're negotiating with. A personal injury claim can last anywhere from a month to several years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they know that there's an attorney on the case. In other cases, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or the liability and insurance coverage elements are so complex that they require substantial investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim without waiting a long period, it's always in your best interest to hold out for the full, fair compensation you deserve. You only have chance to receive compensation.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Elsberry, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. That means we we get a portion of your final payout, and there are no upfront costs. If we don't secure any compensation for you, you don't owe us anything, 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 a barrier for people who just want to be fairly compensated for their injuries.
To learn more about the claims process, have a look at the frequently asked questions area of our website, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other injury claims we take on in Elsberry, 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
Speak to an Automobile Injury Attorney in Elsberry, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that an injury victim deserves the same high quality legal representation 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 negotiate with insurance companies every day and know how to get our Elsberry, MO clients the best possible results. We always have open lines of communication with our clients, and handle the entire legal process so you and your Elsberry, MO family can focus on healing. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Elsberry, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a complimentary case review.
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.
