Automobile Injury Attorney Florissant, MO
Florissant, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Florissant, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Florissant, MO. Injuries in auto accidents happen without warning, and the mental, physical and financial burdens they carry are quick to materialize as well. If you were injured in a Florissant, MO auto accident, you need an automobile injury attorney who will defend your rights. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by injury victims when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with the help of an experienced attorney, they will not be able to keep you from the full financial recovery you deserve. We provide exceptional legal advocacy to the injured in Florissant, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until we win your case. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Florissant, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a free case review.
We have experience with many different automobile injury claims, including:
Florissant, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most injury victims 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:
How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
For a claim to be valid, your injury needs to create some amount of financial loss, such as emergency room bills or lost wages, 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 Florissant, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free consultations for people who were injured and aren't sure if they have a case.
Do I Need to Get a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and you didn't need much medical treatment — for example, one emergency room visit — send copies of your records and bills to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get some extra money for inconvenience. With milder injuries where fault is clearly established, 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 don't allow you to work for a period, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all those damages. If the insurance company refuses to pay the full extent of your damages, or is saying your injuries were pre-existing, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you are owed. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to fight back against them.
Other complications, such as if the other side denies liability, or if your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Florissant, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you are eligible for after a car accident are intended to compensate you for the financial, physical and emotional toll your injuries cause. With a skilled Florissant, MO automobile injury attorney, you can be reimbursed for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning potential if you can no longer work
- Other related expenses, such as hiring household services for chores you can't do while you're injured
- 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 compensation you receive for your automobile injuries depends largely on the severity of your injuries.
How Are Pain and Suffering Calculated?
The dollar amount a plaintiff receives for pain and suffering damages is determined through one of two methods:
- The Multiplier Method — With this approach, your economic damages will be multiplied by a number, typically between 1.5 and 5, using higher numbers for more significant injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Using this method, your Florissant, MO automobile injury attorney assigns a dollar amount to a single day of suffering, and multiplies that by the number of days you suffered. 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 economic damages, and which led to neck pain for four months, and inconvenienced you because you had to wear a neck brace for a short period. 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 (in addition to 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 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 healthcare 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. A skilled Florissant, MO automobile injury attorney will be able to work with your insurance company and healthcare providers to reduce those liens and put as much money as possible in your pocket.
What If My Damages Exceed the Policy Limits?
Missouri and Illinois have nearly the same 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 no guarantee that there's enough to compensate you for all of your damages. That doesn't mean we can't get more compensation than the limits. First, your Florissant, MO automobile injury attorney can make an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company, 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.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Florissant, MO?
In most cases, the other driver is the only personal responsible for your injuries. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An car company may may have produced a defective car 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 bar or restaurant if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
- A government body responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
- A construction company if a construction site was not properly cordoned off
What if The Insurance Company is Saying the Accident is My Fault?
An insurance adjuster may try to blame you for your accident in order to devalue your claim. Having strong evidence, as well as an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not at-fault.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially responsible for the accident. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 followed the legal doctrine of "comparative fault." Meaning, each party pays for the percentage of fault they bear for the accident. In Illinois, you cannot make any recovery if you were more than 50 percent to blame.
What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?
If you were injured as a passenger, you still seek compensation from the liable driver's insurance company, even if it was the person driving your car. While your friend's or family member's insurance premiums might go up a little, that doesn't compare to the medical bills and lost wages you've incurred as a result. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
It's very unlikely that you'll have 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 automobile 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 your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from six to eight weeks to three or four years before it's resolved. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've received notice that there's an attorney on the case. In other cases, 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 are settled within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your financial recovery soon, it's always the best idea to hold out for the full, fair financial recovery you're owed. Once you agree to a settlement, you can never go back and ask for more money later.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Florissant, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. That means we we get a portion of your final payout, and we only get paid at the conclusion of your claim. If we don't win, you don't pay, so there's no reason to see money as an obstacle in hiring one of our lawyers.
We don't believe that money should be a barrier for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.
If you have any other questions about the claims process, have a look at our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or request a free consultation.
Other injury claims we take on in Florissant, 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 Florissant, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that everyone 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 we will be by your side every step of the way. We fight back against insurance companies every day and know how to get our Florissant, 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 Florissant, MO family can focus on healing. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Florissant, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to 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.