Automobile Injury Attorney Harrisburg, MO
Harrisburg, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Harrisburg, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Harrisburg, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Harrisburg, MO auto accident, you need an automobile injury attorney who will fight to bring you justice and a fair financial recovery. At Halvorsen Klote, we fight for those injured by the negligence of another when they need it the most. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with an experienced attorney in your corner, you will get the justice and financial recovery you are lawfully entitled to. We serve the vulnerable in Harrisburg, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay unless we win. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Harrisburg, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free case evaluation.
We have experience with a number of automobile injury claims, including:
Harrisburg, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
For most of our clients, this is their first foray into the injury claims process. They understandably have a lot of questions as to the process and what to expect. Some of the most commonly asked questions we get are:
Do I Even Have Autombile Injury Claim?
For a claim to be valid, you have to have sustained an injury that led to some form of financial loss, such as urgent care 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 suffered some bumps and bruises, but your injuries didn't lead to financial loss, it would be difficult for you to make a personal injury claim. 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 Harrisburg, MO automobile injury attorneys are more than happy to discuss your case for free.
Is it Worth it to Get a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
There are some cases where you probably don't need a lawyer. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and you didn't need much medical treatment — for instance, one emergency room visit — include copies of your records and bills in your settlement letter, and ask for a little more on top for the hassle. With milder injuries where fault is clearly established, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.
However, if your injuries are more severe, result in several physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and cause you to lose time off work, the insurance company is going to do whatever they can to pay you as little as possible. If the insurance company is not willing to pay the full extent of your damages, 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 know how to devalue claims; 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, also make an automobile injury attorney required.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in Harrisburg, MO?
The damages you recover after an automobile injury are intended to compensate you for the financial, physical and emotional consequences of your injuries. With an experienced Harrisburg, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated 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 household services for chores you can't do while you're injured
- Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering, or loss of consortium if your spousal relationship is affected by your injuries
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, 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 significant injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." With this approach, your Harrisburg, MO automobile injury attorney determines how much money a day of suffering is worth, 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:
Say you suffered a moderate neck injury, leading to $15,000 in economic damages, and which caused you to have neck pain for four months, and inconvenienced you because you had to wear a neck brace for a week. Your noneconomic damages might be assigned a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in economic damages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (in addition to 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 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 settlement. That allows them to be repaid by the liable party's insurance, just as you are being compensated.
The law allows a variety of avenues to reduce medical liens. An experience Harrisburg, 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 My Damages Exceed the Policy Limits?
Missouri and Illinois have almost 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 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 Harrisburg, MO automobile injury attorney can make an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company, that can provide compensation for the rest of your damages. 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 Harrisburg, MO?
In most cases, the other driver is the only personal we can hold accountable for your injuries. 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, leading to a product liability claim
- If you were injured 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 bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A local, state or federal body responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
- A construction company if a construction site was not properly cordoned off
What if I'm Being Blamed For My Accident?
Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. Providing sound evidence, in addition to having an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against insurance companies, will help prove you're not at-fault.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially to blame. 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 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 still seek compensation from the negligent 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 economic and noneconomic damages you've suffered because of their negligence. 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 to court for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports 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 prep you for those and handle most of the work.
How Long Will I Have to Wait Until I'm Compensated?
Each injury is different, and the more complicated a case, usually the longer it takes. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a month to three or four years before it's resolved. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they know that there's an attorney on the case. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require substantial investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases are settled 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 best possible compensation you deserve. 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 Harrisburg, 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 secure any compensation for you, you don't owe us anything, so there's no reason to see money as an obstacle in hiring one of our lawyers.
We see no reason that money should be an obstacle for people who just want to be fairly compensated for their injuries.
If you have any other questions about automobile injury claims, check out our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other cases we handle in Harrisburg, 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 Harrisburg, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that an injury victim deserves the same standard of legal advocacy that large insurance companies have. 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 stand up to insurance companies every day and know how to get our Harrisburg, MO clients the best possible results. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your Harrisburg, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Harrisburg, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free 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.
