Automobile Injury Attorney Holts Summit, MO
Holts Summit, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Holts Summit, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Holts Summit, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If a thoughtless driver in Holts Summit, MO injured you, you require an automobile injury attorney who will get you the financial recovery you need to be made whole again. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by those injured by the negligence of another when they need it the most. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with the help of an experienced attorney, they will not be able to prevent you from collecting the full compensation you deserve. We serve the vulnerable in Holts Summit, 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 Holts Summit, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a free case review.
We've gotten great results for our Holts Summit, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Holts Summit, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
For most of our clients, this is their first experience with the injury claims process. They understandably have a lot of questions as to the process and what the experience will be like. Some of the most commonly asked questions we get are:
Do I Even Have a Personal Injury Case?
For a claim to be valid, your injury needs to lead to some form of economic damages, 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 suffered some bumps and bruises, 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, you may not have a case either.
Fortunately, you don't have to make that decision alone. Halvorsen Klote's Holts Summit, MO automobile injury attorneys are more than happy to discuss the validity of your claim for free.
Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
There are some cases where a lawyer won't be able to add much value to your claim. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and your medical expenses aren't very high — say, one appointment with your doctor — send detailed records to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get a little more on top for inconvenience. In those types of situations, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.
But, if your injuries are more severe, result in months of physical therapy or chiropractic appointments 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 refuses to compensate you fairly, or is saying your injuries weren't caused by the accident, 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 get maximum compensation.
Other complications, such as if the negligent driver refuses to admit fault, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in Holts Summit, MO?
The damages you are eligible for after a car accident are meant to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With a knowledgeable Holts Summit, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:
- Medical expenses
- 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 negatively impacted by your injuries
How much compensation you receive for your automobile injuries depends largely on how your injuries have impacted your life.
How Are Pain and Suffering Calculated?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate pain and suffering damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this approach, your economic damages will be multiplied by a number, typically 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." Using this method, your Holts Summit, 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 your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
Say the negligent driver caused a moderate neck injury, leading to $15,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, and which led to neck pain for four months, and inconvenienced you because you had to wear a neck brace for a few days. 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 = $45,000 in final compensation
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (on top of your economic damages)
Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your individual case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Pays For 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, insurance companies and medical providers have a right 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 talented Holts Summit, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and make sure as little is taken out of your compensation as possible.
What If My Damages Exceed the Policy Limits?
Missouri and Illinois have almost 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 significant 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, your attorney can find out if there are other liable parties.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Holts Summit, MO?
In most cases, liability is solely 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 may have produced a defective vehicle 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 contributed to the accident
- A bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A government authority 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?
An insurance adjuster may try to convince you that you were the at-fault driver in order to devalue your claim. Having sound evidence, as well as an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against insurance companies, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.
If, as in some cases, you really were partially responsible for your injuries, you can still make a recovery. Both Missouri Law 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, your right to compensation is barred if it is determined that you were more than half liable.
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 liable driver's insurance company, even if it's someone you know. While their insurance premiums might go up a little, that doesn't compare to the medical bills and lost wages you've sustained 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?
You probably will not be required to go to court for your automobile injuries. 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 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 your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can last anywhere from six to eight weeks to three or four years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they know that you hired a lawyer. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require substantial investigation and time put in.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your financial recovery without waiting a long period, it's always the best idea to hold out for the maximum compensation you're owed. This is your only chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Holts Summit, 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 pay, so there's no reason to see money as a barrier to hiring one of our lawyers.
We see no reason 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, check out our other FAQs, go to our legal resources page or request a free consultation.
Other injury claims we handle in Holts Summit, 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 Holts Summit, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea 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 Holts Summit, 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 Holts Summit, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Holts Summit, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a complimentary 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.
