Automobile Injury Attorney Kingdom City, MO
Kingdom City, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Kingdom City, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Kingdom City, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If a careless driver in Kingdom City, MO injured you, you need an automobile injury attorney who will fight to get you justice. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by injury victims when the whole world seems to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters may try to deceive you, but with the help of an experienced attorney, they will not be able to keep you from the best possible financial recovery you deserve. We provide the highest quality of legal representation to the vulnerable in Kingdom City, 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 Kingdom City, MO today 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:
Kingdom City, 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 is a list of FAQs to help you better understand the process:
How Do I Know if I Have a Case?
In order to have a case, your injury needs to lead to some form of financial loss, such as an appointment with your doctor 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 your injuries didn't lead to financial loss, it's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. If you were the negligence party, 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 Kingdom City, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews 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?
There are some injuries where you probably don't need a lawyer. If the other party accepts responsibility and your medical expenses aren't very high — say, one urgent care appointment — send copies of your records and bills to the insurance company, and see if you can get some extra money for the hassle. In those types of situations, an automobile injury attorney probably isn't necessary.
However, if your injuries are more severe, require ongoing medical treatment and result in lost wages, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all those damages. If the insurance company isn't coming close to giving you a fair offer, or is trying to convince you that your injuries were pre-existing, then you absolutely need a lawyer. Insurance adjusters know how to devalue claims; personal injury lawyers know how to get maximum compensation.
There are things besides significant injuries that require an attorney, 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.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in Kingdom City, MO?
The damages you recover after a car accident are intended to reimburse you for the economic, physical and emotional consequences of your injuries. With a skilled Kingdom City, 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 result in permanent disability
- 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 injuries prevent you from helping and giving affection to your spouse
How much compensation you receive in your car accident settlement is mostly based on how your injuries have impacted your life.
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 approach, your economic damages will be multiplied by a number, typically between 1.5 and 5, using higher numbers for more debilitating injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Implementing this approach, your Kingdom City, MO automobile injury attorney assigns a dollar amount to a single day of suffering, and multiplies that by the number of days your injuries affected you. So, with the above example, say $200 a day is a fair approximation of how your injuries affected you:
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 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 individual case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement 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, insurance companies and healthcare providers have a right place a medical lien on your settlement. 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 talented Kingdom City, MO automobile injury attorney will be able to work with your insurance company and healthcare providers 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 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
While the at-fault driver may have a policy with higher limits, there is still no guarantee that there's enough to cover all of your damages. If that happens, we have a couple options. First, you can use your own policy's underinsured motorist coverage. Secondly, in their investigation your attorney might might determine that there are other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Kingdom City, MO?
In most cases, the other driver is the only personal responsible for your injuries. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:
- An auto company may may have produced a defective 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, which caused the crash
- A bar or restaurant if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused a crash
- A government authority responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
- A construction company if the accident was caused by an unsafe construction site
What if The Insurance Company is Saying the Accident is My Fault?
An insurance adjuster may try to convince you that you were the at-fault driver 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 it's true that you were partially to blame for the accident, you can still make a recovery. Both Missouri Law and Illinois Law followed the legal principle of "comparative fault." 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, your right to compensation is barred if 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 would still file a claim against the at-fault driver, even if that person is a friend or family member in Kingdom City, MO. While they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, that doesn't compare to the economic and noneconomic damages you've sustained as a result. 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 attend hearings or a trial for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that 96 percent of 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?
That depends on your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from six to eight weeks to several years before it results in fair compensation. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've learned that you hired a lawyer. 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 time put in.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your money soon, it's always in your best interest to hold out for the maximum financial recovery you're owed. This is your only chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Kingdom City, 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 win, you don't pay, so there's no financial risk involved in hiring our services.
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 cases we handle in Kingdom City, 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
Consult With an Automobile Injury Attorney in Kingdom City, 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 fight back against insurance companies every day and know how to get our Kingdom City, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and handle the entire legal process so you and your Kingdom City, MO family can spend your energy on healing. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Kingdom City, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online 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.
