Automobile Injury Attorney Lake St. Louis, MO
Lake St. Louis, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Lake St. Louis, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Lake St. Louis, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Lake St. Louis, MO auto accident, you need an automobile injury attorney who will fight to get you justice. At Halvorsen Klote, we have dedicated our practice to fighting for injury victims when they need help 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 owed. We serve the vulnerable in Lake St. Louis, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You owe us no fees until you get the compensation you deserve. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Lake St. Louis, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a complimentary case evaluation.
We've gotten full compensation for our Lake St. Louis, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Lake St. Louis, 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 to expect. Some of the most commonly asked questions we get are:
How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Claim?
In order to have a case, your injury needs to lead to some form of economic damages, 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 you never sought medical treatment, it's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. If the accident was largely your fault, you may not have a case either.
Never assume that you don't have a case without speaking to an attorney first. Halvorsen Klote's Lake St. Louis, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free consultations for people who were injured and aren't sure if they have a case.
Is it Worth it to Hire 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 your medical bills are minimal — for instance, one appointment with your doctor — send copies of your records and bills to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get 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.
But, with more significant injuries that 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 refuses to compensate you fairly, or is trying to convince you that your injuries weren't caused by the accident, then you absolutely need a lawyer. Insurance adjusters know how to devalue claims; personal injury lawyers know how to have just as much experience holding them accountable.
There are things besides significant injuries that require an attorney, 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 Will I Receive For My Lake St. Louis, MO Automobile Injuries?
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 a knowledgeable Lake St. Louis, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent off work
- Lost earning capacity if you can no longer work
- Miscellaneous expenses, such as hiring transportation to and from medical appointments
- 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 is mostly based on the severity of your injuries.
How Much Will I Get for Noneconomic Damages?
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, depending on how severe your injuries were. The more disruptive the injury, the higher the number.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Using this method, your Lake St. Louis, 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, using the same whiplash injury example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
For example, the negligent driver caused a whiplash 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 week. Your noneconomic damages might be assigned a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in medical bills and lost wages × 3 for a pain and suffering multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (on top of your medical bills and lost wages)
Your attorney will know the best way to calculate your pain and suffering damages for your specific case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Covers My Medical Bills?
Yes. All of your medical expenses will be included in your settlement or judgment, even if your insurance paid for it. However, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your claim. That allows them to collect the money that paid for your injuries from your compensation.
There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. A skilled Lake St. Louis, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and put as much money as possible in your pocket.
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
While the at-fault driver may have a policy with higher limits, there is still a chance with more severe injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. If that happens, we have a couple options. First, your Lake St. Louis, MO automobile injury attorney can file 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.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Lake St. Louis, MO?
In most cases, the other driver is the only personal liable for your injuries. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An auto company may may have produced a defective vehicle component, and you can make a product liability claim
- If you were injured in a truck accident, there are a variety of regulations the trucking company may have violated
- A mechanic may have negligently worked on the car, which contributed to the wreck
- A bar or restaurant if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
- A local, state or federal entity responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
- A construction company if a construction site was not properly secured
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 avoid paying you. Having sound evidence, as well as an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not at-fault.
If it's true that you were partially at fault for the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Law 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 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's someone you know. While their insurance premiums might go up a little, which is likely far less than your economic damages. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
It's very unlikely that you'll have to go attend hearings or a trial for your automobile injuries. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that only four percent of tort claims go to trial.
You'll likely have to take a deposition and may have to attend a mediation, but your automobile injury attorney will prep you for those and do most of the work themselves.
How Long Will My Claim Take?
Each claim is different, and the more complicated a case, usually the longer it takes. A personal injury claim can last anywhere from six to eight weeks to several years before it results in fair compensation. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they've received notice 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 considerable investigation and time put in.
Most cases are settled from anywhere between a few months to a year. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim soon, it's always in your best interest to hold out for the maximum compensation you deserve. This is your only chance to receive compensation.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Lake St. Louis, MO automobile injury attorney are paid through a contingency fee. That means we take a percentage of your final compensation as our attorneys' fees, 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 an obstacle 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 the frequently asked questions area of our website, go to our legal resources page or call us at 866-382-4167.
Other cases we handle in Lake St. Louis, 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 Lake St. Louis, 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 compensation they are owed. Injuries are always unexpected and create fear and confusion. But you don't have to go through the claims process alone. We stand up to insurance companies every day and know how to get our Lake St. Louis, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your Lake St. Louis, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Lake St. Louis, 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.
