Automobile Injury Attorney New Florence, MO
New Florence, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | New Florence, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in New Florence, MO. Injuries in auto wrecks happen in an instant, and the mental, physical and economic hardships they carry happen suddenly as well. If a thoughtless driver in New Florence, MO injured you, you need an automobile injury attorney who will fight to bring you justice and a fair financial recovery. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by injury victims when the whole world seems to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with the help of an experienced attorney, they will not be able to prevent you from collecting the maximum financial recovery you deserve. We serve the injured in New Florence, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until you get the compensation you deserve. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in New Florence, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free case review.
We've gotten great results for our New Florence, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
New Florence, 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 are some of the questions we get most frequently:
How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Claim?
In order to have a case, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some amount of economic damages, for instance an appointment with your GP or time spent off work recovering, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by somebody else. 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, your own insurance company can pay for your damages, but your premiums will go up.
The good news is you don't have to rely on guesswork to understand if you have a case. Halvorsen Klote's New Florence, MO automobile injury attorneys are more than happy to discuss the validity of your claim for free.
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 emergency room visit — include copies of your records and bills in your settlement letter, and see if you can get some extra money for the hassle. In those types of situations, 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 months of physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and don't allow you to work for a period, 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 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 your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
How Much Will I Receive For My New Florence, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you recover after an automobile injury are meant to compensate you for the financial, physical and emotional consequences of your injuries. With an experienced New Florence, MO automobile injury attorney, you can be reimbursed for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from making a living as you're used to
- 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 in your car accident settlement 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 debilitating injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Using this approach, your New Florence, 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, if we stick with the same example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
Say the negligent driver caused a whiplash 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. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in economic damages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = $45,000 in total compensation
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (in addition to your economic damages)
Your attorney will know the best way to calculate your pain and suffering damages for your unique case.
Will I Still Get Compensation if My Medical Insurance Covers My Medical Expenses?
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.
The law allows a variety of avenues to reduce medical liens. A skilled New Florence, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how 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 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 significant injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. 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 uncover other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in New Florence, MO?
In most cases, liability is solely on the driver responsible for the crash. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:
- An auto manufacturer may may have produced a faulty vehicle component, and you can make a product liability claim
- In a truck accident, the trucking company may have failed to maintain a truck, or may have required their driver to drive more hours than allowed
- A mechanic may have negligently worked on the car, causing a defect that had a hand in the crash
- A bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A government authority responsible for keeping roads safe
- A construction company if a construction site was not properly secured
What if The Insurance Company is Saying the Accident is My Fault?
Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to devalue your claim. Providing detailed evidence, in addition to having an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against that tactic, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.
If, as in some cases, you really were partially responsible for your injuries, you are not completely barred from compensation. 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 50 percent at fault.
What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?
If you were injured as a passenger, you would still file a claim against the at-fault driver, even if it's someone you know. While they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, that doesn't compare to the economic and noneconomic damages you've incurred 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?
You probably will not 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 less than five percent of tort claims go to 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 last anywhere from a month to several 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 the liability and insurance coverage elements are so complex that they require substantial investigation and time put in.
Most cases reach a conclusion from anywhere between a few months to a year. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim without waiting a long period, it's always the best idea to hold out for the best possible financial recovery you're entitled to. You only have chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's New Florence, 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 a barrier to 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, have a look at our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other injury claims we handle in New Florence, 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 New Florence, 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. An injury is shocking and can leave you with a profound sense of uncertainty. But we will be by your side every step of the way. We negotiate with insurance companies every day and know how to get our New Florence, MO clients the best possible results. We always have open lines of communication with our clients, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your New Florence, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in New Florence, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a complimentary 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.
