Automobile Injury Attorney New Haven, MO
New Haven, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | New Haven, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in New Haven, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If a negligent driver in New Haven, MO injured you, you require an automobile injury attorney who will defend your rights. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by those injured by the negligence of another when they need help the most. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with the help of an experienced attorney, you will get the justice and financial recovery you are rightfully entitled to. We provide outstanding legal advocacy to the injured in New Haven, 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 New Haven, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
We have experience with many different automobile injury claims, including:
New Haven, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
For most of our clients, this is the first time they've had to be a part of 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 Case?
In order to have a realistic chance of being compensated, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some form of economic damages, for instance an appointment with your general practitioner 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's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. 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 New Haven, 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 you probably don't need a lawyer. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and your medical expenses aren't very high — say, one emergency room visit — include detailed records in your letter to the insurance adjuster, and ask for a little more on top for the hassle. In those types of situations, 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 is not willing to pay the full extent of your damages, or is trying to convince you that your injuries were pre-existing, 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 negligent driver refuses to admit fault, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, also make an automobile injury attorney necessary.
How Much Will I Receive For My New Haven, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you recover after an automobile injury are intended to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With a skilled New Haven, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages from time spent off work
- Lost earning potential if your injuries result in permanent disability
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as hiring a nanny or take care to look after your kids
- 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 affected your life.
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 method, we multiply the total of your medical bills, lost wages and out-of-pocket expenses by a number 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 approach, your New Haven, 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:
Say you suffered 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 short period. Your noneconomic damages might be assigned 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 noneconomic 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 Covers My Medical Expenses?
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 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. An experience New Haven, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and make sure as little is taken out of your financial recovery as possible.
What If My Damages Exceed the Policy Limits?
Missouri and Illinois have nearly 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
While the negligent driver may have more coverage, there is still no guarantee that there's enough to compensate you for 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 uncover other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in New Haven, 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 car manufacturer may have negligently designed, manufactured, or tested a vehicle component, and you can make a product liability claim
- In a truck crash, the trucking company may have failed to repair a truck, or may have forced their driver to drive more hours than regulations allow
- A mechanic may have improperly repaired an automobile, causing a defect that had a hand in the accident
- A licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused a crash
- A government entity responsible for keeping roads safe
- 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 avoid paying you. Providing detailed evidence, in addition to having an automobile injury attorney experienced in fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not to blame.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially liable. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and Illinois Law allow for what's called "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 it is determined that you were more than half 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 was the person driving your car. 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 because of their negligence. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
You probably will not be required to go to court for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that less than five 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 make sure you're adequately prepared and will handle most of the work.
How Long Will I Have to Wait Until I'm Compensated?
That depends on a lot of things, such as the severity of your injuries, how clear negligence is and even the insurance company or adjuster we're negotiating with. 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 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 substantial investigation and time put in.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim soon, it's always in your best interest to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the best possible financial recovery you're owed. Once you agree to a settlement, your right to get additional compensation is barred.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's New Haven, 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 win, 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 a barrier for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.
To learn more about car accident claims, check out our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other injury claims we take on in New Haven, 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 Haven, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea that an injury victim should have access to the same standard of legal advocacy that large insurance companies have. 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 fight back against insurance companies every day and know how to get our New Haven, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We always have open lines of communication with our clients, and handle the entire legal process so you and your New Haven, MO family can spend your energy on healing. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in New Haven, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online 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.
