Automobile Injury Attorney Nixa, MO
Nixa, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Nixa, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Nixa, MO. Injuries in auto accidents happen in a flash, and the emotional, physical and economic hardships they carry are quick to materialize as well. If you were injured in a Nixa, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will get you the financial recovery you need to truly recover. At Halvorsen Klote, we have dedicated our practice to fighting for those injured by the negligence of another when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with a skilled attorney by your side, they will not be able to keep you from the maximum financial recovery you are owed. We provide the highest quality of legal representation to the vulnerable in Nixa, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay unless we win. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Nixa, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a complimentary case review.
We have experience with a number of automobile injury claims, including:
Nixa, 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 doubts and uncertainties as to how to proceed going about getting a financial recovery for their injuries. 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, your injury needs to create some amount of economic damages, for instance urgent care bills or lost wages, and there has to be another party who is at least partially at fault for the accident. If you your back hurt for a few days after the accident, but you never sought medical treatment, you're unlikely to have a successful claim. If the accident was largely your fault, you cannot file a claim against someone else's insurance.
The good news is you don't have to rely on guesswork to understand if you have a case. Halvorsen Klote's Nixa, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case evaluations for people who were injured and aren't sure of the validity of their claim.
Is it Worth it to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If the other party accepts liability and you didn't need much medical treatment — 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 the nuisance. With milder injuries where fault is not in dispute, 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 saying your injuries weren't caused by the accident, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you deserve. 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 be held accountable, 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 Nixa, 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 skilled Nixa, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning potential 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 spousal relationship is negatively impacted by your injuries
How much money you get in your car accident settlement depends largely on the severity of your injuries.
How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate pain and suffering damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this approach, 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. With this approach, your Nixa, 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, using the same whiplash injury example, say $200 a day is a fair approximation of how your injuries affected you:
Say the negligent driver caused a moderate neck injury, leading to $15,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, and which caused you to have physical discomfort 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 economic damages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (in addition to your medical bills and lost wages)
Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your unique case.
Will I Still Get Compensation 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, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your compensation. 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 knowledgeable Nixa, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and make sure as little is taken out of your settlement as possible.
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 Nixa, MO automobile injury attorney can file an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company, asking them to make up the difference. Secondly, your attorney can find out if there are other liable parties.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Nixa, MO?
In most cases, liability is solely on the driver that caused the crash. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An car company may may have produced a defective car 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, 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 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?
Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. Having sound evidence, as well as an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against insurance companies, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.
If it's true that you were partially at fault for the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Law and Illinois Law allow for what's called "comparative negligence." 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 that person is a friend or family member in Nixa, MO. While their insurance premiums might go up a little, which is likely substantially less than your economic damages. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
It's very unlikely that you'll be required to go to court 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 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 take anywhere from six to eight weeks to three or four years before it results in fair compensation. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they know that the plaintiff hired a lawyer. In other cases, they'll wait until the eve of trial to finally agree to what is fair, or there are complexities to the case that require substantial investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim as quickly as possible, it's always the best idea to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the full, fair financial recovery you're entitled to. Once you agree to a settlement, you can never go back and ask for more money later.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Nixa, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. That means we we get a portion of your final payout, and we only get paid at the conclusion of your claim. 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.
If you have any other questions about car accident claims, have a look at the frequently asked questions area of our website, go to our legal resources page or call us at 866-382-4167.
Other cases we take on in Nixa, 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
Speak to an Automobile Injury Attorney in Nixa, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that an injury victim should have access to 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 create fear and confusion. 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 Nixa, 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 Nixa, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Nixa, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online 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.
