Automobile Injury Attorney Oakville, MO
Oakville, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Oakville, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Oakville, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Oakville, MO auto accident, you need 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 can seem heartless, but with an experienced attorney in your corner, you will get the justice and financial recovery you are owed. We provide the highest quality of legal representation to the vulnerable in Oakville, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until we win your case. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Oakville, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
We've gotten full compensation for our Oakville, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Oakville, 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 winning, you have to have sustained an injury that led to some form of economic damages, for instance urgent care bills or time spent off work recovering, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by somebody else. If you your back hurt for a few days after the accident, but you were never medically evaluated, it's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. If you were responsible for your injuries, you cannot file a claim against someone else's insurance.
Never assume that you can't make a successful claim without speaking to an attorney first. Halvorsen Klote's Oakville, 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 a lawyer won't be able to add much value to your claim. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and your medical bills are minimal — for example, one appointment with your doctor — include detailed records in your letter to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get some extra money 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 result in several physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and don't allow you to work for a period, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all the ways the injury has affected your life. If the insurance company refuses to give you a fair offer, or is saying your injuries were pre-existing, then you absolutely need a lawyer. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to get maximum compensation.
There are things besides significant injuries that require an attorney, such as if the negligent driver refuses to admit fault, or if your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, also make an automobile injury attorney necessary.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Oakville, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you are eligible for after an automobile injury are meant to compensate you for the economic, physical and emotional toll your injuries cause. With an experienced Oakville, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning potential if you can no longer work
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as hiring transportation to and from medical appointments
- 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 money you get for your automobile injuries is mostly based on how your injuries have affected your life.
How Much Will I Get for Noneconomic Damages?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate noneconomic damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this method, your economic damages will be multiplied by a number, typically between 1.5 and 5, using higher numbers for more significant injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." With this approach, your Oakville, 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, with the above example, say $200 a day is a fair approximation of your pain and suffering:
For example, the negligent driver caused a moderate neck 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 = 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 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, insurance companies and healthcare providers have a right place a medical lien on your claim. 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. An experience Oakville, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and make sure as little is taken out of your compensation as possible.
What If the Insurance Coverage is Limited?
Missouri and Illinois have almost 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 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, your attorney can find out if there are other liable parties.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Oakville, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver that caused the accident. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An auto manufacturer may may have produced a defective car component, and you can make a product liability claim
- If you were injured in a truck crash, 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 wreck
- A licensed alcohol vendor if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A local, state or federal 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. Having strong evidence, in addition to having an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against insurance companies, will help prove you're not to blame.
If, as in some cases, you really were partially to blame for your injuries, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 allow for what's called "comparative fault." Meaning, each party pays for the percentage of fault they bear for the accident. In Illinois, your right to compensation is barred if you were more than 50 percent 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 substantially less than your medical bills and lost wages. 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 your automobile injuries. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that 96 percent of tort claims are settled before 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 handle most of the work.
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 three or four years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they've learned that there's an attorney on the case. 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 considerable investigation and expert testimony.
Most cases are settled from anywhere between a few months to a year. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim as quickly as possible, it's always the best idea to hold out for the best possible compensation you're owed. You only have chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Oakville, MO automobile injury attorney are paid through a contingency fee. 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 secure any compensation for you, you don't owe us anything, so there's no financial risk involved in hiring our services.
We don't believe that money should be a barrier for people who just want to be fairly compensated for their injuries.
To learn more about automobile injury claims, have a look at our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or request a free consultation.
Other injury claims we handle in Oakville, 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 Oakville, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea that everyone should have access to the same high quality legal representation as the insurance companies that are trying to keep them from the compensation 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 stand up to insurance companies every day and know how to get our Oakville, MO clients the best possible results. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your Oakville, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Oakville, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free 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.
