Automobile Injury Attorney Owensville, MO

Owensville, MO Personal Injury Lawyers

---

Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Owensville, MO Automobile Injury Attorney

Automobile injury attorney in Owensville, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Owensville, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to bring you justice and a fair financial recovery. At Halvorsen Klote, we have dedicated our practice to fighting for injury victims when the whole world seems to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with the help of a knowledgeable attorney, you will get the justice and financial recovery you deserve. We serve the injured in Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free consultation.

We have experience with a number of automobile injury claims, including:

---

Schedule a Free Consultation

---

Owensville, 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:

Do I Even Have a Personal Injury Claim?

In order to have a case, you have to have sustained an injury that led to some amount of economic damages, such as 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 valid claim. If you were responsible for your injuries, your own insurance company can pay for your damages, but your premiums will go up.

Fortunately, you don't have to make that decision alone. Halvorsen Klote's Owensville, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews for people who were injured and aren't sure if they're eligible for compensation.

Is it Worth it to Get 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 to blame for the accident and your medical expenses aren't very high — for instance, one appointment with your doctor — include detailed records in your settlement letter, and see if you can get a little more on top for the nuisance. 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, require ongoing medical treatment and don't allow you to work for a period, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all those damages. If the insurance company refuses 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 owed. Insurance adjusters know how to devalue claims; personal injury lawyers know how to fight back against them.

There are things besides significant injuries that require an attorney, such as if the other side denies liability, 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 Owensville, MO?

The damages you are eligible for after an automobile injury are intended to compensate you for the economic, physical and emotional toll your injuries cause. With a talented Owensville, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages from time spent recovering
• Lost earning capacity if your injuries result in permanent disability
• Other related 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 compensation you receive in your car accident settlement depends largely on how your injuries have affected your life.

How Much Will I Get for Noneconomic Damages?

The dollar amount a plaintiff receives for noneconomic 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.

For example, you suffered 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 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 = $45,000 in total compensation

• The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." Implementing this approach, your Owensville, 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, using the same whiplash injury example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:

$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (on top of your economic damages)

Your attorney will know the best way to determine your pain and suffering damages for your individual 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 medical providers have a right place a medical lien on your settlement. 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 Owensville, MO automobile injury attorney will be able to work with your insurance company and healthcare providers 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 negligent driver may have more coverage, there is still a chance with more significant injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. That doesn't mean we can't get more compensation than the limits. First, your Owensville, MO automobile injury attorney can make 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.

What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Owensville, MO?

In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver responsible for the accident. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:

• An auto company may may have produced a faulty 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 contributed to the accident
• A bar or restaurant if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused a crash
• A local, state or federal authority responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
• A construction company if a construction site was not properly cordoned off

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. Providing sound evidence, as well as an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against insurance companies, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.

If, as in some cases, you really were partially responsible for the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and Illinois Law followed the legal principle of "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 it is determined that you were more than 50 percent to blame.

What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?

If you were injured in a car that somebody else was driving, you would still file a claim against the at-fault driver, even if that person is a friend or family member in Owensville, MO. While your friend's or family member's insurance premiums might go up a little, that doesn't compare to the economic and noneconomic damages you've incurred as a result. 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 reports 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 handle most of the work.

How Long Will My Claim Take?

Each case is different, and the more complicated a case, usually the longer it takes. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a month 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 you hired a lawyer. Other times, they'll wait until the eve of trial to finally agree to what is fair, or the liability and insurance coverage elements are so complex that they require considerable investigation and expert testimony.

Most cases reach a conclusion within three to nine months. 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 maximum financial recovery you're entitled to. You only have chance to receive compensation.

Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?

Halvorsen Klote's Owensville, MO automobile injury attorney receive our fees 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 pay, so there's no reason to see money as an obstacle in hiring one of our lawyers.

We don't believe 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 the claims process, have a look at our other FAQs, go to our legal resources page or call us at 866-382-4167.

Other cases we take on in Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO Today

We do what we do because we believe that everyone deserves the same high quality legal representation as the insurance companies that are trying to keep them from the financial recovery 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 negotiate with insurance companies every day and know how to get our Owensville, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. 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 Owensville, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Owensville, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a free case review.

---

---