Automobile Injury Attorney Pevely, MO
Pevely, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Pevely, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Pevely, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Pevely, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will defend your rights. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by injury victims when they need help the most. Insurance adjusters may try to devalue your claim, but with a knowledgeable attorney in your corner, they will not be able to keep you from the full financial recovery you are owed. We provide the highest quality of legal representation to the vulnerable in Pevely, 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 Pevely, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a complimentary case evaluation.
We've gotten great financial recoveries for our Pevely, MO clients in numerous types of auto accident claims, including:
Pevely, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most injury victims have never had to make an injury claim before, and understandably have doubts and uncertainties as to what to expect. Below is a list of FAQs to give you a little bit clearer picture of what to expect:
How Do I Know if I Have a Valid Claim?
In order to have a realistic chance of being compensated, you have to have sustained an injury that led to some form of economic damages, such as emergency room bills or lost wages, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by somebody else. If you suffered some bumps and bruises, but you were never medically evaluated, it would be difficult for you to make a personal injury claim. If you were the negligence party, 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 Pevely, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews for people who were injured and aren't sure if they have a case.
Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
There are some cases where you probably don't need a lawyer. If the other party accepts liability and you didn't need much medical treatment — for instance, one urgent care appointment — 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, an automobile injury attorney won't be able to add much value to your claim.
However, with more significant injuries that require ongoing medical treatment 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 refuses to give you a fair offer, or is saying 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.
Other complications, such as if there is a dispute over liability, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
How Much Will I Receive For My Pevely, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you recover after a car accident are intended to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With a knowledgeable Pevely, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if you can no longer work
- Other related 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 injuries prevent you from helping and giving affection to your spouse
How much compensation you receive in your car accident settlement is mostly based on the severity of your injuries.
How Are Pain and Suffering 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, using higher numbers for more significant injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Implementing this method, your Pevely, 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 your pain and suffering:
Say the negligent driver caused 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 week. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in medical bills and lost wages × 3 for a pain and suffering multiplier = $45,000 in final compensation
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (in addition to your economic damages)
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. 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.
There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. A skilled Pevely, 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 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 no guarantee that there's enough to compensate you for all of your damages. That doesn't mean we can't get more compensation than the limits. First, you can use your own policy's underinsured motorist coverage. Secondly, your attorney can find out if there are other liable parties.
Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Pevely, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver that caused the crash. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:
- An car company may may have produced a faulty car component, leading to a product liability claim
- If you were injured in a truck accident, the trucking company may have failed to maintain a truck, or may have forced their driver to drive more hours than regulations allow
- A mechanic may have improperly repaired an automobile, which caused the crash
- A bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A local, state or federal authority 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 trick insurance companies use to avoid paying you. Providing detailed evidence, as well as an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not to blame.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially to blame. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and Illinois Law followed the legal doctrine of "comparative negligence." 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, you cannot make any recovery if you were more than 50 percent liable.
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 that person is a friend or family member in Pevely, MO. While they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, which is likely far less than your economic damages. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
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 only four percent of tort claims go to trial.
Depositions and mediations are common formal procedures in personal injury claims, but your automobile injury attorney will make sure you're adequately prepared and will do most of the work themselves.
How Long Will My Claim Take?
That depends on your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a month to three or four years before it results in fair compensation. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've learned that there's an attorney on the case. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require considerable investigation and time put in.
Most cases reach a conclusion within three to nine months. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim earlier than not, it's always the best idea to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the best possible financial recovery you deserve. Once you agree to a settlement, your right to get additional compensation is barred.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Pevely, 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 win, 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 an obstacle for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.
If you have any other questions about the claims process, have a look at the frequently asked questions area of our website, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.
Other cases we take on in Pevely, 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 Pevely, 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 financial recovery they are owed. An injury is shocking and can leave you with a profound sense of uncertainty. 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 Pevely, 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 Pevely, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Pevely, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online 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.
