Automobile Injury Attorney Rock Hill, MO
Rock Hill, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Rock Hill, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Rock Hill, MO. Injuries in auto accidents happen in an instant, and the emotional, physical and economic hardships they create are quick to materialize as well. If a negligent driver in Rock Hill, MO injured you, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to get you justice. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by those injured by the negligence of another when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with a skilled attorney by your side, they will not be able to keep you from the full financial recovery you are rightfully entitled to. We provide the highest quality of legal advocacy to the vulnerable in Rock Hill, 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 Rock Hill, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a free consultation.
We've gotten great results for our Rock Hill, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Rock Hill, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
Most people who call our office have never had to make an injury claim before, and understandably have doubts and uncertainties as to how to proceed going about getting a financial recovery for their injuries. Below are some of the questions we get most frequently:
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 financial loss, such as emergency room bills or time spent off work recovering, 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 the negligence party, you may not have a case either.
Fortunately, you don't have to rely on guesswork to understand if you have a case. Halvorsen Klote's Rock Hill, MO automobile injury attorneys are more than happy to discuss the validity of your claim for free.
Is it Worth it to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If there's no dispute about who to blame for the accident and you didn't need much medical treatment — for example, one urgent care appointment — include copies of your records and bills in your letter to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get some extra money 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, result in several physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and cause you to lose time off work, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all those damages. If the insurance company refuses to give you a fair offer, or is trying to convince you that your injuries weren't caused by the accident, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you are owed. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to have just as much experience holding them accountable.
Other complications, such as if the negligent driver refuses to admit fault, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Rock Hill, MO Automobile Injuries?
The damages you recover after a car accident are meant to reimburse you for the economic, physical and emotional toll your injuries cause. With a talented Rock Hill, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent off work
- Lost earning potential if your injuries result in permanent disability
- 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 spousal relationship is affected by your injuries
How much money you get in your car accident settlement depends largely 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 method, 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.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. With this approach, your Rock Hill, 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, if we stick with the same example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
Say you suffered 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 week. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in economic damages × 3 for a pain and suffering multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in pain and suffering damages (on top of your economic damages)
Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your unique case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Covers My Medical Bills?
Yes. All of your medical expenses will be included in your settlement or judgment, even if they were partially or fully covered by insurance. However, your medical insurance company will 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.
The law allows a variety of avenues to reduce medical liens. A talented Rock Hill, 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 settlement as possible.
What If My Damages Exceed the Policy Limits?
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 more coverage, there is still a chance with more significant injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. 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.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Rock Hill, 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
- 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 negligently worked on the car, which had a hand in the accident
- A bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A government body responsible for designing and maintaining the safety of roads
- A construction company if the accident was caused by an unsafe construction site
What if I'm Being Blamed For My Accident?
An insurance adjuster may try to convince you that you were the at-fault driver in order to avoid paying you. Having detailed evidence, in addition to having an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against insurance companies, will help prove you're not at-fault.
If, as in some cases, you really were partially at fault for your injuries, you can still make a recovery. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 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 you were more than 50 percent at fault.
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 negligent driver's insurance company, even if that person is a friend or family member in Rock Hill, MO. While they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, which is likely substantially less than your economic damages. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
It's very unlikely that you'll be required to go attend hearings or a trial 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 do most of the work themselves.
How Long Will My Claim Take?
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 a month to three or four years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've learned that you hired a lawyer. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require considerable 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 in your best interest to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the full, fair financial recovery you deserve. 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 Rock Hill, 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 pay, so there's no financial risk involved in hiring our services.
We see no reason that money should be an obstacle for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.
To learn more about car accident claims, check out 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 Rock Hill, 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 Rock Hill, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea that everyone deserves the same high quality legal representation that large insurance companies have. Injuries are always unexpected and create fear and confusion. But we will be by your side every step of the way. We negotiate with insurance companies every day and know how to get our Rock Hill, 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 Rock Hill, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Rock Hill, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a free case review.
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.
