Automobile Injury Attorney Sedalia, MO
Sedalia, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | Sedalia, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in Sedalia, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Sedalia, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to get you justice. At Halvorsen Klote, we fight for those injured by the negligence of another when they need it the most. Insurance adjusters may try to deceive you, but with an experienced attorney by your side, you will get the justice and financial recovery you deserve. We provide outstanding legal representation to the injured in Sedalia, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You owe us no fees until we win your case. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Sedalia, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a complimentary case review.
We've gotten great results for our Sedalia, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
Sedalia, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
For most of our clients, this is their first foray into the injury claims process. They understandably have doubts and uncertainties as to how to proceed going about getting compensation for their injuries. Below are some of the questions we get most frequently:
Do I Even Have Autombile Injury Claim?
In order to have a realistic chance of winning, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some form of economic damages, for instance an appointment with your general practitioner or lost wages, 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 would be difficult for you to make a personal injury claim. If you were responsible for your injuries, you may not have a case either.
Never assume that you don't have a case without speaking to an attorney first. Halvorsen Klote's Sedalia, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews for people who were injured and aren't sure if they're eligible for compensation.
Do I Need to Get a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If there's no dispute about who the at-fault driver was and your medical expenses aren't very high — for instance, one appointment with your doctor — send detailed records to the insurance adjuster, and ask for 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.
But, with more significant injuries that result in months of physical therapy or chiropractic appointments and cause you to lose time off work, 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 compensate you fairly, or is saying your injuries were pre-existing, then you absolutely need a lawyer. 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 admit fault, or if your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, also make an automobile injury attorney required.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My Sedalia, MO Automobile Injuries?
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 Sedalia, MO automobile injury attorney, you can be reimbursed for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity 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 compensation you receive for your automobile injuries is mostly based on how your injuries have affected your life.
How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?
There are two commonly accepted ways to calculate noneconomic damages:
- The Multiplier Method — With this method, 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 debilitating injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." With this approach, your Sedalia, 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, using the same whiplash injury example, say your lawyer assigned $200 a day to your injuries:
Say the negligent driver caused a whiplash injury, leading to $15,000 in medical expenses and lost wages, and which led to physical discomfort 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 pain and suffering damages (in addition to your medical bills and lost wages)
Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your individual case.
Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Pays For My Medical Expenses?
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 settlement. That allows them to collect the money that paid for your injuries from your compensation.
The law allows a variety of avenues to reduce medical liens. A skilled Sedalia, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and put as much money as possible in your pocket.
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 a policy with higher limits, there is still a chance with more severe injuries that your damages will exceed the policy limits. 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.
What Other Parties Could Be Held Accountable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Sedalia, MO?
In most cases, liability is squarely on the driver responsible for the accident. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:
- An car manufacturer may may have produced a faulty car component, and you can make a product liability claim
- 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, which had a hand in the wreck
- A bar or restaurant if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
- A local, state or federal authority responsible for keeping roads safe
- 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. Providing strong evidence, in addition to having an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against insurance companies, 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 fault." 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 it is determined that 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 liable driver's insurance company, even if that person is a friend or family member in Sedalia, MO. While they may have to pay a moderate amount more for insurance, that doesn't compare to the medical bills and lost wages you've sustained because of their negligence. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
You probably will not have to go attend hearings or a trial 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 make sure you're adequately prepared and will handle most of the work.
How Long Will I Have to Wait Until I'm Compensated?
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 last anywhere from a month to several 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. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or the liability and insurance coverage elements are so complex that they 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 without waiting a long period, it's always in your best interest to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the best possible compensation you're entitled to. You only have chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's Sedalia, MO automobile injury attorney are paid through a contingency fee. That means we we get a portion of your final payout, and you don't owe us anything upfront. 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 just want to be fairly compensated for their injuries.
If you have any other questions about the claims process, check out our other FAQs, go to our legal resources page or call us at 866-382-4167.
Other cases we take on in Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea that an injury victim deserves the same standard of legal advocacy that large insurance companies have. An injury is shocking and create fear and confusion. 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 Sedalia, 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 Sedalia, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Sedalia, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website 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.
