Automobile Injury Attorney Springfield, MO | Personal Injury Lawyers | Car Accident Lawyers | Halvorsen Klote

Springfield, MO

Automobile Injury Attorney Springfield, MO

Springfield, MO Personal Injury Lawyers


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

Automobile injury attorney in Springfield, MO. The effects of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If you were injured in a Springfield, MO auto accident, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to get you justice. 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 skilled attorney, you will get the justice and financial recovery you are lawfully entitled to. We serve the injured in Springfield, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until you get the compensation you deserve. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Springfield, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a free case evaluation.

We've gotten full compensation for our Springfield, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:


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Springfield, 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 what to expect. Some of the most commonly asked questions we get are:

Do I Even Have Auto Accident Case?

In order to have a realistic chance of winning, your injury needs to create some form of economic damages, such as an appointment with your GP 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, you're unlikely to have a valid claim. If the accident was largely your fault, you cannot file a claim against someone else's insurance.

Fortunately, you don't have to rely on guesswork to understand if you have a case. Halvorsen Klote's Springfield, MO automobile injury attorneys are more than happy to discuss your case for free.

Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?

There are some injuries where a lawyer won't be able to add much value to your claim. If the other party accepts liability and your medical expenses aren't very high — for example, one urgent care appointment — send detailed records to the insurance company, and see if you can get a little more on top for the hassle. With milder injuries where fault is clearly established, an automobile injury attorney probably isn't necessary.

But, if your injuries are more severe, require ongoing medical treatment and result in lost wages, 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 weren't caused by the accident, then you absolutely need a lawyer. Insurance adjusters have a lot of experience minimizing payouts; personal injury lawyers know how to have just as much experience holding them accountable.

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.

How Much Will I Receive For My Springfield, MO Automobile Injuries?

The damages you recover after an automobile injury are meant to provide you with an equitable financial recovery for all the ways an injury affected your life. With a knowledgeable Springfield, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages from time spent off work
  • Lost earning potential 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 money you get for your automobile injuries depends largely on how your injuries have impacted your life.

How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?

The dollar amount a plaintiff receives for pain and suffering damages is determined through one of two methods:

  • 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 significant injuries.
  • Say 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 further disrupted you because it forced you to wear a neck brace for a few days. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:

    $15,000 in economic damages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = $45,000 in total compensation
  • The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" means "per day" in Latin. Using this method, your Springfield, 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 noneconomic damages (in addition to your economic damages)

Your attorney will use the method that applies best to your specific case.

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Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Pays For My Medical Bills?

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 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. An experience Springfield, 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 almost the same 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

The other driver could have those, or other policy limits, but 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, your Springfield, MO automobile injury attorney can make an underinsured motorist claim with your own insurance company, asking them to make up the difference. Secondly, in their investigation your attorney might uncover other liable parties who you can also make a claim against.

Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in Springfield, MO?

In most cases, the other driver is the only personal liable for your injuries. However, there are other people and entities that may have contributed to your accident:

  • An auto company may have negligently designed, manufactured, or tested a 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 repair a truck, or may have forced their driver to drive more hours than regulations allow
  • A mechanic may have negligently worked on the car, causing a defect that had a hand in the crash
  • A licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused a crash
  • A government 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?

Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. Providing sound evidence, in addition to having an automobile injury attorney used to fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not to blame.

If it's true that you were partially at fault for the accident, you are not completely barred from compensation. Both Missouri Revised Statute §537.765 and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 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 to blame.

What if I Was Injured as a Passenger?

If you were injured as a passenger, you still seek compensation from the negligent driver's insurance company, even if it's someone you know. 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 as a result. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.

Will I Have to Go to Court?

It's very unlikely that you'll be required to go to court for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that less than five percent of tort claims go to trial.

Depositions and mediations are common formal procedures in automobile injury claims, but your automobile injury attorney will prep you for those and handle most of the work.

How Long Will I Have to Wait Until I'm Compensated?

That depends on your case and, usually, how complex it is. A personal injury claim can last anywhere from six to eight weeks to several years before it's resolved. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they know 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 are settled within three to nine months. While we'd obviously like to resolve your claim earlier than not, it's always in your best interest to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the maximum financial recovery you're entitled to. 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 Springfield, MO automobile injury attorney are paid through a contingency fee. That means we take a percentage of your final compensation as our attorneys' fees, and there are no upfront costs. If we don't win, 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 a barrier for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.

If you have any other questions about automobile injury claims, check out the frequently asked questions area of our website, have a look at our legal resources page or contact us online.

Other injury claims we take on in Springfield, MO include:

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Speak to an Automobile Injury Attorney in Springfield, MO Today

We do what we do because we believe 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. An injury is shocking and create fear and confusion. But we will be by your side every step of the way. We stand up to insurance companies every day and know how to get our Springfield, MO clients the full financial recovery they deserve. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and do everything we can to make the claims process easy and seamless for you and your Springfield, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in Springfield, MO today at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us through our website for a complimentary consultation.


Joel Halvorsen

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

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.