Automobile Injury Attorney St. Charles, MO
St. Charles, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | St. Charles, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in St. Charles, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If a thoughtless driver in St. Charles, MO injured you, you need an automobile injury attorney who will get you the financial recovery you need to be made whole again. At Halvorsen Klote, we fight for those injured by the negligence of another when the whole world seems to have turned against them. Insurance adjusters may try to deceive you, but with the help of a skilled attorney, you will get the justice and financial recovery you deserve. We serve the vulnerable in St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a complimentary consultation.
We've gotten great results for our St. Charles, MO clients in a variety of auto accident claims, including:
St. Charles, 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 a Personal Injury Case?
In order to have a realistic chance of winning, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some form of economic damages, such as emergency room bills 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 never sought medical treatment, it would be difficult for you to make a personal injury claim. If you were responsible for your injuries, your own insurance company can pay for your damages, but your premiums will go up.
The good news is you don't have to make that decision alone. Halvorsen Klote's St. Charles, 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 Hire a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If the other party accepts liability and your medical expenses aren't very high — for example, one appointment with your doctor — include copies of your records and bills in your letter to the insurance adjuster, and see if you can get some extra money for inconvenience. With milder injuries where fault is clearly established, 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 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 compensate you fairly, or is saying your injuries weren't caused by the accident, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you are entitled to. 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 your injuries occurred in a multi-vehicle accident, almost always require the assistance of an automobile injury attorney.
What Compensation Can I Recover For My St. Charles, 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 skilled St. Charles, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent recovering
- Lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from making a living as you're used to
- Other related 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 injuries prevent you from helping and giving affection to your spouse
How much money you get in your car accident settlement is mostly based on the severity of your injuries.
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.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." With this method, your St. Charles, 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 $200 a day is a fair approximation of your pain and suffering:
For example, you suffered a whiplash 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 short period. The pain and suffering might be given a multiplier of three. So:
$15,000 in economic damages × 3 for the noneconomic damages multiplier = a $45,000 financial recovery
$200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (on top of 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 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 compensation. 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. An experience St. Charles, MO automobile injury attorney will be able to work with your insurance company and healthcare providers 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 nearly 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 cover all of your damages. If that happens, we have a couple options. 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 St. Charles, 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 auto manufacturer may may have produced a defective vehicle 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 contributed to the wreck
- A licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
- A government body 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?
Shifting blame is a common tactic insurance adjusters use to avoid paying you. Having strong evidence, as well as an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against insurance companies, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.
If it's true that you were partially responsible for your injuries, you can still make a recovery. Both Missouri Law and 735 ILCS 5/2-1116 allow for what's called "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 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 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 incurred as a result. An automobile injury attorney will communicate with other side so you don't have to feel awkward.
Will My Claim Go to Trial?
You probably will not have to go attend hearings or a trial for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that less than five 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 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 last anywhere from a month to three or four years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters immediately agree to a settlement demand letter once they've received notice that there's an attorney on the case. 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 from anywhere between a few months to a year. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your compensation 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 owed. This is your only chance to receive compensation.
What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's St. Charles, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. 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 financial risk involved in hiring our services.
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 the frequently asked questions area of our website, go to our legal resources page or call us at 866-382-4167.
Other cases we take on in St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO Today
We do what we do because we believe that an injury victim deserves the same high quality legal representation 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 negotiate with insurance companies every day and know how to get our St. Charles, 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 St. Charles, MO family. Speak to a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in St. Charles, MO today at 866-382-4167 or contact us through our website for a free case evaluation.
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.
