Automobile Injury Attorney St. Peters, MO
St. Peters, MO Personal Injury Lawyers
Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | St. Peters, MO Automobile Injury Attorney
Automobile injury attorney in St. Peters, MO. The consequences of an auto accident injury are immediate and severe. If a careless driver in St. Peters, MO injured you, you require an automobile injury attorney who will fight to bring you justice and a fair financial recovery. At Halvorsen Klote, we stand by injury victims when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters may try to cheat, but with the help of an experienced attorney, you will get the justice and financial recovery you are owed. We provide exceptional legal advocacy to the vulnerable in St. Peters, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay until we win your case. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in St. Peters, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a complimentary consultation.
We have experience with many different automobile injury claims, including:
St. Peters, MO Automobile Injury Attorney: Frequently Asked Questions
For most of our clients, this is their first experience with the injury claims process. They understandably have a lot of questions as to the process and how to proceed going about getting compensation for their damages. 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 being compensated, you have to have suffered an injury that led to some amount of economic damages, for instance an appointment with your general practitioner or lost wages, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by another party. If you you were sore for a few days after the accident, but you never sought medical treatment, it's unrealistic to expect an insurance company to compensate you. If you were the negligence party, you cannot file a claim against someone else's insurance.
Fortunately, you don't have to make that decision alone. Halvorsen Klote's St. Peters, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free consultations for people who were injured and aren't sure if they're eligible for compensation.
Is it Worth it to Get a Lawyer for an Automobile Injury?
Usually, yes, but not all the time. If the other party accepts responsibility and your medical expenses aren't very high — for instance, one appointment with your doctor — include detailed records in your settlement letter, and ask for a little more on top for the hassle. With milder injuries where fault is clearly established, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.
However, if your injuries are more severe, require ongoing medical treatment and don't allow you to work for a period, the insurance company is not going to willingly pay for all those damages. If the insurance company is not willing to compensate you fairly, or is trying to convince you that your injuries were pre-existing, then a lawyer is likely the only way you'll get what you deserve. 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 there is a dispute over liability, or if you were in a multi-vehicle accident, also make an automobile injury attorney required.
How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in St. Peters, MO?
The damages you are eligible for after an automobile injury are meant to reimburse you for the economic, physical and emotional consequences of your injuries. With an experienced St. Peters, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages from time spent off work
- Lost earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from making a living as you're used to
- Miscellaneous 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 in your car accident settlement is mostly based on how your injuries have affected your life.
How Are Noneconomic Damages Calculated?
The dollar amount a plaintiff receives for noneconomic 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 debilitating injuries.
- The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." Using this approach, your St. Peters, 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 medical expenses and lost wages, and which caused you to have neck pain for four months, and inconvenienced you because you had to wear a neck brace for a few days. Your noneconomic damages might be assigned 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 economic damages)
Your attorney will know the best way to determine your pain and suffering damages for your specific case.
Will I Still Get Compensation 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 they were partially or fully covered by insurance. However, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your compensation. That allows them to be compensated by the liable party's insurance, just as you are being compensated.
There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. A knowledgeable St. Peters, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how 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 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 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, 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 St. Peters, MO?
In most cases, liability is solely on the driver that caused the crash. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:
- An auto manufacturer may may have produced a defective vehicle component, leading to a product liability claim
- In a truck accident, there are a variety of regulations the trucking company may have violated
- A mechanic may have improperly repaired an automobile, which had a hand in the crash
- A bar or restaurant if they served alcohol to a drunk driver that caused your crash
- A government authority responsible for keeping roads safe
- 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 trick insurance companies use to devalue your claim. Having detailed evidence, in addition to having an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against that tactic, will demonstrate that you aren't liable.
In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially responsible for the accident. 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, your right to compensation is barred if it is determined that you were more than half to blame.
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 St. Peters, MO. While your friend's or family member's insurance premiums might go up a little, that doesn't compare to the economic and noneconomic damages you've suffered because of their negligence. 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 to court for a car accident claim. The Bureau of Justice Statistics issued a study in 2005 that found that more than nine out of 10 tort claims are settled before trial.
Depositions and mediations are common formal procedures in personal injury claims, 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 your case and, usually, how complex it is. 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 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 substantial investigation and time put in.
Most cases reach a conclusion within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your money soon, it's always in your best interest to wait to agree to a settlement until it's the maximum compensation you're owed. Once you agree to a settlement, you can never go back and ask for more money later.
Is It Expensive to Hire an Automobile Injury Attorney?
Halvorsen Klote's St. Peters, MO automobile injury attorney work on a contingency fee basis. That means we take a percentage of your final compensation as our attorneys' fees, 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 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 personal injury claims, have a look at the frequently asked questions area of our website, go to our legal resources page or request a free consultation.
Other injury claims we handle in St. Peters, 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 St. Peters, MO Today
We founded our practice on the idea that everyone should have access to the same high quality legal representation as the insurance companies that are trying to keep them from the financial recovery they are owed. Injuries are always unexpected and can leave you with a profound sense of uncertainty. 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 St. Peters, MO clients the best possible results. We pride ourselves on our client communication, and handle the entire legal process so you and your St. Peters, MO family can spend your energy on healing. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in St. Peters, MO now at 866-382-4167 or reach out to us online for a complimentary 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.
