Automobile Injury Attorney St. Robert, MO | Personal Injury Lawyers | Car Accident Lawyers | Halvorsen Klote

St. Robert, MO

Automobile Injury Attorney St. Robert, MO

St. Robert, MO Personal Injury Lawyers


Call 866-382-4167 for a Free Consultation | St. Robert, MO Automobile Injury Attorney

Automobile injury attorney in St. Robert, MO. Injuries in auto wrecks happen in a flash, and the emotional, physical and financial burdens they create happen suddenly as well. If you were injured in a St. Robert, MO auto accident, you need an automobile injury attorney who will get you the full compensation you need to truly recover. At Halvorsen Klote, we fight for those injured by the negligence of another when the whole world seems stacked against them. Insurance adjusters can seem heartless, but with an experienced attorney in your corner, they will not be able to keep you from the best possible compensation you deserve. We provide outstanding legal representation to the injured in St. Robert, MO, the Greater St. Louis area and Southern Illinois. You don't pay unless we win. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in St. Robert, MO now at 866-382-4167 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.

We have experience with many different automobile injury claims, including:


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St. Robert, 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 injuries. Below is a list of FAQs to help you better understand the process:

How Do I Know if I Have a Case?

In order to have a case, you have to have sustained an injury that led to some amount of economic damages, for instance an appointment with your general practitioner or time spent off work recovering, and accident had to be caused or contributed to by somebody else. If you you were sore for a few days after the accident, but your injuries didn't lead to financial loss, you're unlikely to have a valid claim. If the accident was largely your fault, you may not have a case either.

Fortunately, you don't have to make that decision alone. Halvorsen Klote's St. Robert, MO automobile injury attorneys offer free case reviews for people who were injured and aren't sure of the validity of their claim.

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 the at-fault driver was and you didn't need much medical treatment — for example, one emergency room visit — include copies of your records and bills in your settlement letter, and see if you can get a little more on top for the hassle. With milder injuries where fault is not in dispute, it's unlikely an automobile injury attorney will be able to get you significantly more money.

However, 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 going to do whatever they can to pay you as little as possible. If the insurance company refuses to pay the full extent of your damages, or is saying your injuries weren't caused by the accident, 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.

How Much Are My Automobile Injury Worth in St. Robert, MO?

The damages you are eligible for after an automobile injury are meant to compensate you for the economic, physical and emotional toll your injuries cause. With a skilled St. Robert, MO automobile injury attorney, you'll get a financial recovery for:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages from time spent off work
  • Lost earning capacity if you can no longer work
  • 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 injuries prevent you from helping and giving affection to your spouse

How much compensation you receive in your car accident settlement depends largely on the severity of your injuries.

How Are Noneconomic Damages 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, using higher numbers for more significant injuries.
  • For example, the negligent driver caused a whiplash injury, leading to $15,000 in economic damages, 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 economic damages × 3 for a pain and suffering multiplier = $45,000 in final compensation
  • The Per Diem Method — "Per Diem" translates from Latin to "per day." Using this approach, your St. Robert, 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 $200 a day is a fair approximation of your pain and suffering:
  • $200 × 121 days (four months) = $24,200 in noneconomic damages (in addition to your medical bills and lost wages)

Your attorney will know the best way to calculate your pain and suffering damages for your unique case.

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Will I Still Get Reimbursement if My Medical Insurance Covers My Medical Expenses?

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, your medical insurance company will place a medical lien on your claim. That allows them to collect the money that paid for your injuries from your compensation.

There are various legal remedies to reduce medical liens. A knowledgeable St. Robert, MO automobile injury attorney will know best how to reduce those liens and put as much money as possible in your pocket.

What If the Insurance Coverage is Limited?

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 negligent 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.

Who Else Could Be Liable for My Auto Accident Injuries in St. Robert, MO?

In most cases, liability is solely on the driver that caused the accident. However, depending on the specifics of your case, other parties may be liable:

  • An car manufacturer may may have produced a defective car component, and you can make a product liability claim
  • If you were injured in a truck crash, 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 licensed alcohol vendor if someone got drunk at their venue, drove afterwards and caused your injuries
  • A government entity 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?

An insurance adjuster may try to convince you that you were the at-fault driver in order to avoid paying you. Providing sound evidence, as well as an experienced automobile injury attorney fighting back against that tactic, will help prove you're not at-fault.

In some car accidents, both drivers really are each partially to blame. Both Missouri Law and Illinois Law followed the legal doctrine of "comparative negligence." Meaning, each party pays for the percentage of fault they bear for the accident. In Illinois, you cannot make any recovery if you were more than half 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 because of their negligence. An automobile injury attorney can help make the process less personal.

Will I Have to Go to Court?

You probably will not have to go to court for your automobile injuries. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that more than nine out of 10 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 make sure you're adequately prepared and will handle most of the work.

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 six to eight weeks to three or four years before it reaches its conclusion. Many insurance adjusters start cooperating immediately once they've learned that the plaintiff hired a lawyer. Other times, a fair settlement is only offered right before trial begins, or there are complexities to the case that require substantial investigation and time put in.

Most cases are settled within three to nine months. While while we understand that you'd like to receive your money earlier than not, it's always the best idea to hold out for the maximum compensation you deserve. Once you agree to a settlement, you can never go back and ask for more money later.

What if I Can't Afford an Automobile Injury Attorney?

Halvorsen Klote's St. Robert, 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 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 see no reason that money should be a barrier for people who need quality legal representation to make a full financial recovery.

To learn more about automobile injury claims, check out our other FAQs, have a look at our legal resources page or request a free consultation.

Other cases we take on in St. Robert, MO include:

Autombile Injury Attorney St. Robert, MO | Personal Injury Attorney | Car Crash Lawyers | Auto Accident Attorneys Near St. Robert

Consult With an Automobile Injury Attorney in St. Robert, MO Today

We founded our practice on the idea that everyone deserves the same standard of legal advocacy that large insurance companies have. An injury is shocking and can leave you with a profound sense of uncertainty. 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 St. Robert, 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 St. Robert, MO family. Call a Halvorsen Klote automobile injury attorney in St. Robert, 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.