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St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Why Hire A St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer?
St. Louis, Missouri has very specific car accident laws that are studied in detail by auto accident attorneys who have been practicing in St. Louis for years. Since such a matter should be dealt with very cautiously, hiring an auto accident lawyer should be the first priority.
The biggest reason a lawyer should be hired is that car accidents usually result in heavy financial as well as non-financial costs. Apart from the car being dented and the huge sums of money needed to fix the damage, car accidents leave a huge scar of personal injuries as well. While some people lose their lives in severe accidents, others suffer from deep injuries that can result in partial paralysis or years of sensitive recovery.
These costs need to be covered by someone. As a victim of a car accident in St. Louis, don’t you want the accident expenses to be covered by those who are at fault? If you do, your first line of defense is to hire a personal injury lawyer who specializes in car accident cases.
According to the statistics given above, every 10 hours someone dies as a result of a car accident and every 10 minutes, a person is getting injured by the same. With these terrifying numbers in Missouri, the need for car accident lawyers in St. Louis can never be underestimated.
One of the most prominent Personal Injury case categories is that of Car Accidents. In the United States alone, 2.35 million people are injured in road accidents on an annual basis and the total cost of such accidents equals US$230.6 billion. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of people every year are pressured into settling by insurance companies using unethical tactics. Hiring a St. Louis car accident lawyer prevents this from happening.
Thousands Are Wrongfully Injured In Auto Accidents Every Year
According to Missouri Highway Patrol, in 2009, 152,995 car accidents were reported, with 878 fatalities and 53,829 serious injuries. Such huge statistics call for major security measures taken to protect casualties resulting from road accidents.
The most important measure is contacting experienced Car Accident Attorneys in St. Louis when one meets a car accident. For most people, contacting lawyers and attorneys means starting a long chain of events that cause extensive discomfort and mental instability. For this reason, a majority of those who are injured in a car accident never even think about contacting legal services to make sure that their loss is accounted for.
It should be remembered at all times that Car Accidents and the injuries that result from them fall under the Personal Injury category, which is one of the most widely accepted legal services in the United States. Personal Injury cases are sensitive matters; hence, they should never be dealt with on your own.
How Can A St. Louis Car Injury Lawyer Help?
Car Accident Lawyers who specialize in personal injury specifics can help a great deal in such cases. Some of the most important areas covered by such a lawyer are:
- An analysis of the damage done to your car
- An analysis of the injuries you or a loved one has sustained
- Evidence collection to build up a case
- The laws in St. Louis, Missouri regarding car accidents and personal injury
- The condition and insurance coverage of the culprit
- The insurance company to contact
- Preparation of all paperwork
There are many other responsibilities that you can trust your attorney with when involved in a car accident. At times like these, when victims are emotionally and mentally challenged, taking care of legalities and worrying about the costs tied to the accident are far-fetched thoughts. By hiring a personal injury lawyer, you can relieve yourself of such worries and focus on taking care of the injuries sustained.
As stated in the Missouri Car Accident Laws, a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer will help you take care of all types of costs related to the injuries including:
- Medical expenses (hospital bills, prescription charges, surgery costs, etc.)
- Employment expenses that are incurred when an injured person cannot go to work for the duration of the recovery period (Lost wages are included in this category)
- Post-Surgery expenses, such as cost of physiotherapy or disability training, if needed
Accident Insurance Claims And Personal Injury Protection
Most citizens involved in a car accident often feel that their insurance company can cover the cost of all damage to their vehicle. However, usually the case is the exact opposite of this perception. If your vehicle is uninsured or underinsured, the insurance company can completely deny all claims made for fixing the damage caused to the vehicle.
Therefore, those who prefer to entrust a car accident case to their insurers get a rude awakening when their claims go unanswered. What can you do then? Hire a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer and let them expertly deal with your case.
According to the state laws, all drivers in St. Louis are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection. Such clauses are very useful when a person meets a car accident because a personal injury attorney can use this coverage clause to demand expenses from the driver who was at fault. Moreover, if this criterion is not met, your car accident lawyer will look into the auto insurance coverage that the culprit has.
Missouri state laws require every motorist to have a minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per instance. Contacting the relevant insurance company and asking them for these details is the lawyer’s responsibility. Therefore, if PIP criteria are not meant, the lawyer will try to get your expenses covered using motorist insurance.
Another important concern to keep in mind is that even if your car has suffered little or no damage and you have sustained injuries, you are still in a position to demand claim from the driver at fault. Many people involved in these instances are not aware of this rule or they are coaxed by the insurance company of the driver at fault, that since there is no damage to the vehicle, personal injuries will also be minimized.
However, this may not always be the case. Until an expert testimony from a medical professional is given, your personal injury lawyer should not let go of the claims and charges that should be levied on the responsible parties.
How Soon Should A Missouri Car Accident Lawyer Be Hired?
One of the most crucial jobs of a car accident lawyer is collecting evidence regarding negligence during the accident. Only when the attorney will be able to prove that the driver who caused the accident was being negligent, would you be able to fight for the losses you or a loved one has suffered. Therefore, it is important to hire a lawyer before such important evidence is lost or destroyed.
More often than not, insurance companies try to mask the extent of the damage caused by the culprit by talking to car companies or contacting the authorities for statements and conversation records. Since their goal is to minimize the coverage, insurance companies and their lawyers go to great lengths to make it hard for car accident victims to demand liability.
Therefore, timing is of utmost importance. While you can think things through before hiring a lawyer, do not take so much time that insurance companies get the first mover advantage over you. As soon as your injuries have been tended to, and your loved ones are out of danger, start thinking about hiring a St. Louis Car Accident lawyer.
Moreover, make sure you contact an attorney who has substantial experience with car accident cases. It is important that the lawyer you hire is fully aware of the auto and insurance rules in St. Louis and is committed to having your tangible and other intangible expenses covered. With a competent and responsible attorney, half of your troubles will be solved already.
Contact Us Today For a FREE Case Evaluation
Do not hesitate to call us if you have any questions regarding your car accident case. We offer all car accident victims a free case review, and we’ll just be honest and transparent about your case. But please make sure you don’t speak to the opposing insurance company before you talk to us. It’s imperative that you speak with us, or another reputable car accident lawyer in St. Louis.