Car Accident Lawyer in Richmond Heights, MO
Car Accident Lawyer Richmond Heights, MO. After you have suffered injuries in a car or truck accident, having concerns about family or work should be the last thing on your mind. Between mental trauma, car repairs, and getting back to full fitness, the aftermath of an car accident in Richmond Heights, MO can quickly take over anyone’s life, especially when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the monetary reward you are entitled to.
Contact Our Richmond Heights, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Richmond Heights, MO residents who have been in car accidents and do not know about what steps to take afterwards. Our Richmond Heights car accident lawyer works with insurance agents, looks over accident reports, and compiles all evidence on behalf of their clients. We fight fiercely for all our Richmond Heights, MO auto accident clients to secure them not only appropriate remuneration, but also justice and closure after one of the most harrowing experiences of their lives.
After you’ve been in a Richmond Heights, MO auto accident, do not delay in contacting Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Richmond Heights, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers complimentary initial consultations, and vows that you do not win or get a settlement in your Richmond Heights auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Complete Richmond Heights, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Thousands of cars and trucks take to the road every day in and around Richmond Heights in order to go to work, deliver goods, run errands, or just to enjoy the open road. Sadly, though, every day many car accidents happen, caused by another driver’s careless actions, poor weather conditions, or roads not being properly maintained. Automotive damages and personal injuries can range from bumps and bruises and small scratches and dings, to life-changing injuries and vehicles better suited as scrap metal.
As veteran Richmond Heights, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has handled all kinds of car accident claims and personally viewed how the results of a car accident in Richmond Heights can change someone’s life, forever in some situations. Our firm has years of experience in the courtroom, and has seen the lengths insurance companies go to avoid paying just compensation to Richmond Heights accident victims. We offer client-centered legal strategies that are tailor-made to satisfy your particular needs and give our clients closure as well as a fair reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Richmond Heights, MO
Following a car accident, it is likely that people will be stunned and unsure of how to proceed. However, having dealt with many car accident clients across Richmond Heights, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte recommends that all our clients do the following after their car accident:
- Make sure you are safe. Pull over to somewhere where you will not obstruct traffic, if you are able to, and check to see if you have suffered any injuries.
- Call 911. Not only will you need to talk with police and get a full report of your car accident, but if you or someone else is badly injured you may need to have an ambulance come and take them to a hospital. When the police come, tell the truth about the accident but avoid saying anything unnecessary: statements that imply guilt can and will be used against you by insurance companies when finding fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your registration, license, and insurance provider, which you are legally required to do, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take pictures. The invention, and widespread adoption, of camera phones means that it is incredibly easy to document your Richmond Heights, MO accident and gather evidence. Take photos of the site of your accident, skid marks, and the full extent of your damage. If there were pedestrians or passersby who witnessed your accident, it is a good idea to record their accounts of the accident, as it can greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical care. If you were hurt as a result of your Richmond Heights car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For smaller injuries, a local urgent care center is a more affordable and convenient option than a trip to the emergency room. However, larger and more serious injuries will likely require a trip to the hospital, or potentially a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you talk to a trustworthy and understanding Richmond Heights, MO car accident lawyer, the sooner they can begin work on your case and allow you to focus on recovering after an accident.
As well as these steps, our firm urges all our clients to keep the following paperwork. They can help a great deal when negotiating a settlement, or to paint a full picture of the effect a car accident in Richmond Heights, MO had on your life.
- Medical records
- Photos of the accident scene
- The full police report of the accident
- Witness accounts
- All medical-related bills (ambulance fees, rehab costs, medications, etc.)
- Doctor’s reports and observations
- Repair records
- Incidental bills including rental car receipts
- Lost earning opportunities
- Records of pain and suffering resulting from your accident
What Damages Can I Recover After A Car Accident?
In general, there are five kinds of damages an accident victim can claim after a car accident in Richmond Heights, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not only limited to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim costs for prescriptions, psychiatric care, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as crutches, too.
- Lost wages/earning potential: for the most part this is determined by what you were earning prior to the accident, how much the accident impacted your ability to successfully perform work, and how the lingering effects of your accident/injuries may prevent you from working to your full ability in the future.
- Property damage: this includes repair/replacement of your car in addition to any/all additional items that were damaged as a result of your Richmond Heights auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be hard to put into words, since for the most part the amount of anguish one goes through after an accident varies from person to person. In general, though, documenting changes in personality, attitude, and mental health is a good rule of thumb.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe situations, a Richmond Heights, MO car accident may result in someone sustaining permanent injuries. While in many cases those injuries are permanent and compensation cannot remedy the unspeakable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more ability to successfully navigate their new normal.
It is also critical to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the quantity of damages one or more parties receive is adjusted based on the level they were at fault they were for causing a car accident. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state, which allows for even someone who was determined to be 99% responsible for an accident to collect a commensurate amount of damages.
Contact A Richmond Heights, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the aggression and intelligence of an elite Richmond Heights, MO car accident law firm as well as the personal care of an individual practice. Our firm has worked with Richmond Heights residents from all walks of life to obtain the justice they merit following a car accident in Richmond Heights, MO. We take all our cases on what is referred to as a contingency basis, meaning that unless you get a positive result in your Richmond Heights, MO car accident case, you will not need to owe us a fee.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Richmond Heights, MO caused by another party’s careless actions, do not wait: contact a Richmond Heights car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched document review.
