Car Accident Lawyer in Defiance, MO
Car Accident Lawyer Defiance, 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 car repairs, medical treatment, and mental trauma or anguish, the aftermath of an car accident in Defiance, MO can quickly take over anyone’s life, doubly so when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the monetary reward you should be getting.
Contact Our Defiance, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Defiance, MO who have been involved in car accidents and are hesitant about what to do next. Our Defiance car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports on behalf of their clients. We fight fiercely on behalf of all our Defiance, MO auto accident clients to secure them not only appropriate compensation, but also justice and closure after going through a very troubling experience.
After you’ve been in a Defiance, MO auto accident, don’t wait: contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Defiance, MO auto accident attorney in your corner. Our firm offers no-obligation initial consultations, and promises that if they do not get a positive result in your Defiance auto accident lawsuit, you will not owe them a fee.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Defiance, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Every day, thousands of cars and trucks take to the roads in and around Defiance in order to go to work, deliver goods, run errands, or just to enjoy the open road. Unfortunately, however, every day many car accidents happen, whether due to poorly maintained roads, the negligence of other motorists, or adverse weather conditions. Automotive damages and personal injuries can range from minor cosmetic blemishes or a few cuts and scrapes, to life-changing injuries and vehicles better suited as scrap metal.
As veteran Defiance, 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 Defiance can alter someone’s life, forever in some situations. Our firm has years of experience in the courtroom, and knows the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying just restitution to Defiance accident victims. We offer client-centered legal strategies that are built to meet your unique needs and get clients both closure in addition to a just reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Defiance, 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 Defiance, 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 can, and check to see if you are hurt.
- Call 911. Not only will you need to talk with police and get a full report of your car accident, but if you or a passenger is badly hurt you may need to have an ambulance come and take them to a hospital. When the police arrive, tell the truth about the accident but choose your words wisely: statements that suggest guilt can and will be used against you by insurance companies when determining fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your license, registration, and insurance details, which you are required to do by law, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take pictures. Camera phones now being ubiquitious means that it is very simple to document your Defiance, MO accident and compile evidence. Get shots of skid marks, property damage, physical surroundings, and the point of impact of your accident. If nearby pedestrians saw your accident, it is a good idea to record what they saw, as it can help your case immensely.
- Get medical attention. If you were injured as a result of your Defiance car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For more minor injuries, a local urgent care center is a more affordable and convenient option than a trip to the emergency room. However, more severe or bigger will likely require a trip to the hospital, or potentially a visit to your primary care physician.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you call a reputable and understanding Defiance, MO car accident lawyer, the sooner they can get to work on your behalf and allow you to begin the recovery process.
In addition to these steps, our firm recommends that all our clients hold on to the following paperwork. They can help a great deal when negotiating a settlement, or to fully illustrate the effect a car accident in Defiance, MO had on your life.
- Medical records
- Pictures of the accident scene
- The full police report of the accident
- Witness accounts
- All medical-related bills (ambulance fees, physical therapy costs, medications, etc.)
- Doctor’s reports and observations
- Repair bills
- Incidental bills such as rental car receipts
- Lost earning opportunities
- Records of pain and suffering directly caused by your accident
What Damages Can I Recover After A Car Accident?
In general, there are five kinds of damages someone can claim following a car accident in Defiance, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not only restricted to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for prescriptions, psychological appointments, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and required medical equipment such as a wheelchair, too.
- Lost wages/earning potential: for the most part this is based off of what you were earning prior to the accident, the extent of the impact the accident had on your ability to fully perform work, and how the lingering effects of your accident/injuries may stop you from working to your full ability in the future.
- Property damage: this includes repair/replacement of your car as well as any/all additional items that were damaged as a result of your Defiance auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be tough to quantify, since for the most part the amount of anguish one goes through after an accident differs from person to person. As a rule, though, recording changes in attitude, mental health and need for therapy, and longer-lasting after-effects of your accident is a good rule of thumb.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe cases, a Defiance, MO car accident may result in someone suffering life-altering injuries. While in a substantial number of cases those injuries are permanent and compensation cannot soothe the unspeakable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more freedom to successfully navigate their new normal.
It is also important to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the amount 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 proportional amount of damages.
Contact A Defiance, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the aggression and legal knowledge of a top Defiance, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has partnered with Defiance residents from all walks of life to secure the justice they deserve following a car accident in Defiance, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, which means that unless you get a positive result in your Defiance, MO car accident case, you will not need to owe us a fee.
If you have been injured as a result of a car accident in Defiance, MO caused by another party’s careless actions, do not hesitate: contact a Defiance car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-obligation document review.
