Car Accident Lawyer in Centralia, MO
Car Accident Lawyer Centralia, MO. After you have been hurt in a car or truck accident, worrying about family or work should be your lowest priority. Between car repairs, medical treatment, and mental trauma or anguish, the effects of an car accident in Centralia, MO can easily take over anyone’s life, doubly so when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact Our Centralia, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Centralia, MO residents who have been in car accidents and are unsure about what steps to take afterwards. Our Centralia car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports for their clients. We fight fiercely for all our Centralia, MO auto accident clients to secure them not only their rightful compensation, but also a measure of justice after going through a very troubling experience.
After you’ve been in a Centralia, MO auto accident, do not delay in contacting Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put a veteran Centralia, MO auto accident attorney in your corner. Our firm offers free initial consultations, and guarantees that if they do not get a positive result in your Centralia auto accident lawsuit, you will not owe them a fee.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Centralia, MO Car Accident Lawyer
On any given day, thousands of vehicles are on the road in and around Centralia to deliver the mail, take people to and from work, go to the store, or just out for a leisurely drive. Sadly, though, every day many car accidents happen, whether due to another driver’s careless actions, poor weather conditions, or roads not being properly maintained. Injuries and property damage can range from minor cosmetic blemishes or a few cuts and scrapes, to life-altering ailments and a car so damaged as to be unrecognizable.
As experienced Centralia, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken all kinds of car accident claims and personally viewed how the aftermath of a car accident in Centralia can change someone’s life, forever in some situations. Our firm has years of experience handling car accident cases, and has seen the lengths insurance companies go to avoid paying proper compensation to Centralia accident victims. We offer unique legal strategies that are built to satisfy your unique needs and get clients both closure in addition to a fair reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Centralia, MO
After you have been in a car accident, it is common for people to be in a state of shock and uncertain how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Centralia, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte suggests that all our clients do the following after their car accident:
- Make sure you are safe. Find a place to stop away from traffic, if you can, 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 a passenger is badly hurt you may need to have an ambulance dispatched. When the police come, be honest about the accident but choose your words wisely: statements that suggest guilt can and will be used against you by insurance providers when adjuticating fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your insurance card, registration, and license, 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 Centralia, MO accident and gather evidence. Take photos of the site of your accident, skid marks, and the full extent of your damage. If nearby pedestrians saw your accident, it is wise to record what they saw, as it can greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical attention. If you were hurt as a result of your Centralia car accident, immediately seek out emergency medical care. For smaller injuries, a local urgent care center is a more convenient and cost-effective option than an ER visit. However, more severe or bigger will likely require a trip to the hospital, or potentially a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you speak to a reputable and understanding Centralia, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can start working 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 save the following paperwork. They can help immeasurably when discussing settlement terms, or to paint a full picture of the effect a car accident in Centralia, MO had on your life.
- Medical records
- Pictures of the accident scene
- The full police report of the accident
- Witness statements
- All medical-related bills (ambulance fees, physical therapy costs, medications, etc.)
- Doctor’s reports and observations
- Repair documentation
- 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 an accident victim can claim after a car accident in Centralia, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not strictly limited to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim costs for medications, visits to mental health professionals, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as casts, too.
- Lost wages/earning potential: in general this is determined by what you were earning prior to the accident, the extent of the impact the accident had on your ability to successfully perform labor, and how the lingering effects of your accident/injuries may prevent you from working to your full potential in the future.
- Property damage: this includes repair/replacement of your car as well as any/all personal items or goods that were damaged as a result of your Centralia auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be tough to explain, since in most cases the amount of difficulty a Centralia, MO victim goes through after an accident varies from person to person. In general, though, documenting changes in personality, attitude, and mental health is a good idea.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe situations, a Centralia, MO car accident may result in someone suffering life-changing injuries. While in many cases those injuries are permanent and compensation cannot take away the immense 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 amount of damages one or more parties can take home is adjusted based on how responsible 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 Centralia, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the muscle and legal knowledge of an elite Centralia, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has partnered with Centralia residents of all backgrounds to secure the justice they are entitled to receive following a car accident in Centralia, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, meaning that unless you win your Centralia, MO car accident case or obtain a favorable settlement, you will not need to owe us anything.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Centralia, MO caused by someone else’s careless actions, act quickly: contact a Centralia car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by calling (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched document review.
