Car Accident Lawyer Smithville, MO. After you have suffered injuries in a car or truck accident, worrying about your job or your family should be your lowest priority. Between car repairs, medical treatment, and mental trauma or anguish, the impact of an car accident in Smithville, 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 Smithville, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Smithville, MO residents who have been involved in car accidents and do not know about what to do next. Our Smithville car accident lawyer reviews accident reports, gathers evidence, and corresponds with insurance or financial representatives for their clients. We fight fiercely on behalf of all our Smithville, MO auto accident clients to win them not only fair and just remuneration, but also justice and closure following an incredibly traumatic experience.
After you’ve been in a Smithville, MO auto accident, don’t hesitate to contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put a veteran Smithville, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers complimentary initial consultations, and promises that if they do not get a positive result in your Smithville auto accident lawsuit, you will not owe them a fee.
Giving You One Less Thing To Worry About
A Complete Smithville, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Thousands of cars and trucks take to the road every day in and around Smithville to deliver the mail, take people to and from work, go to the store, or just out for a leisurely drive. Sadly, however, car accidents regularly occur, caused by bad weather, poor road conditions, or someone else’s negligence. Injuries and property damage can range from bumps and bruises and small scratches and dings, to life-altering ailments and a car so damaged as to be unrecognizable.
As veteran Smithville, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken car accident claims of all types and personally viewed how the effects of a car accident in Smithville can change someone’s life, in some cases permanently. Our firm has years of experience in the courtroom, and understands how insurance firms do not enjoy paying proper restitution to Smithville accident victims. We provide client-centered legal strategies that are built to satisfy your unique needs and give our clients closure in addition to a just reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Smithville, MO
Following a car accident, it is common for people to be in shock and clueless how to proceed. However, having dealt with many car accident clients across Smithville, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte suggests that all our clients take these steps after their car accident:
- Make sure you are safe. Find a place to stop away from traffic, if you are able to, and check to see if you have suffered any injuries.
- Call 911. Not only will you need to file a police report after your accident, but if you or someone else is badly injured you may need to call for an ambulance. 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 adjuticating fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your license, registration, and insurance details, which you are legally required to do, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take photos. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is very simple to document your Smithville, MO accident and gather evidence. Get shots of skid marks, property damage, physical surroundings, and the point of impact of your accident. If you can find witnesses, it is a good idea to record what they saw, as it can greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical attention. If you were hurt as a result of your Smithville car accident, immediately seek out 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 if possible a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The faster you speak to a trustworthy and understanding Smithville, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can get to work on your behalf and allow you to focus on recovering after an accident.
As well as these steps, our firm recommends that all our clients save the following documents. They can help immensely when discussing settlement terms, or to give a more complete idea of the effect a car accident in Smithville, MO had on your life.
- Medical documentation
- Pictures of the accident scene
- The full police report of the accident
- Witness statements
- All medical-related bills (ambulance fees, rehab costs, medications, etc.)
- Doctor’s reports and observations
- Repair bills
- 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 types of damages someone can claim after a car accident in Smithville, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not strictly restricted to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for medications, psychiatric care, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and required medical equipment such as a wheelchair, as well.
- Lost wages/earning potential: generally this is determined by what you were earning prior to the accident, how much the accident impacted your ability to adequately perform labor, and how the knock-on effects of your accident/injuries may keep you from working to your full ability in the future.
- Property damage: this includes repair/replacement of your car as well as any/all personal effects that were damaged as a result of your Smithville auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be difficult to put into words, since for the most part the amount of discomfort one goes through after an accident varies from person to person. In general, 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 Smithville, MO car accident may result in a victim sustaining life-changing injuries. While in many cases those injuries are permanent and money cannot remedy the immense pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more freedom 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 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 Smithville, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the muscle and acumen of an elite Smithville, MO car accident law firm as well as the personal attention of a small practice. Our firm has worked with Smithville residents from all walks of life to secure the justice they merit following a car accident in Smithville, 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 Smithville, 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 Smithville, MO caused by another party’s reckless behavior, act quickly: contact a Smithville car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-obligation conversation.
