Car Accident Lawyer Clayton, MO. After you have been injured in a car or truck accident, worrying 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 Clayton, MO can easily overwhelm anyone, doubly so when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the monetary reward you deserve.
Contact Our Clayton, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Clayton, MO who have been in car accidents and do not know about how to proceed. Our Clayton car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports on behalf of their clients. We fight fearlessly on behalf of all our Clayton, MO auto accident clients to get them not only their rightful remuneration, but also a measure of justice following an incredibly traumatic experience.
Following a Clayton, MO auto accident, do not delay in contacting Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put a dedicated Clayton, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers complimentary initial consultations, and promises that you do not win or get a settlement in your Clayton auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You One Less Thing To Worry About
A Full-Service Clayton, MO Car Accident Lawyer
On any given day, thousands of vehicles are on the road in and around Clayton to deliver the mail, take people to and from work, go to the store, or just out for a leisurely drive. Unfortunately, though, car accidents are an everyday occurence, whether due to 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-changing injuries and vehicles better suited as scrap metal.
As experienced Clayton, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken all kinds of car accident claims and personally viewed how the effects of a car accident in Clayton can alter someone’s life, in some cases permanently. Our firm has years of experience handling car accident cases, and knows the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying proper compensation to Clayton accident victims. We offer personalized legal strategies that are tailor-made to meet your unique needs and give our clients closure in addition to a fair reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Clayton, MO
Following a car accident, it is likely that people will be in a state of shock and uncertain how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Clayton, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte suggests 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 possible, 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 dispatched. When the police come, be honest 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 insurance card, registration, and license, which you are required to do by law, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take pictures. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is incredibly easy to document your Clayton, MO accident and gather evidence. Take photos of skid marks, property damage, physical surroundings, and the point of impact of your accident. If you can find witnesses, it is wise to record their accounts of the accident, as it can help your case immensely.
- Get medical care. If you were injured as a result of your Clayton car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For more minor injuries, a local urgent care center is a more convenient and cost-effective option than an ER visit. 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 quicker you talk to a reputable and understanding Clayton, MO car accident lawyer, the quicker they can start working on your case and allow you to focus on recovering after an accident.
In addition to these steps, our firm recommends that all our clients save the following paperwork. They can help immeasurably when negotiating a settlement, or to paint a full picture of the effect a car accident in Clayton, 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, physical therapy costs, medications, etc.)
- Doctor’s reports and observations
- Repair records
- Incidental bills such as 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 following a car accident in Clayton, 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, psychological appointments, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as casts, as well.
- Lost wages/earning potential: for the most part this is based off of what you were earning prior to the accident, how much the accident impacted your ability to fully perform work, and how the lingering effects of your accident/injuries may keep you from working to your full potential in the future.
- Property damage: this includes repair or replacement of your car in addition to any/all personal effects that were damaged as a result of your Clayton auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be difficult to quantify, since for the most part the amount of anguish a Clayton, MO victim 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 Clayton, MO car accident may result in a victim suffering life-altering 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 important to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the quantity 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 adjudged to be 99% responsible for an accident to collect a proportional amount of damages.
Contact A Clayton, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the strength and acumen of a competitive Clayton, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has worked with Clayton residents from all walks of life to obtain the justice they deserve following a car accident in Clayton, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, which means that unless you win your Clayton, MO car accident case or obtain a favorable settlement, you will not need to owe us a penny.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Clayton, MO caused by another party’s careless actions, act quickly: contact a Clayton car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by calling (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched consultation.
