Car Accident Lawyer Clay County, MO. After you have been injured in a car or truck accident, having concerns about family or work should be your lowest priority. Between medical treatment, dealing with trauma, and repairing your car, the aftermath of an car accident in Clay County, 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 Clay County, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Clay County, MO who have been involved in car accidents and do not know about what steps to take afterwards. Our Clay County car accident lawyer works with insurance agents, looks over accident reports, and compiles all evidence for their clients. We fight fearlessly for all our Clay County, MO auto accident clients to win them not only fair and just financial rewards, but also closure after one of the most harrowing experiences of their lives.
Following a Clay County, MO auto accident, don’t hesitate to contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Clay County, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers no-obligation initial consultations, and vows that you do not win or get a settlement in your Clay County auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You One Less Thing To Worry About
A Complete Clay County, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Every day, thousands of cars and trucks take to the roads in and around Clay County for all sorts of purposes. Unfortunately, though, car accidents are an everyday occurence, caused by 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 Clay County, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken car accident claims of all types and personally viewed how the aftermath of a car accident in Clay County can change someone’s life, in some cases permanently. Our firm has years of experience in the courtroom, and has seen the lengths insurance companies go to avoid paying just restitution to Clay County 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 Clay County, MO
After you have been in a car accident, it is common for people to be stunned and unsure of how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Clay County, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte suggests that all our clients take these steps 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 file a police report after your accident, but if you or someone else is badly hurt you may need to call for an ambulance. 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 determining 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 pictures. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is incredibly easy to document your Clay County, MO accident and gather evidence. Take photos of the site of your accident, skid marks, and the full extent of your damage. If you can find witnesses, it is a good idea to record what they saw, as it can greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical care. If you were injured as a result of your Clay County car accident, immediately seek out 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, more severe or bigger will likely necessitate a trip to the hospital, or if possible a visit to your primary care physician.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you talk to a reputable and understanding Clay County, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can start working on your case and allow you to get on with recovering from your 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 paint a full picture of the effect a car accident in Clay County, MO had on your life.
- Medical documentation
- 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 documentation
- Incidental bills including 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 types of damages someone can claim after a car accident in Clay County, 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 medications, psychological appointments, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and required medical equipment such as casts, too.
- Lost wages/earning potential: in general 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 lasting 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 items or goods that were damaged as a result of your Clay County auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be hard to explain, since for the most part the amount of difficulty 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 situations, a Clay County, MO car accident may result in a victim suffering life-changing injuries. While in a substantial number of cases those injuries are permanent and money cannot remedy the unmeasurable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more ability to adapt to 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 how much at fault they were for causing a car accident. Missouri is a pure comparative fault state, which allows for even someone who was judged 99% responsible for an accident to collect a proportional amount of damages.
Contact A Clay County, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the strength and intelligence of a top Clay County, MO car accident law firm as well as the personal attention of a small practice. Our firm has partnered with Clay County residents from all walks of life to secure the justice they deserve following a car accident in Clay County, MO. We take all our cases on what is known as a contingency basis, which means that unless you win your Clay County, 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 Clay County, MO caused by another driver’s negligence, act quickly: contact a Clay County car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched document review.