Car Accident Lawyer Columbia, MO. After you have suffered injuries in a car or truck accident, having concerns about your job or your family should be the last thing on your mind. Between medical treatment, dealing with trauma, and repairing your car, the impact of an car accident in Columbia, MO can easily overwhelm anyone, especially when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the monetary reward you should be getting.
Contact Our Columbia, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Columbia, MO residents who have been in car accidents and do not know about what to do next. Our Columbia car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports on behalf of their clients. We fight aggressively on behalf of all our Columbia, MO auto accident clients to secure them not only appropriate compensation, but also closure following an incredibly traumatic experience.
After you’ve been in a Columbia, MO auto accident, don’t wait: contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Columbia, MO auto accident attorney to work for you. Our firm offers no-obligation initial consultations, and vows that you do not win or get a settlement in your Columbia auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Columbia, MO Car Accident Lawyer
On any given day, thousands of vehicles are on the road in and around Columbia in order to go to work, deliver goods, run errands, or just to enjoy the open road. Sadly, though, car accidents are an everyday occurence, caused by bad weather, poor road conditions, or someone else’s negligence. Automotive damages and personal injuries can range from bumps and bruises and small scratches and dings, to totaled cars and permanent injuries.
As experienced Columbia, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has handled car accident claims of all types and seen first-hand how the effects of a car accident in Columbia can alter someone’s life, in some cases permanently. Our firm has years of experience handling car accident cases, and understands how insurance firms do not enjoy paying proper restitution to Columbia accident victims. We offer unique legal strategies that are tailor-made to meet your particular needs and get clients both justice in addition to a fair reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Columbia, MO
After you have been in a car accident, it is common for people to be in shock and clueless how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Columbia, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte recommends 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 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 someone else is severely injured 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 providers when determining 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. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is very simple to document your Columbia, MO accident and compile evidence. Take photos of all damage, skid marks, where one or more cars collided, as well as the general area around your accident. If you can find witnesses, it is a good idea to record their accounts of the accident, as it can help your case immensely.
- Get medical attention. If you were hurt as a result of your Columbia car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For smaller injuries, a local urgent care center is a more convenient and cost-effective option than a trip to the emergency room. However, larger and more serious injuries will likely necessitate a trip to the hospital, or potentially a visit to your primary care physician.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The quicker you call a reputable and understanding Columbia, MO car accident lawyer, the quicker they can begin work on your case and allow you to get on with recovering from your accident.
As well as these steps, our firm urges all our clients to hold on to the following receipts and documentation. They can help a great deal when negotiating a settlement, or to paint a full picture of the effect a car accident in Columbia, MO had on your life.
- Medical records
- Photos 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 records
- 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 Columbia, 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 to fully recover from accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as casts, as well.
- Lost wages/earning potential: generally this is determined by what you were earning prior to the accident, the extent of the impact the accident had on your ability to adequately perform work, and how the lasting effects of your accident/injuries may prevent 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 Columbia auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be tough to put into words, since in most cases the amount of discomfort a Columbia, MO victim goes through after an accident differs from person to person. As a rule, though, recording changes in mental health, lingering symptoms, and attitude is a smart rule of thumb.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe situations, a Columbia, MO car accident may result in a victim sustaining permanent injuries. While in a large number of cases those injuries are permanent and compensation cannot remedy the unspeakable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more ability to adapt to their new normal.
It is also key to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the quantity of damages one or more parties are entitled to is reduced 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 adjudged to be 99% responsible for an accident to collect a commensurate amount of damages.
Contact A Columbia, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the strength and legal knowledge of an elite Columbia, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of an individual practice. Our firm has worked with Columbia residents from all walks of life to obtain the justice they merit following a car accident in Columbia, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, which means that unless you win your Columbia, 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 Columbia, MO caused by another driver’s reckless behavior, do not wait: contact a Columbia car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by calling (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched consultation.
