Car Accident Lawyer Gladstone, MO. After you have been hurt in a car or truck accident, having concerns about family or work should be the last thing on your mind. Between mental trauma, car repairs, and getting back to full fitness, the impact of an car accident in Gladstone, MO can quickly take over anyone’s life, doubly so when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the restitution you deserve.
Contact Our Gladstone, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Gladstone, MO residents who have been involved in car accidents and are unsure about how to proceed. Our Gladstone car accident lawyer reviews accident reports, gathers evidence, and corresponds with insurance or financial representatives for their clients. We fight aggressively on behalf of all our Gladstone, MO auto accident clients to win them not only their rightful financial rewards, but also justice and closure after one of the most harrowing experiences of their lives.
After you’ve been in a Gladstone, MO auto accident, don’t wait: contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Gladstone, MO auto accident attorney to work for you. Our firm offers complimentary initial consultations, and vows that won’t owe us a penny if we do not get a positive outcome in your case.
Giving You One Less Thing To Worry About
A Full-Service Gladstone, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Thousands of cars and trucks take to the road every day in and around Gladstone to deliver the mail, take people to and from work, go to the store, or just out for a leisurely drive. Unfortunately, though, every day many car accidents happen, 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 Gladstone, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken all kinds of car accident claims and personally viewed how the results of a car accident in Gladstone can change 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 restitution to Gladstone 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 Gladstone, 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 dealt with many car accident clients across Gladstone, 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 are hurt.
- 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 have an ambulance dispatched. 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 finding 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 photos. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is incredibly easy to document your Gladstone, MO accident and compile 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 smart to record their accounts of the accident, as it can greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical care. If you were injured as a result of your Gladstone 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 a trip to the emergency room. However, larger and more serious injuries will likely require a trip to the hospital, or if they are available a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The quicker you speak to a reputable and compassionate Gladstone, MO car accident lawyer, the quicker 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 urges all our clients to keep the following paperwork. They can help immensely when negotiating a settlement, or to give a more complete idea of the effect a car accident in Gladstone, 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 kinds of damages someone can claim after a car accident in Gladstone, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not only limited to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for prescriptions, psychological appointments, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and required 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 fully perform work, and how the lingering effects of your accident/injuries may stop 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 effects that were damaged as a result of your Gladstone auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be difficult to explain, since in most cases the amount of difficulty a Gladstone, MO victim goes through after an accident differs from person to person. In general, though, recording changes in personality, attitude, and mental health is a good rule of thumb.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe cases, a Gladstone, MO car accident may result in someone sustaining life-changing injuries. While in many cases those injuries are permanent and money cannot take away the immense pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more opportunity to successfully navigate their new normal.
It is also key to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the amount of damages one or more parties can take home is reduced 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 Gladstone, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Puts You First
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the muscle and intelligence of an elite Gladstone, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has worked with Gladstone residents of all backgrounds to obtain the justice they deserve following a car accident in Gladstone, 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 Gladstone, 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 Gladstone, MO caused by someone else’s careless actions, do not wait: contact a Gladstone car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched consultation.
