Car Accident Lawyer Hazelwood, MO. After you have been injured in a car or truck accident, having concerns about family or work should be your lowest priority. Between car repairs, medical treatment, and mental trauma or anguish, the effects of an car accident in Hazelwood, 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 Hazelwood, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Hazelwood, MO who have been in car accidents and are hesitant about what to do next. Our Hazelwood car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports for their clients. We fight aggressively on behalf of all our Hazelwood, 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 Hazelwood, MO auto accident, don’t wait: contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put a veteran Hazelwood, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers no-obligation initial consultations, and guarantees that you do not win or get a settlement in your Hazelwood auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Hazelwood, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Every day, thousands of cars and trucks take to the roads in and around Hazelwood for all sorts of purposes. Unfortunately, however, car accidents are an everyday occurence, whether due to 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 veteran Hazelwood, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has taken all kinds of car accident claims and seen first-hand how the results of a car accident in Hazelwood can alter 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 Hazelwood accident victims. We offer unique legal strategies that are built 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 Hazelwood, MO
Following a car accident, it is likely that people will be in shock and clueless how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Hazelwood, 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 are hurt.
- Call 911. Not only will you need to file a police report after your accident, but if you or a passenger is severely injured you may need to have an ambulance dispatched. When the police come, tell the truth about the accident but avoid saying anything unnecessary: statements that imply guilt can and will be used against you by insurance providers when finding fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your registration, license, and insurance provider, which you are required to do by law, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take pictures. The invention, and widespread adoption, of camera phones means that it is incredibly easy to document your Hazelwood, 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 greatly benefit your case.
- Get medical attention. If you were hurt as a result of your Hazelwood car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For more minor injuries, a local urgent care center is a more affordable and convenient option than an ER visit. However, more severe or bigger will likely necessitate a trip to the hospital, or potentially a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The quicker you talk to a trustworthy and understanding Hazelwood, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can begin work on your case and allow you to begin the recovery process.
In addition to these steps, our firm recommends that all our clients keep the following documents. They can help immensely when negotiating a settlement, or to give a more complete idea of the effect a car accident in Hazelwood, MO had on your life.
- Medical documentation
- Pictures of the accident scene
- The full police report of the accident
- Witness accounts
- All medical-related bills (ambulance fees, rehab 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 Hazelwood, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not strictly limited to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for medications, psychiatric care, rehab or physical therapy to fully recover from accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as a wheelchair, as well.
- Lost wages/earning potential: generally this is based off of what you were earning prior to the accident, the extent of the impact the accident had on your ability to fully 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 or replacement of your car as well as any/all additional items that were damaged as a result of your Hazelwood auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be tough to explain, since by and large the amount of discomfort one goes through after an accident varies from person to person. As a rule, though, documenting changes in personality, attitude, and mental health is a good idea.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe cases, a Hazelwood, MO car accident may result in someone sustaining life-altering 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 freedom to adapt to 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 can take home is reduced based on the level they were 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 commensurate amount of damages.
Contact A Hazelwood, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the strength and acumen of a competitive Hazelwood, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one attention of a small practice. Our firm has partnered with Hazelwood residents of all backgrounds to obtain the justice they merit following a car accident in Hazelwood, MO. We take all our cases on what is referred to as a contingency basis, meaning that unless you win your Hazelwood, 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 Hazelwood, MO caused by another party’s reckless behavior, do not wait: contact a Hazelwood car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-obligation case review.
