Car Accident Lawyer Independence, MO. After you have been injured in a car or truck accident, having concerns about family or work should be your lowest priority. Between mental trauma, car repairs, and getting back to full fitness, the aftermath of an car accident in Independence, MO can easily overwhelm anyone, doubly so when insurance companies refuse to deal with you or you do not receive the restitution you deserve.
Contact Our Independence, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Independence, MO who have been involved in car accidents and do not know about what to do next. Our Independence car accident lawyer works with insurance agents, looks over accident reports, and compiles all evidence on behalf of their clients. We fight fearlessly for all our Independence, MO auto accident clients to win them not only their rightful financial rewards, but also a measure of justice after going through a very troubling experience.
Following a Independence, MO auto accident, don’t hesitate to contact Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put an experienced and dedicated Independence, MO auto accident attorney to work for you. Our firm offers free initial consultations, and vows that you do not win or get a settlement in your Independence auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Independence, MO Car Accident Lawyer
On any given day, thousands of vehicles are on the road in and around Independence in order to go to work, deliver goods, run errands, or just to enjoy the open road. Sadly, however, every day many car accidents happen, whether due to poorly maintained roads, the negligence of other motorists, or adverse weather conditions. Injuries and property damage can range from minor cosmetic blemishes or a few cuts and scrapes, to life-changing injuries and vehicles better suited as scrap metal.
As experienced Independence, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has handled car accident claims of all types and personally viewed how the aftermath of a car accident in Independence can change someone’s life, in some cases permanently. Our firm has years of experience in the courtroom, and knows the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying just compensation to Independence accident victims. We provide personalized legal strategies that are tailor-made to satisfy your particular needs and get clients both closure in addition to a just reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Independence, 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 Independence, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte recommends that all our clients do the following after their car accident:
- Make sure you are safe. Find a place to stop away from 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 a passenger 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 suggest guilt can and will be used against you by insurance providers when determining fault.
- Collect all relevant information. Exchange not only your registration, license, and insurance provider, which you are legally required to do, but also phone numbers and other contact details.
- Take pictures. The invention, and widespread adoption, of camera phones means that it is very simple to document your Independence, MO accident and compile evidence. Get shots of all damage, skid marks, where one or more cars collided, as well as the general area around your accident. If there were pedestrians or passersby who witnessed your accident, it is a good idea to record what they saw, as it can help your case immensely.
- Get medical attention. If you were hurt as a result of your Independence car accident, immediately seek out 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 if they are available a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The sooner you speak to a trustworthy and understanding Independence, MO car accident lawyer, the sooner 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 hold on to the following receipts and documentation. They can help immensely when negotiating a settlement, or to give a more complete idea of the effect a car accident in Independence, 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 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 kinds of damages someone can claim following a car accident in Independence, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not only restricted to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for prescriptions, visits to mental health professionals, rehab or physical therapy to fully recover from accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as crutches, 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 fully perform labor, and how the knock-on effects of your accident/injuries may prevent you from working to your full ability 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 Independence auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be hard to quantify, since in most cases the amount of difficulty one goes through after an accident differs from person to person. As a rule, though, documenting changes in mental health, lingering symptoms, and attitude is a good idea.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe situations, a Independence, 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 take away the unspeakable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more freedom 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 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 adjudged to be 99% responsible for an accident to collect a commensurate amount of damages.
Contact A Independence, MO Car Accident Lawyer That Puts You First
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the muscle and acumen of a competitive Independence, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has worked with Independence residents from all walks of life to obtain the justice they merit following a car accident in Independence, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, which means that unless you get a positive result in your Independence, MO car accident case, you will not need to owe us anything.
If you have been injured as a result of a car accident in Independence, MO caused by someone else’s reckless behavior, act quickly: contact a Independence car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-obligation case review.
