Car Accident Lawyer Livingston County, MO. After you have suffered injuries in a car or truck accident, worrying 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 Livingston 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 compensation you deserve.
Contact Our Livingston County, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help Livingston County, MO residents who have been in car accidents and are hesitant about what to do next. Our Livingston County car accident lawyer works with insurance agents, looks over accident reports, and compiles all evidence on behalf of their clients. We fight fearlessly on behalf of all our Livingston County, MO auto accident clients to secure them not only appropriate compensation, but also a measure of justice after going through a very troubling experience.
After you’ve been in a Livingston 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 Livingston County, MO auto accident attorney on your side. Our firm offers no-obligation initial consultations, and vows that if they do not get a positive result in your Livingston County auto accident lawsuit, you will not owe them a fee.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Livingston County, MO Car Accident Lawyer
On any given day, thousands of vehicles are on the road in and around Livingston County for all sorts of purposes. Sadly, however, every day many car accidents happen, caused by poorly maintained roads, the negligence of other motorists, or adverse weather conditions. Automotive damages and personal injuries 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 Livingston County, MO car accident lawyers, Combs Waterkotte has handled all kinds of car accident claims and seen first-hand how the effects of a car accident in Livingston County can alter someone’s life, forever in some situations. Our firm has years of experience handling car accident cases, and knows the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying just restitution to Livingston County accident victims. We provide unique legal strategies that are built to meet your unique needs and give our clients justice in addition to a just reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Livingston County, 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 Livingston County, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte recommends 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 you can, 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 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 companies when adjuticating 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 photos. Everyone now having a camera on their phone means that it is very easy to document your Livingston County, MO accident and gather evidence. Get shots of the site of your accident, skid marks, and the full extent of your damage. 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 care. If you were injured as a result of your Livingston County car accident, immediately get emergency medical care. For more minor 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 if they are available a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The quicker you talk to a trustworthy and compassionate Livingston County, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can start working on your case and allow you to begin the recovery process.
In addition to these steps, our firm urges all our clients to keep the following documents. They can help immeasurably when negotiating a settlement, or to give a more complete idea of the effect a car accident in Livingston County, 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 records
- 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 Livingston County, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not strictly restricted to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim reimbursement for prescriptions, psychiatric care, rehab or physical therapy to fully recover from accident injuries, and necessary medical equipment such as a wheelchair, 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 lingering effects of your accident/injuries may prevent 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 effects that were damaged as a result of your Livingston County auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be hard to quantify, since by and large the amount of discomfort one goes through after an accident differs from person to person. In general, though, documenting changes in attitude, mental health and need for therapy, and longer-lasting after-effects of your accident is a smart rule of thumb.
- Disability or disfigurement: in more severe situations, a Livingston County, MO car accident may result in someone suffering life-changing injuries. While in a substantial number of cases those injuries are permanent and money cannot remedy the unspeakable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more opportunity to adapt to 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 receive 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 Livingston County, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we provide the muscle and legal knowledge of a top Livingston County, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one care of a small practice. Our firm has partnered with Livingston County residents of all backgrounds to get the justice they merit following a car accident in Livingston County, MO. We take all our cases on what is called a contingency basis, meaning that unless you win your Livingston County, MO car accident case or obtain a favorable settlement, you will not need to owe us a fee.
If you have been injured in a car accident in Livingston County, MO caused by another party’s reckless behavior, act quickly: contact a Livingston County car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-obligation conversation.
