Car Accident Lawyer Washington, MO. After you have been injured in a car or truck accident, having concerns about your job or your family should be your lowest priority. Between mental trauma, car repairs, and getting back to full fitness, the impact of an car accident in Washington, 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 Washington, MO Car Accident Lawyers Here
Combs Waterkotte is here to help residents of Washington, MO who have been in car accidents and are unsure about what steps to take afterwards. Our Washington car accident lawyer finds evidence, deals with insurance and financial agents, and compiles accident reports on behalf of their clients. We fight aggressively for all our Washington, MO auto accident clients to win them not only fair and just financial rewards, but also justice and closure after going through a very troubling experience.
After you’ve been in a Washington, MO auto accident, do not delay in contacting Combs Waterkotte, either online or by calling (314) 900-HELP, and put a dedicated Washington, MO auto accident attorney to work for you. Our firm offers complimentary initial consultations, and vows that you do not win or get a settlement in your Washington auto accident lawsuit, you owe us nothing.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
A Full-Service Washington, MO Car Accident Lawyer
Thousands of cars and trucks take to the road every day in and around Washington in order to go to work, deliver goods, run errands, or just to enjoy the open road. Unfortunately, however, car accidents regularly occur, 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 totaled cars and permanent injuries.
As experienced Washington, 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 Washington can change someone’s life, forever in some situations. Our firm has years of experience handling car accident cases, and has seen the lengths insurance companies go to avoid paying proper restitution to Washington accident victims. We offer client-centered legal strategies that are built to meet your particular needs and give our clients justice as well as a fair reward for their injuries and losses.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Washington, MO
Following a car accident, it is likely that people will be in a state of shock and uncertain how to proceed. However, having worked with many car accident clients across Washington, MO, the staff at Combs Waterkotte suggests 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 severely injured you may need to call for an ambulance. When the police arrive, be honest about the accident but choose your words wisely: statements that imply guilt can and will be used against you by insurance providers when adjuticating 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 incredibly easy to document your Washington, MO accident and gather evidence. Take photos 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 wise to record what they saw, as it can help your case immensely.
- Get medical care. If you were hurt as a result of your Washington car accident, immediately seek out emergency medical care. For more minor injuries, a local urgent care center is a more affordable and convenient option than a trip to the emergency room. However, larger and more serious injuries will likely require a trip to the hospital, or if possible a visit to your personal doctor.
- Contact a car accident lawyer. The faster you talk to a trustworthy and understanding Washington, MO car accident lawyer, the faster they can begin work on your case and allow you to get on with recovering from your accident.
In addition to these steps, our firm recommends that all our clients save the following paperwork. They can help immensely when discussing settlement terms, or to fully illustrate the effect a car accident in Washington, MO had on your life.
- Medical records
- 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 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 after a car accident in Washington, MO. These are:
- Medical damages: these are not only limited to hospital bills or doctor’s visits, either. An auto accident victim can claim costs for prescriptions, psychological appointments, rehab or physical therapy due to accident injuries, and required medical equipment such as crutches, as well.
- Lost wages/earning potential: for the most part 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 lingering effects of your accident/injuries may stop 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 Washington auto accident.
- Pain and suffering: these damages can be tough to quantify, since in most cases the amount of discomfort one goes through after an accident varies 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 Washington, MO car accident may result in someone sustaining life-altering injuries. While in a large number of cases those injuries are permanent and money cannot take away the unmeasurable pain and difficulty these injuries cause, it can help provide an accident victim more ability to adapt to their new normal.
It is also important to note that Missouri is a comparative fault state, which means that the amount of damages one or more parties are entitled to 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 proportional amount of damages.
Contact A Washington, MO Car Accident Lawyer Who Cares
At Combs Waterkotte, we offer the muscle and acumen of a top Washington, MO car accident law firm as well as the one-on-one attention of an individual practice. Our firm has partnered with Washington residents from all walks of life to get the justice they deserve following a car accident in Washington, MO. We take all our cases on what is known as a contingency basis, which means that unless you get a positive result in your Washington, 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 Washington, MO caused by someone else’s negligence, do not wait: contact a Washington car accident lawyer at Combs Waterkotte today by dialing (314) 900-HELP or online for a free, no-strings-attched consultation.
