If you are recovering from injuries after a rear-end collision in St. Louis, Missouri, because of someone else’s carelessness, you should not have to experience the additional damage of having to pay for your medical treatment and other losses.
When a St. Louis rear-end collisions lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, handles your injury claim, you can focus on getting better while we take care of your legal matters.
We handle car accident injury claims on a contingency fee basis, which means you will not have to pay any expenses out-of-pocket, and you will not have to pay us upfront legal fees. We get paid out of the settlement proceeds or award at the end of the case. The last thing you need right now is additional financial stress, particularly if you cannot work because of your injuries.
Call us today at (844) 730-0233 to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.
The 3 Things to Do After a Rear-End Collision in St. Louis
If you are reading this, we assume you have been to an emergency room or that a doctor has treated your injuries. If not, you should get medical attention right away. The longer you wait, the more challenging it can be to prove that the rear-end collision caused your injuries.
Also, some injuries are hidden, which means they do not have symptoms that appear right away. You could end up in a medical crisis from internal bleeding or a head injury by the time you realize that you got hurt. Also, having documentation of your injuries as well as medical records, medical bills, and other documents could support your claim.
Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney
The at-fault party’s insurance company will mobilize a team of people whose job is to either deny your claim or try to get away with only paying you pennies on the dollar for your injury claim. A claims adjuster, investigator, and defense lawyer are usually assigned to a case as soon a driver notifies his automobile liability insurance carrier.
Things can move quickly when you have an injury claim. Per Missouri Civil Procedure and Limitations §516.120, you have five years to hold a negligent driver accountable for the harm you suffered. While five years is considerable time to pursue a claim, you put yourself in a better position the earlier you file it.
Doing so will give your attorney time to build a strong case for you and ensure they file your lawsuit in court on time if negotiations with the insurer do not lead to fair compensation for you.
As time passes, details of key events can fade, and it could be challenging to either locate eyewitnesses or talk with those who can recall what happened after several years. Insurance claims adjusters can attempt to drag out negotiations, hoping that you will miss the deadline.
As the American Bar Association (ABA) explains, you can lose your right to go after compensation for your losses when the deadline expires. Working with a personal injury lawyer can help you avoid these tactics.
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, to set up a free consultation today. You can share what happened in your St. Louis read-end collision, and we can help you consider your next steps if you are interested in hiring an attorney to represent you.
Do Not Post on Social Media
Almost anything you post on Facebook, Instagram, or another social media platform can backfire on you and hurt your case. If you avoid the topic of the crash and your injuries but post about other things, the defendant might argue that the accident was not important to you.
They can take your words out of context if you post photos or comments about the collision. An insurance company could even twist a photo of you being happy at an event into an accusation that you must be exaggerating your injuries and pain. We can offer guidance on how to handle social media while your claim is pending.
Finish Your Medical Treatment
We know how inconvenient it can be to have to take off work and go to painful physical therapy appointments several times a week for months on end. You hurt the rest of the day, and you worry about keeping your job with so many absences.
Despite those things, unless there is a valid medical reason, such as an allergic reaction to a medication, you should complete the therapy your doctor prescribed. If you let the last few physical therapy appointments slide, for example, the defendant might argue that you should get less money because you would have healed better with the full slate of treatment.
For a free legal consultation with a rear-end collisions lawyer serving St. Louis, call (844) 730-0233
How to Establish the Liability of the At-Fault Driver
We cannot automatically sue the other driver in a rear-end collision. Sometimes the driver in the rear car is at fault, but sometimes the driver in the front vehicle caused the collision. We must prove several factors to establish that the defendant is liable for your losses. They are:
- Duty of care. The defendant must have owed you a duty of care. This factor is apparent as everyone who operates a motor vehicle on public roads has a duty to drive with caution and obey the traffic laws.
- Breach of duty. When a person’s actions do not measure up to the duty of care, it is negligence. For example, let’s say the defendant followed your car too closely and could not stop when the traffic suddenly slowed, which caused an accident. Tailgating is regarded as reckless driving behavior.
- Causation. The driver’s negligence must be what caused the accident that hurt you. The defendant crashed into the back of your car because he was tailgating you instead of following at a safe distance.
- Quantifiable losses. You must have measurable damages to pursue financial compensation from the at-fault driver. Physical injuries, medical bills, and other losses satisfy this requirement.
This scenario meets all of the elements to establish legal liability on the part of the defendant. We realize these legal concepts can sound a bit intimidating, but you do not have to learn the law to go after financial awards. A St. Louis rear-end collisions lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, can handle your personal injury claim for you.
St. Louis Rear-End Collisions Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
The Settlement Value of a St. Louis Rear-End Collision Injury Claim
We cannot throw out a number to represent how much money you can get for a rear-end collision injury claim because every case is different. Your financial award will depend on the facts of your situation.
Common compensable losses include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Decreased future earning capacity
- Long-term care for catastrophic injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Other intangible losses, like disfigurement and loss of enjoyment of life.
A St. Louis rear-end collisions lawyer can calculate your losses and negotiate directly with the insurance company so that you do not have to do so. We treat our clients with compassion and respect while fighting hard to get them the compensation they deserve.
To get started, call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at (844) 730-0233 to schedule a free case review.
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