St. Charles Car Accident Lawyer

St. Charles is a large city in the St. Louis area.

It is the county seat of St. Charles County and one of the oldest cities in the State of Missouri. St. Charles, MO has a population of about 66,000.

Its array of attractions and admirable living conditions are just a couple of reasons to visit this charming town.

Due to the town’s population, retail, restaurants, and industry, St Charles streets are oftentimes busy.

Unfortunately, this means the car accidents are likely to occur.

If you are driving through St. Charles and suffer a car accident, you may want to contact a St Charles car accident lawyer to discuss legal options to obtain compensation for any losses that you may have incurred.

A St Charles car accident lawyer can win you money for the damages you have incurred and get you back on the path to full recovery.

Your insurance likely will not pay for certain costs such as medical bills or lost time.

The only way to recover these costs is by teaming up with a personal injury attorney who can help you reach a settlement or a verdict.

Continue reading to learn about St Charles, MO, car accident compensation and the civil lawsuit process.

DriverKnowledge.com gives the following statistics on car crashes:

• There are more than 6 million car crashes in the US each year
• 27% of car accidents cause at least one injury
• 1 in 7 people choose not to wear a seatbelt when driving
• More than 90 people die each day in car accidents
• Seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45%; not wearing a seatbelt increases the risk of being ejected from the vehicle by 30 times
• Alcohol, speeding, distractions, and reckless driving are the top causes of car accidents
• 72% of accidents result in property damage
• Car accident rates are expected to increase for at least the next decade

The US spends billions of dollars annually on vehicle safety.

These are some of the devices and measures used to protect drivers’ safety:

• Airbags deploy in accidents that put have a strong enough impact on the front of a car. They are estimated to save upwards of 3,000 lives every year and have been required in every car since 1999.
• Seatbelts save an estimated 15,000 lives a year. Many drivers fail to buckle up, although the device is one of the easiest to increase your safety when driving.
• Motorcyclists are required in most states to wear a helmet while driving. Helmets save more than 1,800 lives per year, and nearly 800 lives are lost due to motorcyclists not wearing a helmet.
• Most cars have alerts when something is wrong: seatbelt isn’t buckled, low on fuel, or inspection overdue, for example. Some of these alerts cannot be muted without going to the manufacturer. It is advised that drivers pay attention to these alerts and quickly take appropriate action.

If you decide to call a St Charles car accident lawyer, they will guide you through each step of the lawsuit process.

Your lawyer will first review the details of your case and let you know what your options are.

In order to receive compensation, your case must be viable for a lawsuit or an out-of-court settlement.

After determining that you have a case, your St Charles car accident lawyer will begin the civil litigation process.

Your lawyer will first gather all relevant evidence.

The evidence will paint a picture of how the accident happened and how it affected you.

The ways that it harmed you or your property are known as damages.

Your lawyer uses your damages, either compensatory or punitive, to build a case showing that you should receive compensation.

Most car accident cases settle before ever going to court.

If this doesn’t happen, the lawsuit process will continue.

A strong case (one that shows clear liability) will increase the chances of a successful trial.

Damages can take many forms. Contrary to what some assume, damages are not just scuffs on your car or the hospital bills you had to pay.

Your compensation may take the following damages into account:

• Physical or psychological injuries (broken bones, concussions, brain damage)
• Lost time/lost wages
• Property damage (damage to your vehicle, cell phone, home, etc.)
• Ambulance fees
• Medical accessories such as casts or crutches
• Disability
• Treatments such as physical or emotional therapy, rehabilitation

It is your lawyer’s responsibility to critically assess all damages so that you can receive the right amount of compensation.

Be sure to document any new injuries that arise or other bills that should be repaid.

Your St Charles car accident lawyer will do everything previously mentioned in addition to answering your questions and keeping you informed throughout the lawsuit process.

In a car accident lawsuit, you are primarily a source of information while your lawyer is in charge of legal actions.

Even at law firms using a contingency fee system, you are the employer, so do not hesitate to ask for clarification about anything.

Car accident settlements generally turn out to be between $15,000 and $25,000, but the outcome of your case could be very different.

Crashes that caused severe injuries tend to be worth more.

It is important to first figure out if you even have a potential case by trying an Instant Case Evaluation online.

It will give you an immediate assessment of your legal options.

It is also important to take action well within the statute of limitations, which is generally somewhere around 2 years from when an accident has occurred (although this is different for every state and every type of accident).

Car accident cases usually take between 6 months and 2 years to complete.

Your case may be quicker if it settles out of court, whereas a more complicated lawsuit will be on the longer end.

Your St Charles car accident lawyer should keep you updated about the timeline of your case, including any changes in the schedule.

You can help keep the civil lawsuit process on track by staying in close communication with your lawyer and following their instructions.

This mainly means keeping track of any evidence that could be useful for the case and staying quiet outside of the law firm.

Your St Charles car accident lawyer is the expert, but they will need your help to create a strong case and maximize your compensation.

The attorneys at TorHoerman Law have decades of experience in car accident litigation.

We know the intricacies behind each unique lawsuit and will help you navigate the legal landscape.

Try an Instant Case Evaluation or call us at 1-888-508-6752 to schedule a free consultation today.