Basics of a Car Accident Claim - St. Louis Injury Lawyer

Missouri is a comparative law state, which means that if you are in an auto accident, both parties can be found at fault and liable for injuries and damages. The amount of responsibility that each party contributes to the accident is the share that they are responsible for paying, usually in the form of a percentage. If you are found not at fault and are trying to figure out if it is best to settle with the insurance company or to take your case to court, it is important that you speak with a St. Louis car accident attorney. Unless you fully understand what you are entitled to, taking a settlement may or may not be a good idea.

The reality is that the insurance company’s main objective is not to fairly compensate you for your injuries and damages but to try to minimize their bottom line. If you don’t know what type of damages you deserve, there is no way to know if their settlement offer is what you would receive in a court of law. When you are in an accident, you are generally entitled to both economic and noneconomic damages.

Economic damages are generally concrete figures and can be easily calculated. They include things like medical bills, procedures, and lost wages. When it comes to noneconomic damages, however, things can become a little less concrete. Noneconomic damages are damages that are subjective, like emotional distress and pain and suffering. Since the way each person experiences pain and suffering is different and injuries can range from mild to life-altering, there is no concise way for anyone to figure out what your noneconomic damages are. That is why if you don’t speak with a St. Louis car accident attorney, it will be more difficult to understand what you are actually entitled to.

A car accident attorney will help you figure out how much you are eligible for in noneconomic damages. They will also help you to anticipate if there will be any medical attention needed in the future. Comparing your settlement figure against what you would be entitled to is always a good idea before signing on the dotted line.

When you accept a settlement for your car accident, you are relinquishing the insurance company from any further responsibility for your car accident, which is why it is imperative that you consult a St. Louis car accident attorney to ensure that you are being compensated fairly. There are times when taking a settlement will be a good idea and others when it isn’t. The best way to know for sure is to have a St. Louis car accident attorney in your corner to calculate how much your damages and injuries are really worth, instead of relying on an insurance company whose sole concern is minimizing their own costs.