How to Maximize Your Case Value After a Car Accident
If you’ve been injured in a Missouri car accident that was someone else’s fault, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses. Between medical bills, lost wages, pain, emotional trauma, and other losses, a car accident can be a significant blow.
You can take several steps to maximize the compensation you could recover after a car crash. The most important is to hire an aggressive, experienced Missouri car accident lawyer. With over 50 years of experience and a strong track record of results, the Sumner Law Group can help you seek the money you need to put your life back together after a crash.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident to Maximize Compensation
- Call 911. After a crash, call the police to secure the scene, perform a preliminary investigation, and create a police report. You can use information from the report later when building your claim.
- Document the scene. Take pictures and videos, get the names of any eyewitnesses, and do whatever else you can to thoroughly document the accident scene before you leave.
- Get medical treatment right away. You may have severe injuries that require immediate treatment. Quick treatment gives you the best possible chance of a full recovery and makes it so insurance companies have one less excuse to deny or undervalue your claim.
- Don’t say anything on social media. Keeping quiet prevents you from posting something that might accidentally damage your case.
- Don’t talk to insurance companies. Let your lawyer handle all communication with insurance companies.
- Hire an attorney as soon as you can. The sooner you hire a lawyer, the faster they can start on your case. Essential evidence can deteriorate or disappear after an accident, so be sure to speak to a car accident lawyer right away.
How Much to Expect from a Car Accident Settlement
The value of a car accident settlement depends on many elements. The biggest one is the extent of the injuries you sustained. Depending on the nature and degree of your injuries, filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit can allow to you seek compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Damaged personal property
The value of these losses can be substantial. However, recovering maximum compensation also depends on having the right lawyer and gathering evidence to establish that someone else is liable for your injuries.
What Factors Impact the Amount of a Settlement?
Some of the factors that can affect the value of an insurance settlement after a car wreck include:
- The extent of your injuries
- The available evidence to support your injuries and establish liability
- Whether you played any role in causing the crash
- The amount of insurance coverage available
- When you hired a lawyer after the accident
What If I am Partially at Fault for the Wreck?
If you’re partially at fault for a car accident in Missouri, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t recover compensation for your injuries. Missouri uses a pure comparative negligence system to determine compensation when more than one party is responsible for a crash. That means if you’re found partially at fault for an accident, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Contact our Experienced Clayton Car Accident Lawyer Today for Help
Need help from an experienced Clayton, MO, car accident lawyer? Contact Sumner Law Group today for a free initial consultation.
Brent A. Sumner is the Managing Partner at Sumner Law Group, LLC. He focuses his practice exclusively on cases that involve serious personal injuries. Over the years, he has successfully represented thousands of individuals and families, recovering millions of dollars in compensation for injured accident victims.
