Auto Accident Claims

A car accident usually does more than just damage your vehicle. It could leave you with serious injuries and struggling to pay your bills. Although many car accident victims rely on auto accident claims through insurance to pay for their expenses, the insurance company isn’t eager to pay out claims. That’s why you may need an experienced car accident lawyer in St.Louis to take on your claim.

Hipskind & McAninch has worked with countless accident victims to get the compensation they deserve. We will walk you through the claims process and work towards getting you fair compensation.

How Do Auto Accident Claims Work?

Every state has different laws regarding car accidents. Before you get started on the claims process, this means you must comply with local laws.

For one, you need to stop at the scene of the accident. Regardless of the outcome, Missouri law requires you to stop and exchange information with the involved parties. By leaving the scene for anything other than a bona fide emergency, you risk facing an arrest for a hit and run accident.

You should also contact the police. When you file your accident claim, the police report will be a crucial piece of evidence. The insurance company will use it to determine whether or not you were at fault for the accident. Although state law only requires you to file an accident report under certain circumstances, you should contact the police even if you were involved in a minor fender bender.

If you are injured, you should seek treatment for your injuries. The cost of your medical expenses are likely to be covered by the insurance claim, so don’t let the expense stop you from seeing a doctor.

Finally, you can file a claim. But before you get started, you should work with a lawyer for auto accident claims. They improve your chances of getting all of your expenses covered.

Which Insurance Company Pays the Claim?

In St. Louis, drivers are required to have basic liability insurance. This means having $25,000 per person of bodily injury coverage, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury coverage, and $10,000 per accident for property damage coverage.

If you’re involved in an accident, your insurance company might be responsible for paying your accident-related expenses. But you may also be able to go through the other party’s insurance if they have a valid policy. Typically, you will go through the at-fault driver’s insurance.

What Makes Auto Accident Claims so Difficult?

There are several reasons the insurance claims process is complex. First, there is the issue of liability. It can be difficult to determine who is responsible for a car accident. They could be caused by a negligent driver, a defective vehicle, or a poorly maintained roadway.

According to Missouri car accident laws, an injured driver is able to recover damages even if they are partly to blame. But the amount of compensation decreases in accordance with their degree of fault. In an effort to give you less money, the insurance company may try to prove that you were mostly responsible for the accident.

Another challenge comes in the form of documenting all of your expenses. While it’s easy enough to save medical bills and pay stubs, you may not know the full cost of your accident expenses. St.Louis personal injury attorney knows how much money you are entitled to and will calculate all of your damages.

In St. Louis, there were 1,113 car accidents reported by the police in November of 2013. If you’re one of the many residents impacted by a collision, you should contact our firm. Hipskind & McAninch, LLC will take your fight to the insurance company. To get started, give us a call today.