How Are Personal Injury Settlement Paid Out? Your Complete Guide
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Have you been injured in a car crash?
It’s difficult to know where to turn when the medical bills are piling up, your vehicle needs repairs, and you’ve already missed too much time at work due to your accident.When your car accident injuries and other damages resulting from someone else’s negligence, you’re entitled to fair compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Not sure what to do to dive into a personal injury case? An experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer can help you navigate the complex process.
Contact Jett Legal today.
St. Louis Car Accident Statistics
According to statistics from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were 15,049 car accidents in St. Louis, MO, in 2021. A total of 71 lives were claimed in 64 fatal crashes, while 3,948 St. Louis car accidents caused bodily injury to 6,251 people.
Getting injured in a traffic collision can be an emotional and challenging experience. Fortunately, Missouri car accident laws were established to hold the responsible party accountable.
A St. Louis car accident attorney can ensure that car accident victims receive fair financial compensation for their serious injuries, property damage, or other types of loss.
Commonly Suffered Injuries After Serious Car Accidents
Injuries can range in severity and type when it comes to those sustained in car crashes.
Some of the most common car accident injuries, however, include:
- Lacerations
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Head and brain injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Dismemberment
- Scarring or disfigurement
St. Louis car accident attorneys understand the urgency involved in clients’ need to get their injury settlement quickly. Medical bills and other expenses due to the accident must be paid promptly.
Is Missouri an At-Fault State for Car Accidents?
Missouri operates under a “pure comparative fault” system. Under this principle, your involvement in a car accident doesn’t bar you from collecting damages. Still, the amount of compensation you can recover will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For instance, assume that the jury awards a total compensation amount of $60,000 for injuries and damage, but you are found to have been 30% at fault for the accident. Your compensation amount will be reduced by $18,000, and you will only be able to collect $42,000.
Under Missouri’s pure comparative fault system, plaintiffs may still recover damages even if they were up to 99% at fault for their accident.
An experienced car accident lawyer can help you establish fault in your car accident claim.
Possible Damages in a St. Louis Auto Accident
There are generally two categories of damages you can seek compensation for as a car accident victim in Missouri: Economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Also called “compensatory damages,” economic damages in personal injury cases include:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage—e.g., vehicle repairs
- Lost wages due to the injury
Economic damages are usually easy to calculate and measure. These damages are based on medical records and other proof of the financial loss that the injured party experienced due to the motor vehicle accident.
Non-economic Damages
Other damages incurred in a serious car accident are less obvious but just as detrimental to the injury victim’s life.
They include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Reduced earning capacity
Pain and suffering damages tend to be awarded in personal injury settlements where more severe injuries are sustained. This is due to the impact those injuries have on the injured party’s life.
Missouri Minimum Liability Insurance Requirements
When your car crash wasn’t your fault but was actually due to the other driver’s negligence, the party that will pay your personal injury settlement will be the at-fault driver’s car insurance company.
In Missouri, drivers are required to have minimum liability insurance coverage limits of:
- $25,000 in liability coverage for bodily injury per person in a single accident
- $50,000 in total liability bodily injury coverage in a single accident
- $10,000 in liability coverage for property damage per accident
- Uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person or $50,000 total per accident
Filing a Wrongful Death Claim
Wrongful death can be described as an avoidable death caused by another party’s negligent or wrongful actions. According to Missouri Revised Statutes Section 537.080, insurance claims for wrongful death may be filed against a person or entity whose negligent or intentional actions results in another person’s demise.
By filing a wrongful death claim, the plaintiff can hold the responsible party accountable for a preventable accident that results in a loss of life.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?
The following people may file a wrongful death claim in Missouri:
- First in line, the decedent’s surviving spouse, parents, children, or children’s descendants
- Next, the decedent’s surviving siblings or their descendants
- Next, a “plaintiff ad litem” appointed by the Missouri court to handle the claim
Under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 537.100, a wrongful death action must be brought within three years of the date of the death.
A St. Louis wrongful death attorney can help you seek justice for your loved one.
How Working With a Knowledgeable Car Accident Attorney Can Help
Whether you suffered minor or major injuries from a traffic collision, such an accident can affect your physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Thankfully, you don’t have to face these challenges on your own. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney is paramount to protect your rights if you are involved in a car accident.
At Jett Legal, our legal team offers comprehensive legal guidance and compassionate representation to car accident victims and their loved ones.
As your legal counsel, we can:
Review every detail of your police report and other evidence in your case and carry out an in-depth private investigation:
- Obtain relevant information, evidence, and documentation
- Work to prove fault and establish liability
- Determine the full extent of your injuries and estimate case-value
- Handle all communication and negotiate with insurers
- File a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit, if necessary
We will work to hold the responsible parties accountable. We will continue fighting to protect your rights and represent your best interests throughout the process of your car accident case.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers You Can Trust
Let an experienced car accident attorney handle all the legwork if you or a family member were involved in a traffic crash. At Jett Legal, we are a law firm knowledgeable in Missouri personal injury law, which is essential to help protect your rights. We also have the resources and experience to assist and represent clients in their car accident claims.
Our team will evaluate and investigate your situation’s facts and help you understand your legal options to recover damages. We will fight to protect your rights and help you recover compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages, future medical expenses, or pain and suffering.
At Jett Legal, we proudly represent car accident victims and their families across St. Louis, Missouri, and from Jefferson County to Charles County. Call us today to schedule a free case review.
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Serving victims of personal injury - one person at a time
I can not recommend Matt enough. I wish I could give him 10 stars instead of 5. He is truly the best. I remember calling Matt in a panic on a Sunday afternoon and he returned my call immediately (Mind you this was a Sunday, I was not expecting to hear back right away) He gave me so much comfort in knowing I could get my unfortunate situation resolved. I had so...
Hillary Macias
Matt and Lynsey were great to work with! Very responsive and helpful in answering my questions. I will definitely be using them in the future for my legal needs!
Nicole Schepers
I've hired about five different attorneys in my lifetime, and Matt Jett is the first one that I could tell genuinely cared about me and my case. He was very easy to work with and handled my case in a professional manner, while at the same time, speaking to me in ways that I could understand, not using a lot of legal jargon. If I ever find myself in need of a lawyer again, I will definitely give Matt a call.
Kevin Czechorski
Absolutely wonderful firm to work with I spoke to Matt himself all the time & when I did speak to the people in his office they were more than professional & very helpful. I would strongly recommend this firm.
Tisha Pinson
I had a great experience with the Jett Legal team! They are very educated on what they do from both the legal side and medical. They really cared about me and kept me in the loop every step of the way. Having Jett Legal by my side made things way less stressful and have peace of mind. I would recommend him to anyone who needs a lawyer after a car accident for sure!
Katie Garcia
I've hired about five different attorneys in my lifetime, and Matt Jett is the first one that I could tell genuinely cared about me and my case. He was very easy to work with and handled my case in a professional manner, while at the same time, speaking to me in ways that I could understand, not using a lot of legal jargon. If I ever find myself in need of a lawyer again, I will definitely give Matt a call.
Kevin Czechorski
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average settlement for a car accident in Missouri?
How much is your car accident claim worth? The amounts awarded in personal injury settlements resulting from Missouri motor vehicle accidents vary widely.
Some of the most significant impacts on the compensation awarded include:
- The severity of the injuries and other damages
- The effect the injuries have on the person’s life
- The amount of liability coverage the negligent driver carried at the time of the collision
- Whether or not the plaintiff had legal representation
Many car accident victims are overwhelmed by the personal injury claim process. After speaking with insurance adjusters, many injured parties settle for the first offer made, which is never the highest amount possible.
A car accident attorney can increase the settlement awarded by filing all necessary paperwork, speaking with the insurance adjuster on our client’s behalf, doing the legal legwork, and recovering maximum compensation for car accident cases.
How long after an accident can you sue in Missouri?
According to Missouri Revised Statutes Section 516.120, any legal action seeking a remedy for a personal injury must be commenced within five years of discovering the damage. This means that once five years have passed since the accident occurred, no personal injury lawsuit can be filed, and no compensation can be awarded for your damages.
What should I do if I get in a car accident in Missouri?
Missouri is an “at-fault” state. This means that the driver responsible for the car wreck (the at-fault party) will bear financial liability for injuries and damage suffered by the injury victims.
To recover personal injury compensation, the car accident victims can do the following:
- File an auto accident claim with their insurance provider
- File a third-party car accident claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier
- File a car accident lawsuit against the at-fault driver as the negligent party
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