A car accident can happen in seconds, but the aftermath can stretch on for months, or even longer. Medical bills arrive before you’re back on your feet, the insurance company starts calling with questions, and you’re left trying to figure out what your claim is actually worth. You don’t have to work through any of that alone.
Lemay injury lawyers at Drafahl Law Firm represents people injured in car accidents in Lemay and throughout the surrounding communities, and we handle the legal fight so you can focus on getting better.
Reach out today at (314) 300-6260 to schedule your free consultation.
Why Hiring a Car Accident Attorney Matters After a Lemay Crash
Most people only deal with a serious car accident claim once, while the insurance company on the other side handles thousands of them every year. An experienced attorney levels that playing field in ways that directly affect what you recover:
- Establishing what really happened: Your lawyer can gather the police report, photographs, witness statements, and, when needed, consult with accident reconstruction experts to show what really happened.
- Valuing your claim accurately: They’ll help you account for future medical treatment, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering, not just the bills sitting in front of you today.
- Meeting every deadline: A lawyer protects your claim from filing mistakes and missed deadlines that can leave you with nothing.
Every task that must be done for your case is important, and the best way to make sure they all get done properly is to speak with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
What Sets Drafahl Law Firm Apart in Lemay Car Accident Cases
Plenty of firms handle car accident cases, but how they handle them and the experience behind them changes significantly. When you hire Drafahl Law Firm, you can expect a different approach:
- We prepare every case for trial from day one. Building your case as if it’s headed to trial, not just the settlement table, strengthens our position in negotiations and means we’re fully ready to go to court if the insurance company won’t offer what your case is worth.
- We deliberately keep our caseload small. By limiting the number of cases we take on, we make sure yours gets the time and personalized attention it deserves, instead of becoming one file among hundreds.
- You work with people who know your case. When you call with a question, you won’t have to re-explain your situation to someone seeing it for the first time; our attorneys are familiar with your case and will make sure we give you updates as needed.
This combination is what we believe every accident victim should get from their attorney, and it’s how we approach every case we accept.
What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Lemay?
What you do in the hours and days after a crash can significantly strengthen or weaken your claim. If you’re able, start by calling 911 and reporting the crash so officers document the scene and a police report is created. Then get medical attention right away, even if you feel mostly fine. Adrenaline masks injuries, and a gap between the crash and your first treatment gives the insurer room to argue the accident didn’t cause them.
Before you leave the scene, document everything you can, including photos of the vehicles, the roadway, and your injuries. Also take note of the other driver’s insurance and license information, and names and phone numbers for any witnesses.
Be careful about what you say while you’re there; never speculate or even say you’re sorry, as this can be interpreted as taking the blame for the crash. Finally, talk to an attorney before accepting any settlement, because once you sign a release, the claim is over no matter what costs surface later on.
Compensation You Can Recover After a Lemay Car Accident
The purpose of a car accident claim is to make you whole, which means accounting for everything the crash has cost you, not just the emergency room bill. Depending on the circumstances, compensation in a Missouri car accident case can include:
- Medical expenses, from the ambulance ride and hospital stay through surgery, physical therapy, and any future treatment your injuries will require
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity, covering both the paychecks you’ve already missed and the income you’ll lose if your injuries limit the work you can do going forward
- Property damage, including repair or replacement of your vehicle
- Pain and suffering, compensating the physical pain and daily limitations the crash has caused you
- Emotional distress, for anxiety, sleep problems, and other psychological effects that commonly follow serious collisions
- Wrongful death damages, when a family loses a loved one in a fatal crash
The insurance company’s first offer doesn’t always account for all of these losses, and if they do, sometimes your future costs have been significantly underestimated. Before you accept anything, make sure you speak with a lawyer who can help you calculate this number.
Injured in a Lemay Car Accident? Contact Us to Schedule a Free Consultation
The days after a crash are full of decisions, and the ones you make early on are incredibly important. Before you commit to anything, find out where your case really stands. Drafahl Law Firm offers free consultations to accident victims in Lemay, and we’ll give you an honest assessment of your case and your options. If you decide to move forward with us, there’s no fee unless we recover compensation for you, so there’s no risk in asking.
Call us today at (314) 300-6260 or reach out online to get started.