Joplin Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents are unforgettably frightening experiences, taking a harsh physical, financial, and emotional toll on an injury victim and their family. Knowing the accident could have been avoided if only someone else had followed traffic laws or taken reasonable actions adds to the distress. Although a legal process doesn’t repair serious injuries, it does address the financial consequences, not only of the damage to your car, but also your total economic and non-economic injury damages. Contact the Joplin car accident attorneys at Miller & Hine to learn about your legal right to financial recovery.

Why Select the Joplin Car Accident Lawyers at Miller & Hine Attorneys At Law?

Car accident claims are filed against powerful insurance companies that are not on the injury victim’s side. With Miller & Hine representing your best interests, you’ll find the following advantages:

• A law firm with 50 years of combined experience works on your case so you don’t have to; maximizing your compensation is our primary goal
• You’ll have access to supporting evidence from accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts
• A personalized legal strategy based on the full circumstances of your accident and injuries
• Open communication and availability so you are never in the dark about the progress of your case

We do not charge upfront fees. Instead, your case begins with a free consultation. Then, contingency-based payment allows us to work at no charge until after we’ve recovered compensation for you.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help My Case?

Insurance companies use many common tactics to avoid having to pay out fully on a claim, including assigning undue fault to the injury victim. This reduces the amount they have to pay on their claim by the assigned fault percentage under the state’s pure comparative negligence system. Our Joplin personal injury lawyer defends against this and other insurance company strategies and does the following:

• Conducts an independent investigation, often countering the insurance adjuster’s findings
• Documents evidence of the at-fault party or multiple parties’ liability
• Carefully calculates your damages to seek the maximum compensation available to you, including consulting with medical expert witnesses about the level of pain associated with your injury and its impact on your ability to work in your former capacity or at all, and whether the effects are temporary or permanent
• Sends their findings to the insurance company and seeks a settlement for the largest amount available to you
• Negotiates with the insurance company for an ample settlement for your damages
• Takes the case to court if the insurance company fails to offer an ample settlement

Only about 4% of cases require litigation in a courtroom. An experienced Joplin car accident lawyer minimizes the chances that you’ll have to go to court for your case.

What Compensation Can I Get From My Car Accident Claim In Joplin?

A successful claim against the at-fault party’s insurance recovers compensation for damages in your case. Common car accident damages recovered include the following:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Past and future income loss or reduced future earning ability (in cases of disability)
• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Catastrophic injury compensation if you’ve suffered permanent harm such as loss of limb, organ loss, loss of one of the senses, disfigurement, permanent scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, or diminished quality of life

The closest surviving family member of a fatally injured victim may receive compensation through a wrongful death claim.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents In Joplin?

Even a careful, experienced driver can suffer serious or catastrophic injuries in a crash when someone else is responsible for the accident. Common causes of Joplin car accidents include the following:

• Speeding
• Failure to yield the right-of-way at an intersection
• Distracted driving
• Tailgating
• Unsafe lane changes
• Improper passing
• Failure to adjust speed for weather or road conditions
• Improper merging
• Impaired driving
• Drowsy driving
• Negligent left turn accidents

A negligent driver whose careless or reckless actions cause a collision is the most common at-fault party in Joplin car accident claims; however, depending on the circumstances, other entities may be liable, in whole or in part, for causing or contributing to an accident or the severity of the injuries. For instance, the manufacturer of a defective car part or airbag, or a negligent road maintenance agency for failing to repair a dangerous pothole. An experienced car accident lawyer pursues compensation from all available entities under Missouri 537.765, the law of contributory negligence.

What Types of Car Accidents Happen In Joplin and the Surrounding Area?

Joplin residents are active and productive, but this often means congested traffic and dangerous roadways. The most common types of accidents in Joplin, MO include the following:

• T-bone accidents or angle collisions in intersections
• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on collisions
• Sideswipes
• Collisions with obstacles
• Roadway departures
• Rollover accidents
• Multi-vehicle accidents
• Tire blowout accidents

Car accidents happen in an instant, but the consequences are often long-term or even permanent. A successful car accident claim in Joplin demands the financial accountability you deserve if someone else was responsible for your accident. Even if you were partly responsible, you can still recover a portion of your damages minus your percentage of fault. Assertive legal representation ensures that the insurance company does not assign you an unfair percentage of fault.

Understanding Common Car Accident Injuries In Joplin

Collision experts warn that the force of an accident transforms a 100-pound person into a 3,000-pound force at only 30 miles per hour. This force propels them forward before the seat belt snaps them back, placing the skeletal-muscular system under severe strain. At the same time, another collision occurs within the body between organs and body cavities; meanwhile, the body also often suffers blunt-force trauma from multiple points of impact as the vehicle’s structure collapses forcefully inward at collision points. Common injuries in car accidents include:

• Fractures
• Soft-tissue injuries to knees, shoulders, wrists, and ankles
• Traumatic brain injuries, ranging from concussions to severe injuries with permanent impairment
• Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Thoracic internal organ injuries
• Burns
• Spinal cord damage
• Facial, dental, and external head injuries
• Traumatic amputations
• Crush injuries

Injuries are costly to the injury victim’s life, with financial losses as well as adverse physical effects and emotional impacts. These are the “damages” in a car accident claim.

Reach Out to the Joplin Car Accident Law Firm of Miller & Hine Attorneys at Law

After a car accident, taking on a challenging legal endeavor may feel overwhelming. Still, at the same time, you don’t want to leave your claim in the hands of an insurance adjuster whose job is to protect the company’s bottom line, not yours. Instead, call or contact Miller & Hine Attorneys at Law so we can evaluate your case and begin working on a strategy that safeguards your best interests.