Rear-end Car Accident in St. Louis
Rear-end Car Crash Injury Claim - Call 314.448.0934
Most rear-end
car accidents in St. Louis are caused by driver inattention. Inattention usually results from use of a cellphone, adjusting the radio, or other distractions from within the vehicle. There is a presumption of negligence in these types of crashes, but there are certain exceptions to the general rule. Rear-end car accidents can cause serious injuries, especially to the spine. Discs in the cervical and lumbar spine can become 'bulged' 'herniated' or 'ruptured'. A
soft-tissue spine injury can cause havoc. Victims of rear-end car accidents usually visit the emergency room and are discharged to the follow-up care of their primary care physician. Victims may try several forms of conservative treatment measures, including physical therapy, spine manipulation, steroid injections, and narcotic pain medication. Unfortunately, conservative treatment protocols may not completely alleviate the pain and the injury may eventually require surgical intervention.
The first thing to do anytime you are involved in a rear-end car accident in St. Louis is to contact authorities and request an ambulance. If the injury is not life-threatening, it is helpful to gather evidence at the scene that may be of use down the line in your personal injury claim for compensation. The police department will usually document insurance information in a police report, but request it yourself from the other driver if you are physically able. The reporting police officer will make a determination of 'contributing circumstances' to the cause of the car accident, which will be documented in the police report as well. A St. Louis car accident lawyer can then use the police report as evidence to prove negligence and/or negligence per se.
Rear-end Car Accident Claim for Compensation
If you are seriously injured in a rear-end car accident in St. Louis, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. The value of these types of injury claims varies on the injuries sustained, the economic damages, and the non-economic damages. Economic damages consist of medical bills, lost wages, and other monetary expenses. Non-economic damages, also called "general damages", is a term used to justify compensation for a victim's pain & suffering. General damages can be for both physical and emotional pain & suffering. Anyone who is involved in a serious car accident experiences a certain degree of emotional trauma, even if they do not seek professional treatment from a psychologist.
Do not speak with an insurance claims adjuster about your rear-end car accident. Claims adjusters are highly trained to minimize your recovery and in fact they are compensated with bonuses based upon low claims payouts. There are several tactics used by the insurance industry to pressure a car accident victim into accepting a low-ball settlement offer, including the threat of lower payment if an attorney is involved, and 'closure of the claim' unless an offer is accepted within 30 days of the crash. As soon as you are physically able to do so, contact a St. Louis rear-end car accident lawyer to protect your legal rights and claim for compensation.
St. Louis Rear-end Car Accident Injury Lawyers
Even when an attorney files a rear-end car accident claim against the other drivers insurance company, the claim can still be settled without ever having to step into a courtroom. However, for those cases that do have to be litigated, take confidence that the lawyers at Schultz & Myers are rated by the American Trial Lawyers Association as Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the state of Missouri. Our lawyers have also been featured in the "Best Lawyers in St. Louis" edition of St. Louis Magazine for the past three years.
The St. Louis rear-end car accident injury lawyers at Schultz & Myers never charge attorneys fees unless we are successful in the prosecution of your claim. In the event there is no recovery, there will NEVER be attorneys fees. Our success as a law firm is contingent upon the success of our clients. Retaining an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer at our office will never cost you anything up front. There are no 'retainer' fees.
Call 314.448.0934 or 866.840.3636 for an immediate free consultation
Contact a St. Louis rear-end car accident lawyer by calling (314) 448-0934. You will have the opportunity to discuss your injury case with an attorney immediately, free of charge.