Frequently Asked Questions About Car Accidents And Injury Claims

At Heartland Injury Law, our attorneys regularly answer questions such as the following, personalizing information to be relevant to each person’s case. We invite both potential clients and existing clients in the St. Louis area to communicate with us at your convenience. Let us explain how we can help.

How does insurance come into play?

When you suffer injuries from the negligence of a driver or company, then you may have a claim for the damages you incurred. When a driver or company is negligent, their insurance company is contacted by attorney Michael Sudekum with a lien letter. Typically, the insurance company will investigate and defend the claim. The insurance company will also pay any damages that its insured is responsible for committing.

What if the other driver did not have insurance?

In many cases, the driver who caused your injuries has car insurance that will pay for the injuries and damages you suffered. In Missouri, the minimum amount of insurance that a person is required by law to have is $25,000.00 per person and $50,000 per occurrence. In Illinois, the minimum per person requirement is only $20,000.00. This insurance is required to make sure that an injured person has the opportunity to recover for his/her damages.

In some cases, a driver does not have car insurance. In those situations, you can make a claim for the uninsured motorist benefits of your car insurance. Your rates should not increase for making this claim because the accident was not your fault. Car accident attorney Mike Sudekum encourages his clients to have the highest amount of insurance coverage that their family can afford to prevent losses in situations such as this.

What is the statute of limitations?

Every state contains a set of laws called the Statute of Limitations that provides a time period from the date of your accident or a family member’s death to file a lawsuit. The failure to file a claim within this set amount of time will forever bar your claims. Therefore, Mike encourages accident victims to quickly seek the advice of a competent personal injury attorney to determine these time limits and adequately prepare your case.

What is the value of my case?

In most states, a personal injury victim has the right to recover for his or her medical expenses, lost wages, general damages, and pain and suffering (i.e., the impact the accident and your injuries had on your life). As every injury results in different amounts of medical bills and treatment, every personal injury claim results in a unique amount of recovery. For instance, the cost to treat a back sprain is substantially less than the medical cost of treating paralysis.

The recovery also depends on the liability of the party whose negligence caused your injuries. For example, if a drunk driver hit you on the sidewalk, the case may be worth more money than the case where a man suffered an unexplained seizure and hit you. So, the amount of money that you may recover depends on a number of facts and circumstances.

When these circumstances are understood and your treatment is completed, personal injury attorney Michael Sudekum will have a better understanding of the range of recovery for your case.

Understand Your Case; Ask Your Own Questions

There is no set formula for determining the amount of your recovery. Each case is different.

A prompt, thorough initial consultation with a personal injury attorney is the most important thing for you to do after getting emergency medical care. With a clear explanation of the injury claims process, you will be ready to pursue maximum available compensation on time.

To schedule a free conversation about your car, truck or motorcycle accident, call Heartland Injury Law at 314-621-1701 or complete a simple online form to get in touch easily.