You’re bound to encounter difficult situations when driving through the streets of St. Louis, Missouri. Why? Well, this city has many accident-prone roads and intersections.
Grand Boulevard in St. Louis is considered the most dangerous in the state. That’s because of the increased traffic and frequent congestion caused by the lack of stop signs or streetlights. Last year, four people were killed in a crash on South Grand Boulevard.
You will usually be too stunned to think clearly following a car accident. Amidst the chaos, you might lose sight of your federal rights, accept fault, etc. That’s why you’ll need a car accident lawyer to help you through the legal process.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the three reasons you might need car accident lawyers when living in St. Louis.
#1. Car Accidents Are Pretty Common in the City
TorHoerman Law states that St. Louis has a high frequency and severity of car crashes, collisions, and accidents. On average, 100,000 St. Louis pedestrians are injured or pass away due to vehicular collisions. In 2022, 14,930 people were injured due to traffic crashes. Moreover, 173 people lost their lives because of such accidents.
Usually, these incidents happen when drivers are either drunk, careless, distracted, or reckless. Sometimes, auto defects can cause another passenger’s car to crash into yours.
On February 14th, 2024, a mother and daughter were killed in a multi-car crash near downtown St. Louis. Reports also state that 40% of car accidents in the city are hit-and-runs. For instance, a man from south St. Louis faced felony charges for a hit-and-run case that claimed the life of an elder.
The legal industry believes St. Louis to be one of the most crash-prone cities in America. Recently, a car crash on I-70 near North St. Louis claimed the life of a woman and left two others hospitalized.
The frequency of such incidents proves that you need a St. Louis car accident lawyer, even if you’re an excellent driver. Based on the type of crash and injuries, these attorneys will help you seek the exact compensation you deserve. With their help, you can take legal action against the perpetrators to get justice for the losses and damages.
#2. Lawyers Will Help You Collect Substantial Evidence
Evidence is one of the most important things you’ll need to gather after a car accident. Without a lawyer’s help, you won’t collect substantial proof to incriminate the at-fault parties.
But before you can move forward with this, you must hire a lawyer experienced enough to take on St. Louis car accident cases. That way, they’ll be familiar with the Missouri state traffic laws. The attorney will also know what proof you must collect based on the accident type and sustained injuries.
For instance, they might ask you to get some or all of the following proof:
- Document the damage to your car and the other vehicles involved in the crash.
- Take videos and photographs of the road conditions, traffic cameras, license plates, etc.
- Take witness statements from passersby, check dashcam footage, and collect their numbers.
- Click photos of your injuries, medical reports, and police statements to prove liability.
With this knowledge and evidence, the lawyers can use legal resources to litigate your case. Hence, try to find someone qualified and determined enough to represent you in court.
#3. They’ll Negotiate Compensation With Insurance Companies
St. Louis has numerous companies that offer auto insurance benefits. Examples of the best providers in the city include Prudential, American Family, and National General. Therefore, your claims won’t stand a chance if you face these famous organizations without a lawyer.
Usually, the insurance or claims adjusters these companies send will be trained to work against giving any money to the victims. They’ll know all the tricks to ensure that the compensation paid is minimal. For instance, they can twist your words and offer you very little compensation.
That’s why you shouldn’t talk to them without a St. Louis car accident lawyer present. This legal representative will know how to deal with the insurance companies better than you.
For instance, your attorney will analyze the evidence collected and the damages to determine the exact compensation you deserve. Based on that, they’ll negotiate reimbursements for property damage, medical bills, etc. If you aren’t satisfied with the payouts, the lawyer will recommend taking the at-fault parties to court.
In conclusion, St. Louisans should have a car accident lawyer on speed dial since the city is prone to accidents. It happens because of the dangerous roads and high traffic caused by the city’s centralized location.
Therefore, every resident can become a victim of a car accident. Remember to hire a St. Louis car accident lawyer to seek compensation for the property damages and injuries. They’ll help you negotiate with insurance companies and secure evidence to seek justice.