Houston Car Accident Lawyer

Accidents happen for many reasons and in many ways. As long as vehicles are on the road, there will always be a risk of crashes. In order to understand what’s happening on our roads and address the realities properly, experts commonly categorize crashes by type. The following are examples of common types of accidents seen in crash data:

When you contact the insurance company, they’re going to start with a car accident investigation related to your claim. Claims adjusters look at the fine details of your situation. You need to gather as much information as possible, including photographs, medical bills, police reports, and witness accounts. The reason insurance claims adjusters need this information is that they need to make sure they have an accurate understanding of who is at fault and what falls within the coverage limits. If insurance companies simply took the word of the person who filed the claim, they would be far more susceptible to insurance fraud. The more authoritative information you are able to supply to prove your claim, the better.

The claims and compensation process can be intimidating. It is somewhat complex, and you’ll have to provide certain information and answer a variety of questions to prove your claim. With an auto accident lawyer, however, you’ll get professional guidance and advice that you can trust is in your best interest. They can also give you a clearer idea of what you can expect.

The amount of money you can receive from a settlement depends on the extent of car accident damages incurred, as well as the terms of the policy covering it. Different insurance companies calculate their offers in different ways, sometimes using multipliers for things like pain and suffering.

Because there are so many variables, there is no one average amount to point to. Typical settlement amounts can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands. The best way to estimate what you can receive in your specific case is to speak with an experienced car accident attorney about it.

Car accident victims’ losses can be much greater than just the total cost of car repairs, medical care, and lost wages. Things like physical pain, stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other such personal difficulties cannot be accounted for on a bill, but they are still valid as a kind of damage. To address these challenges, Texas car accident laws allow victims to sue for pain and suffering as necessary.

To show that you are entitled to pain and suffering compensation, your Houston attorney will illustrate the ways in which the accident negatively affected your health, well-being, and quality of life. They may talk about how specific physical injuries are directly related to mental and emotional difficulties. They may also share statements and documentation from counselors, psychologists, pain management physicians, or other experts.

For many people, the prospect of dealing with an insurance company after an accident is a daunting one. Whether the policy belongs to you or another driver, it can be tough to know what to expect, how to properly answer questions, and what you should provide. This is another thing that an attorney can explain and support you through.

As the insurance process moves forward, you’ll probably lean more and more on your lawyer. After you file the initial claim and receive an offer, your attorney can help you determine whether it’s a reasonable settlement amount. If necessary, they’ll negotiate back and forth with the insurance company to get you the best possible result.

The very first step in the insurance process is filing a car accident claim. This claim is most often filed against the policy of the individual who was at fault in the accident. In some cases, however, the victim’s insurance will offer coverage that the at-fault party’s does not. In this situation, the victim would then file a claim with their own insurance company.

Most insurance companies today allow individuals to file claims by phone or online. Once you’ve completed and submitted the claim form, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to review and investigate it. This adjuster may contact you a few times for relevant information. If you’ve hired an attorney by this point, let them know.

After a period of reviewing and investigating your claim, the insurance company will make an initial settlement offer. Don’t make any hasty decisions at this point. Any time you are offered a settlement amount from the insurance company, you should give your lawyer the opportunity to review and discuss it with you first. This ensures that you don’t accidentally accept anything that would be unfair to you.

With any car accident settlement, you’ll want to check that the amount offered fully covers all of your accident-related medical costs. Depending on your situation, this may also include estimated costs of future care. If the settlement meets those needs, the next question is whether or not you feel comfortable with the amount offered. If you and/or your lawyer have concerns, there may be further negotiation.

When you’ve just been in an accident, it may be difficult to stay calm or remember what you need to do. A car accident lawyer can help you after the fact, but there are things you can and should do immediately to record the incident properly and get the information you need to prove what happened.

One way to make sure that you take the right steps after an accident is to keep a checklist in your glove compartment. This checklist can help you focus, calm you down, and get you into the right mindset for information gathering. When writing your checklist, make sure you include the following steps.

In some car accident cases, lawsuits are necessary to get victims the compensation they deserve. Suing for damages may sound difficult, but your lawyer will guide you through each step, making it as easy as possible for you. Here’s how the lawsuit process works and what you can expect.

Before you think about filing a lawsuit, your lawyer will try to settle things through a negotiation process with the insurance company. This isn’t something you’ll need to do yourself; your car insurance claim attorney can do all of the necessary negotiating on your behalf. Negotiations can take some time, but it’s important to remember that your attorney’s job is to ensure that you get the fairest and complete compensation. As your representative, they are not afraid to push back against the insurance company’s offers as many times as needed to get the best possible result.

Personal injury lawsuits don’t need to be filed immediately. Most of the time, your attorney should be able to work out a reasonable settlement with the insurance company. If a settlement agreement doesn’t happen and the insurance company refuses to pay fairly for what you are owed, that’s when you might decide to sue. Settlement negotiations can take a while to complete, and several offers may go back and forth between your lawyer and insurance. If you do end up filing a lawsuit in your case, it will probably be several weeks after the accident.

Even after filing a lawsuit, the parties will still have an opportunity to resolve and settle the case without continuing to trial. This is known as “mediation,” and it involves bringing in an unbiased third party to help mediate discussions. Mediation is not a formal element of the process, and it is therefore not legally binding. However, it can still help the parties avoid trial-related expenses and resolve car crash cases in ways that benefit everyone.

If your case continues on to trial, there will be an initial “discovery” phase. During this time, both sides of the case will be able to ask questions about the case and their evidence. This gives both parties the opportunity to learn what information the other party has.

During discovery, attorneys for both sides may ask the other to prove certain facts, provide relevant documentation, or ask for depositions (testimony) from witnesses or involved parties. Once your attorney is satisfied with what they’ve discovered, they can use it to plan a strong trial strategy.

After discovery, one party can decide to file what’s called a “motion for summary judgment.” This comes into play when none of the material facts in personal injury cases—like who was at fault, what kind of damage occurred, or what the insurance policy covers—are in dispute. The moving party has the responsibility of proving that the facts of the case are really undisputed and that the outcome can be decided by applying existing law (without a judge or jury).

If the facts of your case aren’t in dispute and the law supports ruling in your favor, your lawyer will likely move for summary judgment. If they’re able to prove that there are no important material facts in dispute, the motion will be granted and the court will rule in your favor.

If a case is not resolved during mediation or via a summary judgment, it will continue on to trial. During this phase, both sides will present their arguments. Each party’s lawyers will argue their respective cases, using evidence to prove their point to the judge or jury. After they’ve finished, the judge or jury will consider whether the evidence supports the plaintiff’s case, then rule accordingly.

There are many opportunities to resolve a case before this point, so most do not reach trial. Because it’s so uncommon, those that do go to trial often become higher-profile cases. For some victims, settling in mediation is preferable to the visibility of a trial. For others, a trial is an opportunity to hold the insurance company accountable in a more public way.

If you’ve been in a vehicle accident in the Houston area, it’s critical that you contact an attorney immediately. Even if you don’t think you’ve sustained any injuries, it’s important to speak with an expert. Not only can a car accident lawyer help you deal with demanding insurance companies, but they can also assist you in the event that an injury has gone unnoticed. Since injuries do not always appear right away, immediate contact with an attorney can save you a great deal of trouble in the long run. Here are the three most important things to look for in a Houston car accident lawyer:

It’s not unusual to have a lot of questions after a car accident. Take a look at the following frequently asked questions before you take action or make any decisions. If you have further questions, contact our car wreck lawyers for information.

At our law firm, we have years of legal experience. Our Houston law office has dealt with all of the major insurance providers, helping clients get the compensation they need and deserve. Don’t worry about costs when you call—we work on contingency, and we’ll evaluate your case for free.