All your life, you've been told not to trust lawyers, but now something horrible has happened, and you desperately need one, right? Well, you're not alone. Thousands of victims each year seek the help of competent car accident lawyers to help them get through the mess created by an incident.
Car accidents are not uncommon on the streets of Texas, and the damage incurred by such events is immense, so to speak, physically, emotionally, and financially. But there is a ray of hope for all injured parties, at least in Texas, and that is the right to sue the party responsible for your losses.
Of course, things don't have to come down to a car accident lawsuit, but that is how many cases are resolved.
But where do lawyers come in?
Do you seek the legal help of personal injury lawyers only when you plan to file a lawsuit or when you need someone to negotiate with the insurance adjuster? No, attorneys can be of great help at all stages of your personal injury case.
In this article, we'll explain why that's the case by exploring what a car accident attorney can do for you.
Understanding Traffic Accidents
Before reading how an experienced attorney can help you with your personal injury case, let's explore the details of car accident cases to see where a victim stands in such claims.
Causes and responsibilities
To sue those responsible, you will first need to establish that the other driver was unequivocally at fault for your accident. This means that you will need not only compelling evidence, but also a coherent narrative that truthfully presents the facts and affirms your car accident claim.
Of course, this is only possible if the other person is at fault.
The first step in establishing negligence is knowing how car accidents happen.
For example, in the event of a rear-end collision, the driver who rear-ended your vehicle would be clearly at fault.
However, in other cases, such as a head-on collision, or a rollover accident, or a distracted driving accident, details will be needed to confirm the culprit. This is because you need to establish that you had no role in causing the accident and that the accident could have been prevented.
Let's say, if the other driver was texting at the time of the accident, and your lawyer could get the phone records to show that this was the case. Similarly, surveillance footage can help you prove how the other party acted negligently.
Of course, there is a small chance that you may also be partially responsible for the accident. But don't worry, as long as your share of the fault does not exceed 50%, you will be entitled to adequate compensation and have every right to sue the other party, even for a small amount.
Common Types of Damage Suffered
The financial losses and non-economic damages suffered by the victims are also just as significant. If you have been able to establish the other party as at fault, you will need to assign an amount for your losses. And that's only possible if you know the full extent of the damage you've taken.
The more you have suffered, the more you can demand. This is a general rule for accident insurance claims.
Medical expenses (medical exam and medical care), lost wages, property damage (vehicle damage repair), incidentals, etc., all contribute to your monetary compensation amount, along with damages non-economic, that is, pain and suffering due to physical injuries.
In addition, accident injuries can leave injured people suffering from emotional trauma.
However, things are usually not ideal (i.e., adjusters may use clients' medical records to reduce the amount), and therefore it is advisable to seek legal advice early on in your personal injury case. .
What does the law say?
Under Texas law, you can sue the other driver if they are responsible for the damages you suffered. Since Texas is a fault state, this means that the person responsible for incurring the damages for any personal injury case will be the one who has to pay.
Therefore, you have every right to take the responsible party to court if you wish.
However, this is not the only way to trade.
Most cases are settled with the representative of the other party's insurance company. If you can reach an agreement with the insurance adjuster, which is possible, though not likely, unless you have an experienced attorney on your side, you can say goodbye to things and take the financial compensation.
But keep in mind that while this approach offers quick results, you cannot expect to be fully compensated unless you involve your attorneys and push hard for your rights. In response, the adjuster may try to use delaying tactics to get you to give up.
You will then have two options: submit or take matters to court.
We recommend doing the latter, especially if your case is simple.
But be sure not to hide any details of the case from your lawyer. If you think something could harm your position in a personal injury lawsuit, discuss it with your attorney before they find out about it through other means.
Don't worry, even if you are partially at fault in the Texas case, you can still seek compensation, although the amount will be drastically reduced based on your percentage of at-fault. Just don't hide the facts from your lawyer and never deal with the other party on your own.
Lastly, be sure to follow the Texas statute of limitations, which sets a two-year time limit for you to file your personal injury case, so failure to meet this time limit will get your claim later dismissed. (if you get to present it later).
How can an experienced car accident lawyer make a difference?
Okay, so where do the lawyers come in?
If you ask us, we would tell you that you should call a qualified car accident lawyer as soon as you can. Most insurance adjusters are in a hurry to get compensation. This is not because they feel bad for you, but simply because they want to end the problem without having to pay a decent sum.
Never fall into this trap.
If the adjuster calls or visits you, be sure not to give any statements; be polite, you can justify yourself by saying that you don't feel well at the moment and that you would feel more comfortable doing this when you feel better.
This is the time when you should pick up your phone and seek the services of a reputable personal injury law firm like Calhoun Meredith (if you are in Texas).
The goal is quite simple: get you compensation for your economic and non-economic losses, and this is how attorneys can help you with it.
They will help you explore your rights
Most people are clueless about their legal rights under Texas personal injury lawyers. And insurance adjusters like to exploit that to the fullest. The last thing you want to do is end up with a nominal payment simply because you were desperate.
Or, you may not know the full scope of the details of the case and therefore not be aware of your position in it. Without knowing your rights in the case, you will have no way of getting fair compensation. This is where the lawyers come in, and you should be thankful that they do.
This is because they will help you discover your rights and make you better able to exercise them.
For example, insurance adjusters may put a lot of pressure on you to settle for less if you share the blame.
While your compensation amount is drastically reduced by compensating for your part in causing the accident, you may end up with far less than you deserve if the insurance adjuster inflates his or her at-fault percentage. This is just one of the areas where attorneys can make things fair for you.
They will advise you on legal matters
It's easy to get confused about what to do and what options are right for you after a personal injury case. Since there is a huge amount of information on the Internet and they all offer unique ideas and opinions.
Therein lies the problem: too much information can actually hurt your chances of winning fair compensation because it can lead you to act in a way that is detrimental to your case.
Just make sure the advice you're getting is tailored to your specific situation (ie, what to do when the responsible party's insurance coverage is limited). For example, even this article has been written in general, don't count on online tips to help you through all situations. The best thing to do here is to get the help of a lawyer and do what he says.
The lawyers have extensive knowledge in their areas and are highly experienced which means that anything they ask you to do will help your case, i.e. they can strengthen your case by highlighting a reckless driving history of the culprit.
If you're not sure what to do or where to start, reach out to the experts.
Legal representation at all levels
Whether you plan to settle with the insurance adjuster or take the responsible party to court, you can count on an experienced attorney to see you through the fight ahead.
The insurance provider (of the party at fault) will not be eager to settle your insurance claim maximum. Still, your attorney will take it upon themselves to make them see the full extent of the damage you suffered and therefore cooperate.
If your case is strong enough, the adjuster will feel more compelled to settle fairly because settlements through personal injury lawsuits can be much larger.
But if you do have to drag the at-fault driver to trial, expect a full transaction from your lawyer, who will prepare your case and help you with your plea.
By filling in any gaps in your narrative and articulately presenting the available evidence, the lawyer will ensure that you move the jury in your favor, making them see how you have suffered due to someone else's negligence.
Whichever option you choose, an accident injury lawyer will be of great help, be sure to contact one, even if it is just for an initial consultation.
Additional services
But that is not all. Car accident attorneys can do much more for you by helping you build a strong case by:
- They will investigate every detail of the case to help you fill in the gaps in your evidence.
- They will give you a fair estimate of compensation for the damages you have suffered.
- They will help you with bodily injury liability determinations of the responsible party and explore other responsible parties.
- They will document evidence of damage, reconstruct the accident scene, seek expert opinion, record witness statements, etc. to make your case as strong as possible.
- They will even help you see if your case deserves punitive damages (ie drunk driving, distracted driving, etc.), especially if your case involved serious injury (ie traumatic brain injury) or destruction of property.
- If you only have the option of seeking compensation from your own insurance coverage, ie from health insurance, they will help you with this as well.
Calhoun Meredith Offers Much-Needed Legal Help in Motor Vehicle Collision Cases
Going over your motor vehicle accident case alone may be doable at first, but that is far from the truth, and the insurance adjuster will be the last person you should trust in this regard. It is a conflict of interest for insurance companies to offer you a fair settlement without a fight.
Therefore, obtaining the services of a competent personal injury lawyer with extensive experience should be a priority if you want to obtain justice for your case based on the extent of the damages incurred on you, that is, a minor bumper dent and a serious frontal collision are not the same.
And if you're worried about attorneys' fees, then don't worry; Our experienced legal teams of Calhoun Meredith accident lawyers are deeply committed to helping accident victims like you with decades of experience in this field.
Since we work on a contingency fee basis, you will only have to pay when you win your claim under the insurance policy.
Call us today and start claiming your maximum compensation!
