Car accidents are devastating incidents that leave victims with financial and personal losses. Although insurance can cover some of these losses, insurance companies can fight hard to pay less than they owe. Victims, often unaware of the breadth of their rights, trust these companies to tell them how much they deserve. However, an attorney for car accident claims is the only professional accident victims should put their trust in.
The Complexity of Texas Car Accident Laws
Car accident laws in Texas are not as straightforward as many believe. They are filled with nuanced complexities that make it essential to hire an experienced attorney for car accident claims in most cases.
Insurance adjusters are quite familiar with these complexities and know how to work well within Texas’ compensation system. Victims, however, typically do not have the understanding or experience in most cases to protect their compensation interests against insurance companies.
For this reason, victims without attorneys tend to get far less compensation in car accident claims.
How an Attorney Can Protect Your Rights and Help You Maximize Compensation
You and your attorney have the same goal: maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. To accomplish this, an attorney for car accident injuries seeks to ensure that every aspect of your claim is in compliance and works diligently to build a formidable compensation case.
Protecting your rights also involves dealing with insurance companies on your behalf. All too often, insurance company adjusters seek to use victims’ words against them. Unwittingly, some accident victims say things that can later be used to reduce their claims.
For example, simply uttering the words, “I’m fine,” in response to the common question, “How are you today?” can have repercussions. Having an attorney at the helm, though, insulates you from insurance company tactics.
Navigating Insurance Claims in Texas
The car accident insurance claim process in Texas can be incredibly challenging for victims. Accident victims owed significant damages can find themselves with a settlement far below what they deserve. This is because insurance companies are for-profit businesses that have the right to dispute insurance claims.
Commonly, victims put their faith in what insurance adjusters tell them about the value of their claims. The problem is that these adjusters often offer victims paltry sums when their injuries require more. This is where a personal injury attorney comes in.
The process can drastically change with an experienced car accident attorney on board. Insurance companies know they must play fairly or risk a bad-faith insurance lawsuit.
Gathering Evidence
Car accident attorneys deal in evidence. They meticulously gather and analyze all manner of evidentiary items, including:
- Traffic cam footage
- Business and residential surveillance video footage and still photos
- Accident-reconstruction data
- Witness statements
- Driver records
- Medical records
Perhaps most importantly, car accident attorneys know how to discriminate between the many pieces of evidence without overlooking key proof.
In many cases, attorneys use in-house or contract investigators to perform in-depth investigations. The evidence they recover may be used later to build a strong case for compensation.
The Importance of Timely Action
The importance of timely action in car accident claims cannot be stressed enough. Every day, car accident victims lose out on valuable damages because they wait too long to take action.
In Texas, once two years have passed after a car accident, you can lose your right to seek compensation due to the statute of limitations for personal injury actions. Not only can you lose your right to compensation if you wait, but you can also harm your case by not taking prompt action.
As time goes by after a crash, the chance of evidence problems arising is high. Evidence you need that is available now may be unavailable in a month or a year.
To avoid these and other issues stemming from delays, it’s vital to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Once you have an attorney representing you, you can expect them to faithfully look after your compensation interests in a timely manner.
FAQ
How Much Is My Car Accident Case Worth?
Your car accident claim is worth the sum total of your compensable damages. How much you receive typically depends on many factors, including whether you have an attorney representing you. How quickly you take action to seek compensation can also play a role in how much your case is ultimately worth.
For example, if you delay taking action and key evidence becomes unavailable — such as video footage or witnesses — your case will likely lose value. Without key evidence, it becomes more difficult or impossible to prove important elements of a claim.
How Much Do Car Accident Lawyers Charge in Houston?
Personal injury lawyers generally charge a percentage of the damages they recover on your behalf. Payment is usually not due until the case is over, and no costs are due upfront. In the event your car accident lawyer does not win, you owe them nothing.
How Long Will My Case Take?
Your car accident lawyer will work hard to settle your case as promptly as possible. How long that takes depends on the unique facts of your case.
The Representation You Need and Deserve
Don’t leave your future up to chance after a car accident. When it’s time to collect damages for a car accident, victims with attorneys walk away with far more compensation than unrepresented victims in most cases.
The seasoned team at Ramsey Law Group has a long track record of success in getting Houston car crash victims the compensation they deserve, and we can vigorously defend your rights and interests at every step of the process. We offer free initial consultations to new clients. Call today to get started.