Our Law Firm Wants to Help You Understand What to do After a Car Wreck
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident anywhere in Texas, you are probably becoming aware of what you must do in order to be compensated for all of the damages you have suffered due to the negligence of the driver who hit you. You’re probably finding out that legal compensation damages won’t come easily to you.Personal Injury
If the car accident is only a minor fender bender in a parking lot, your concerns are probably minimal if no one was hurt. It may also be a destructive wreck with devastating injuries and deep scars both physically and psychologically to the driver and passengers of the vehicle.
Whether your injury accident is a minor one or more serious, if the accident was not your fault, you are legally entitled to seek compensation for the financial, physical, and emotional injuries you suffered from it. It is impossible to guess the amount you actually may be entitled to due to the damages caused by the accident and the injuries you have suffered from it.
The lawyers at our Texas Law Firm will share some general information with you that applies to most car accident cases. We also hope to help you determine if you have a valid claim against those who may have caused the accident. We’ll explain how an insurance policy can affect your case. We’ll also make clear the circumstances in which hiring a car accident attorney can greatly benefit the positive outcome of your case. And finally, we will point out the things you should look for when selecting a car accident attorney who can best assist you with fair compensation.
The time after a car accident is often stressful and confusing to the victims. Don’t add to the stress and confusion by letting an inexperienced attorney handle your case or represent yourself when you are clearly unqualified to look out for your or your family’s best interests. We are uniquely qualified and fully prepared to get you the best results possible. If you or someone you know were injured in a car accident, contact an attorney at our Law Offices today at 1(800) 862-1260 (toll-free) for a free consultation and find out how we can help you.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving a truck, semi or 18 wheeler, you will be faced with a much more difficult and complex situation than an accident involving another car. Liability issues can be quite complex in these circumstances.
The insurance companies that represent trucking firms are very quick to act and often will attempt to settle insurance claims for a very small amount as quickly as possible. To protect your rights and be sure that you receive a settlement that pays not only your medical bills but also for other damages such as loss of wages and your pain and suffering you should contact a skilled and knowledgeable truck accident attorney. For more information from our San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyers and a free consultation, call a personal injury lawyer at our office. We are dedicated to helping victims of truck accidents get the settlement they deserve for their injuries.
Insurance companies are in the business of saving money and will often try to settle with victims of a truck accident quickly and for an amount that may not fully cover your medical bills. If your accident was the result of another’s negligence or wrongdoing you are entitled to receive compensation for more than just your medical bills. We can help you receive additional compensation for any lost wages, additional damages and for your pain and suffering.
Truck Accident Lawyer
We are prepared to aggressively pursue the maximum settlement possible on your behalf for truck accidents involving:
Big rig rollover accidents
Tractor-trailer jackknife accidents
Unsafe or unsecured load caused accidents
Runaway truck accidents
Drivers who fall asleep or are under the influence of alcohol (DUI) or drugs (DUID)
Our firm is prepared to do a full investigation into your accident to establish any and all factors that contributed to your injuries. In some cases, there can be defective vehicle manufacturing or unsafe road conditions that contributed to your accident. If so, you are entitled to pursue additional compensation from any additional parties for their negligence. Speak to us today and we will review your accident and explain your options clearly. Don’t settle for less than you deserve.
Contact a Truck Accident Lawyer and find out how we can help you receive the full settlement you deserve to pay for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
You might be wondering what happens when you first have an accident (other than the terrible injuries and trauma you sustained). I mean, if you contact an auto accident attorney, what would they do first, before filing a lawsuit? There are several important things that should happen as part of any auto accident settlement process.
First Questions Relevant to Your Auto Accident Settlement: Who? When? Where? What Happened? How Bad?
To best evaluate your auto accident settlement, most attorneys would first want to hear a detailed explanation of everything that happened during your accident: who, where, when, where is a good starting point. Where was the accident? What happened exactly? Time of day? Passengers in either vehicle? Injuries? Medical treatment? Was anyone transported to the ER by ambulance? They will want to determine who caused the accident. A ticket by a police officer can be helpful information but is not definitive. What type of vehicles were involved in the crash? Commercial vehicles, as a very general rule, often have more insurance coverage than non-commercial vehicles. More on this website
The Three Most Critical Aspects of Auto Accident Settlements
The three most critical facts that related to your auto accident settlement are: (1) who caused the accident; (2) how serious are the injuries; and (3) what is the likely insurance coverage (this is the amount that you might possibly recover, if you have a “good” case (not good from the standpoint of the way you might be feeling physically, but good in terms of potential monetary recovery). Most of the questions from a diligent and truly concerned attorney will be geared toward learning this information. (As an aside, my personal view is that if you are not speaking with an attorney at length in short order, then you should call another auto accident law firm.)Personal Injury
The Next Critical Steps Regarding Your Auto Accident Settlement Primarily Involve Your Medical Treatment
Just today, I was speaking with some auto accident victims just before we traveled to the scene to take some photos and learn more about exactly what happened during the crash. One thing that I always have to make clear from the outset is this important message: insurance companies are not readily and quickly handing out large checks to everyone who has an accident. My client today had serious pain, but he had only been to the ER, and was sent on his way with pain pills. Without lots of work by the auto accident attorney, and some work and cooperation by the client, this type of case will not lead to much more than few thousand dollar offer from just about any insurance company (despite what I believe were genuine level 8 to 10 out of 10 pain complaints).
So How Can This Man Increase His Auto Accident Settlement?
For ethical attorneys, auto accident settlements are not artificial or gaming processes. There are no lottery winners. Continuing with the example regarding my client earlier today, this man truly needs follow up treatment from a physician to determine what can be done to reduce his pain levels. Does he need surgery? Would injections help more than narcotics? And what does the physician say this man’s x-ray and MRI results show about exactly what happened inside his body during the accident? A strong supporting statement from a physician that the films show significant injury consistent with this man’s pain complaints can go a long way toward helping him get the coverage that he really deserves from the insurance company. Complying with treatment suggestions is another important step in your auto accident settlement (or discussing your concerns with your attorney if you do not want the suggested treatment).
The Insurance Company Could Be Watching You
Another thing to remember during the pre-trial and even trial phases of any auto accident case is that there is a common practice among insurance companies to use surveillance video to prove that clients are lying about their complaints. This means that if you say you can’t walk without a cane, but they find you running a marathon, your case will go from hero to zero in no time flat. They can watch for things like your ability to work, walk, dance, lift, and any manner of other things. So you first have to be truthful and second have to realize that if you push yourself to do things despite the fact that they are causing severe pain, then the jury could see a video where you look like you are completely fine and you will be forced to explain that you were in terrible pain while doing those things, which they may or may not believe (and the insurance company definitely will not believe during any potential settlement negotiations). This was true with my client earlier today–his pain was very severe but he was pushing through the pain by continuing to drive on his job with heavy narcotics–a BAD idea for a variety of reasons.
Attempted Auto Accident Settlement Before A Lawsuit is Filed
After you have visited your doctor and heard his or her opinion about what treatment would most likely help you, and you’ve tried that treatment for whatever period of time suggested by the doctor (typically at least a couple of months and sometimes many months), then you and your attorney hopefully will have a better idea of exactly what your injuries were, and the likelihood that those injuries are either going to resolve or be permanent (and to what degree if permanent). At that stage of the process, your attorney will prepare a demand package to send to the insurance company. All demand letters are NOT created equal. These can vary from simple form letters without much thought to elaborate and extensive packages with all sorts of evidence (like photographs, medical records and witness statements, for example). These more elaborate demand packages are critical in serious injury cases, and can and should tell a compelling story about your case. They will give the insurance company an opportunity to settle the case before you file any suit. Sometimes negotiations will ensue and you and your attorney will have to decide if you want to accept whatever they have offered or proceed to filing a lawsuit (accepting or rejecting settlements is always your decision).
Other Strategies During Auto Accident Settlement Negotiations
Please understand that I cannot divulge all steps that I would take to help you during any lawsuit because opposing counsel has equal access to this website. Just know that there are many things that you can do to strengthen your case–and you need an attorney who will listen carefully to your side of the story then work hard to convincingly tell your story to either the insurance company or a jury.
As I said when I started this article, insurance companies do not easily write checks. If the damages are serious and clear, then they might be persuaded more easily. But far more often there is a LOT of work involved in prosecuting serious injury cases, which very often includes filing a lawsuit if the insurance company refused to settle during any pre-trial negotiations. They usually get a lot more serious about settlement after the lose a few critical motions in court and realize that they are going to have to roll the dice in front of a jury (hint: not all cases reach a jury; sometimes judges throw cases out of court after defense attorneys file motions to dismiss cases). Please visit this website
If you have been injured, please call my office to schedule a free consultation.
