Following an accident in Houston, TX, one of the questions on your mind may be: Is it worth it to hire a car accident lawyer? If you were injured or a loved one killed in a car accident, it’s in your best interest to get in touch with an attorney. Below we’ll talk about why.
Build the Strongest Case Possible After a Houston Car Accident
Soon after your accident, you’ll likely receive a call from an insurance adjuster who wants to offer you a settlement as quickly as possible. Insurance adjusters may seem helpful at first, even offering to pay for your current medical bills. But their goal isn’t to help you: it’s to pay you as little as possible. By taking a settlement without knowing the full extent of your injuries, you’re preventing yourself from receiving any additional compensation down the line.
It’s natural to want to accept an offer quickly in fear that the insurance company will take it away if you don’t comply. And some insurance companies may use this as a strategy. But with a Houston car accident lawyer by your side, you can turn down an unfair settlement offer with confidence. From conducting an investigation of the scene to gathering relevant documentation, your lawyer will build you the strongest case possible.
Fight Delay Tactics From the Insurance Company
On a similar note, your Houston car wreck attorney will do more than just build you a strong case. He or she will also fight against any tactics from the insurance company that may be intended to weaken your claim. One of the most common methods used by insurance companies is encouraging you to delay your medical treatment by implying that they won’t cover your treatment until they find more information or confirm the other party was liable.
Later in your case, though, the insurance company may use this delay in seeking medical treatment against you with the argument that your injuries couldn’t have been that bad if it took you so long to visit a doctor. Not only will having a Houston car accident lawyer protect you from such strategies, but you may be able to avoid the problem altogether with the lawyer’s connections. We’ll explain how in the next section.
Get the Best Treatment
How many doctors do you know? Other than their primary care providers, most people don’t have a network of doctors at the ready to handle a personal injury case. Add in a lack of insurance or an uncooperative insurance company, and many victims of car accidents feel like they have no options for getting a high-quality level of treatment. Lawyers, on the other hand, have spent years building up relationships with medical professionals as a necessity of their work.
Many car wreck attorneys in Houston have good relationships with doctors who can accept payment on a lien. This means that payment comes out of your settlement and you’re guaranteed treatment regardless of insurance threats. These doctors will give you the medical attention you deserve and document everything thoroughly for your claim.
Avoid Saying Something That Hurts Your Case
Insurance companies or counsel hired by the other party will often conduct investigations of their own. One of the elements of this investigation will likely involve questioning you, whether through deposition or something that seems as harmless as a phone call. Anyone talking to you will likely have years of experience with personal injury cases and will know how to frame a conversation to withdraw information without making you suspicious.
You may not even realize when a seemingly innocent sentence gives insurance parties the ammunition they need to reduce your settlement offer or argue that you were at fault. Hiring a car wreck attorney will keep you out of these situations so you don’t unintentionally say someting that could hurt your case.
Focus on Recovery While Your Houston Car Accident Lawyer Handles the Details
As the victim of a car accident, you’ll already be stressed enough. Even if you feel that your injuries weren’t as bad as they could have been, mentally recovering from the trauma of an accident can use up all of your energy and leave you feeling drained. Relieve yourself of the burden of having to recover your body and your financial damages by letting your lawyer handle the latter.
You won’t have to worry because our car wreck attorneys won’t take upfront payment during your case, nor will they charge you payment as the case goes on. The only time your car accident lawyer will receive payment is the percentage that you’ve agreed upon them taking after you earn a settlement.
Have an Expert Complete the Paperwork
To get a fair claim, you’ll need ample documentation that supports your argument. This includes photos of your injuries, a diagram of where the accident happened or imagery that can contextualize the nature of the accident, medical bills, proof showing your loss of work after the accident and continued loss of work, and communications from the insurance company after the accident.
Once you’re ready to file a claim officially, you’ll need to write a demand letter that outlines all of this documentation and asks for a revised settlement offer. This letter is the foundation of your personal injury claim and is best handled by someone who will do it properly.
Benefit Even If You Were Partially at Fault in a Houston, TX car Accident
You may be reluctant to seek compensation if you were partially at fault in the accident. You can still receive compensation in Texas, even if you made a mistake. Texas abides by the comparative negligence rule, meaning that you can receive compensation for the accident so long as you are 49% at fault or less.
Due to the nature of comparative negligence in Houston, TX, you may not receive your full claim amount because you were partially at fault, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to recover what you need. Working with a Houston car accident lawyer will be your best chance to secure as much as you can from an accident in which you played a partial role.
Have a Strong Communicator on Your Side
Spend a few weeks trying to work with insurance companies on your own, and you’ll quickly realize that sufficient communications with you are not the priority. They may take their time responding to your letters and phone calls and may even claim that they didn’t receive them in the first place. You may ask for a response or documentation on their end that they never send.
Our car wreck attorneys in Houston, TX will keep you at the center of your case, updating you frequently about what’s going on and making sure that you understand what’s happening. We will also maintain persistent yet polite communications with the insurance company to keep your case moving forward.
Get Qualified Court Representation
It’s rare, but it’s possible: you may need representation to go to court in Houston, TX. Should you have a hostile opposing party or unresponsive insurance company, going to court may be the next logical step. Having a Houston car accident lawyer will ensure you have the right guidance before you make the big decision of taking your case to trial.
Set yourself up for the best outcome possible following your car accident. Contact the Abraham Watkins team for service you can trust. We’re here for you.