At The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C, we go above and beyond our clients’ expectations to secure the best possible outcomes for their car accident claims. A Texas car accident claim needs personal attention, aggressive legal representation, and a team of lawyers to support victims to be successful. We can immediately go to work on your claim, deal with insurance companies on your behalf, preserve important case evidence, and negotiate a better settlement for your family. We have everything necessary to take the pressure off you during this difficult time. Contact our Texas car accident attorneys today to schedule your free consultation and learn your rights.
Why You Need an Attorney After a Car Accident
Personal injury lawyers work for the people. At our firm, our clients are our first priority. Their success is our success. Everything we do, we do for the benefit of the community. Our Texas car accident lawyers have an unwavering commitment to clients, working around the clock to achieve substantial settlements and remarkable recoveries whenever possible.
We work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning we take on all the risk in your case. If we don’t secure you a financial award, you don’t have to pay our attorney’s fees. That’s right – we offer a built-in security system so that car accident victims never have to pay out-of-pocket for our services. With zero up-front costs, completely free initial consultations, and contingency-based legal representation, you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain by signing on with The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C.
After a car accident, our attorneys can help you find state-of-the-art medical care, protect your rights during conversations with insurers, and choose the best actions for you to take toward maximum compensation. We’ll take care of all the legwork on your case, including filing your claim correctly and on time in Texas, so you can focus on healing. You’ll get total peace of mind when you hire one of our lawyers to represent your car accident claim.
Damages Available
Damages refer to the financial awards you can receive via settlement or judge/jury judgment to reimburse you for your losses the car accident caused. Texas is a fault state when it comes to insurance claims for car accidents. This means victims retain the right to file lawsuits against at-fault parties in pursuit of maximum recovery.
If you can prove the other driver’s negligence or fault for the accident, you could potentially recover the following damages:
Past and future medical expenses
Lost wages
Loss of future earning capacity
Loss of household services
Past and future pain and suffering
Mental anguish
Physical disability or disfigurement
Loss of consortium
Aaron A. Herbert has proven again and again that his clients’ injuries and lifelong ramifications deserve six- and seven-figure settlements and verdicts. Through experienced litigation techniques, he’s demonstrated that a jury would not, for any amount of money, want to trade places with the injured accident victim. Our firm’s representation style is aggressive, assertive, and determined to fight for the best possible case outcomes for injured clients and the family members of deceased loved ones.
Should I Talk to an Insurance Adjuster After a Car Accident?
A few days or even hours after a car accident in Texas, an insurance claims adjuster, or claims analyst, will contact you via phone. The insurance adjuster is the person in charge of assessing your claim and coming up with a settlement amount to offer (or not offer) you. The claims adjuster will see a handful of cases across his or her desk every month. You generally know much more about your accident than the adjuster does. What’s most important to know is that the adjuster works for the insurance company. He or she does not work for you nor have your best interests in mind.
The adjuster’s number one goal is to minimize the amount of money you receive. The insurance company has either employed or contracted the adjuster to talk to you in an effort to convince you to say yes to a quick (usually low) settlement. The insurance company is hoping you don’t know a lot about your claim or how much it’s worth. They’re banking on the fact that you won’t talk to a lawyer about your case or try to negotiate a better settlement. In many cases, they’re right, leading to car accident victims in Texas settling for much less than they could receive with a bit of legal assistance.
The best way to protect your rights after a crash? Don’t talk to an insurance adjuster. Politely tell the agent who contacts you that you wish to discuss your case with an attorney before making any decisions. Do not agree to let the adjuster record a statement from you and do not say yes to a settlement offer. The adjuster can use anything you say in a recorded statement against you later. Instead, call (210) 435-7968 and use a free consultation with a lawyer at The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C. to discuss your auto accident. Our attorneys can take over communications with insurance companies on your behalf to make sure no one takes advantage of you.
CAR ACCIDENT FAQS
WHAT SHOULD I DO IMMEDIATELY AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT?
Remain on the scene. The first thing you have to do after a car accident, doesn’t require you to do anything; simply stay there. Leaving a car accident is considered a crime and you could face criminal charges. Once you have established yourself, check for injuries to yourself, your passengers, or the other driver. If injuries have been inflicted, call 911 immediately.
SHOULD I STAY INSIDE MY VEHICLE?
If it is not safe to get out of your vehicle, then do not. Otherwise you may exit the vehicle, but not the scene.
SHOULD I TAKE PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT?If you can exit your vehicle, take pictures of the accident. These images could help you later in a personal injury case. After you have taken pictures, clear the road as much as possible. Your vehicle is likely a hazard for oncoming traffic.
SHOULD I ADMIT LIABILITY?
After a car accident, exchange information including name, insurance information, and vehicle information. DO NOT admit liability. This will be thoroughly covered later and admitting liability early can significantly impact the course of your case.
WHAT IF I DON’T FEEL INJURED, SHOULD I STILL SEE A DOCTOR?
Regardless of the exact nature of the crash, you should always see a doctor. Some internal injuries can take days or weeks to show symptoms. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are detectable months after the crash.
WHY DOES MY ATTORNEY WANT A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT?
Your attorney can easily find ways to get their hands on a police report, so it is helpful if you just hand over a copy. They may use the report to contact the other driver’s insurance, to ensure that it is accurate, and because it may be used later during the personal injury case. If the police report is inaccurate, you may work with your attorney to correct it.
WHO WILL PAY MY MEDICAL BILLS?
The responsible insurance company, and typically the other driver’s insurance should pay for your medical bills. Your health insurance might have to pay upfront, but at least you can use the settlement to reimburse yourself or your health insurance after. Often times an insurance company will refuse liability, which is why a professional personal injury lawyer is recommended.
WHAT IF I AM PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCIDENT?
Often it is the interaction of several vehicles that causes a collision. In a car accident, you could be partially responsible. In this case you will only receive compensation for the part of the accident that was not your fault. The court is the only one who determines ‘fault’, do not apologize or take fault at any time during the case.
Common Injuries
Car accidents can be so catastrophic because the human body cannot withstand the forces a vehicle collision exerts upon it. When a car collides into another vehicle, object, or pedestrian, victims can sustain any number and type of injuries. There are three collisions in every car crash: the vehicular collision, human collision, and internal collision. The human collision with elements inside the vehicle can cause broken bones and lacerations, while the internal collision can harm the organs.
The following are some of the most common car accident injuries we see as Texas car accident lawyers:
Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations. Broken glass, flying debris, and impact with the asphalt can cause painful cut and scrape injuries that require stitches and leave permanent scars. Traumatic amputations are also possibilities in car wrecks.
Soft-tissue injuries. The muscles and tendons in the neck, back, and other parts of the body can undergo strain in a vehicle crash, resulting in injuries such as whiplash. Soft-tissue injuries can be incredibly painful and result in temporary disability.
Broken bones. Bone fractures can occur when any part of the body strikes the steering column, window, windshield, or even a safety device such as a seatbelt or airbag. Bone fractures can take weeks or months to heal, often resulting in lost wages from missed time at work. Major fractures can cause permanent disability.
Head and brain injuries. The brain is at high risk in car accidents. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur if the brain strikes the inside of the skull or bounces/moves around too quickly. TBIs can range from minor concussions to severe bleeding or swelling in the brain, posing the risk of temporary to permanent cognitive and physical disabilities.
Spinal cord injuries. If an auto accident damages the spinal cord, the effects can be permanent. Paralysis, or loss of movement and sensation, can occur in any part of the body after a spine injury. Spine injuries typically cause lifelong disabilities.
Talk to a car accident attorney in Texas after suffering any type of injury in a crash. If an accident took the life of your loved one, you might have grounds to bring a wrongful death lawsuit in pursuit of recovery for the losses of your loved one and your family. The sooner you speak to a lawyer about your crash, the better your chances of obtaining fair compensation.
Texas Car Accident Statistics/Transportation Statistics
The second-largest state in the U.S., Texas, is home to complex highway systems. Rough terrain and thousands of miles to cover have given the Texas Department of Transportation a difficult time building safe and efficient roads. Almost 80,000 miles of public highway cross over the state of Texas, with constant construction projects to improve and expand the system.
Drivers in Texas have to navigate confusing highways such as the famous High Five Interchange, which extends 117 feet above the ground at its highest point. Looking at the latest auto accident statistics can help give you an idea of just how often crashes occur:
In 2016, there were 1.44 roadway deaths per hundred million miles traveled in Texas – a 3.59% jump from 2015. One crash in 2016 caused six or more fatalities.
The total number of car-accident related deaths in 2016 was 3,773, an increase of 5.45% from 3,758 deaths in 2015. There were no deathless days in Texas in 2016.
At least 17,582 people suffered “serious” or incapacitating” injuries in Texas auto accidents in 2016. One person suffered injuries every 1:59 minutes.
Drunk drivers killed 987 people in alcohol-related car accidents. This accounts for 26% of the total number of people who died in traffic accidents in Texas in 2016.
Distracted drivers killed at least 455 people in Texas in 2016 – a 5% increase from 2015. The true number is likely higher, as it’s not always possible to determine a driver’s distraction in fatal crashes.
At The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert, P.C, you’re more than just a statistic. If you suffered injuries or a loved one died in a Texas auto accident, we make it personal. We can investigate the crash, get to the bottom of its cause, and help you take action against the at-fault party or parties. Whether another driver, a dangerous roadway condition, defective vehicle part, or malfunctioning stoplight caused your crash, contact us for legal counsel.
Texas Car Accident Lawyers with Proven Results
Through swift action, skilled negotiation, and aggressive litigation, we get our clients the best possible results for their auto accident personal injury claims in Texas. Our firm carefully reviews each case that comes to our office, working closely with clients to understand their unique goals. Whether you’re looking for a fast and simple settlement or you’re ready to take your claim to the Texas civil courts in pursuit of full compensation, we can help.
Attorney Aaron A. Herbert is a Board Certified specialist in personal injury law – a recognition held by less than two percent of Texas attorneys. He and his team have what you need for the best auto accident representation possible. Start your claim by contacting us for a free consultation.