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Houston Car Accident Lawyer

Car accident lawyer in Houston

Even if you don’t think of yourself as much as risk-taker, if you drive a motor vehicle in Texas, then you are doing something that is very risky on daily basis. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injury in both Texas and the United States.

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In a single year in Texas, there was one person killed every two hours in a car accident, one person injured every two minutes and four seconds, and one crash reported every 59 seconds, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

While an accident only takes a fraction of a second to happen, it can affect your life and the life of your loved ones for weeks, months, or years. In the aftermath of a crash, when you’re trying to heal from your injuries and rebuild your life, it can be a comfort to know that you don’t have to do it alone.

At the office of Seerden Law Firm, PLLC, our Houston car accident lawyer has the experience and reputation that you’re looking for. Not only is Attorney Andrew Seerden passionate about representing those who feel powerless and desperate for help, but he is also one of only 2 percent of attorneys in Texas who are board-certified in personal injury trial law.

If you’ve been injured in a crash and need help navigating the claims process and your future, Seerden Law Firm, PLLC can help. Contact us now for a free consultation and claim review.

How a Houston Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You

Calling a Houston car accident lawyer should be one of the first things that you do after a crash. An attorney can begin working on your case immediately.

Some of the most of significant ways that an accident attorney can serve you include:

  • Handling all conversations with insurance companies. If you haven’t already provided your insurance company with notice of your car accident, your attorney can do that on your behalf. If you have already provided notice, your attorney can represent you in all conversations with your insurance company – or the insurance company of the other driver – moving forward. This includes advising you in regards to giving a statement, reviewing all documents provided to you by the insurance company before you sign them, requesting damages, negotiating your claim, and more.
  • Investigating the accident. While fault and causation in some crashes may be clear, in others, a thorough investigation is required. If fault in your crash case is disputed, or if you are being blamed for the accident, an attorney can help. Our law firm can not only travel to the scene of the accident as soon as possible and collect any physical evidence, but our firm can also hire accident reconstruction experts, comprehensively review police reports, talk to eyewitnesses, and more to determine exactly who’s to blame for the crash and your injuries.
  • Identifying sources of insurance and proving damages. Winning a car accident claim and getting the settlement you deserve isn’t just about proving the fault of the other party involved. You must also prove that you have incurred damages as a direct result of the crash, and there must be a source of funding to pay your claim (i.e. an insurance policy). Our law firm will work hard to identify all possible sources of insurance coverage and calculate the full value of all your damages.

Of course, our lawyer will also be available to answer your questions throughout the process and represent you in any other way you need.

Compensation for a Car Accident Injury

Texas’ tort liability laws require that at-fault drivers pay for the damages that they cause. Damages are not limited to property damage expenses or medical expenses.

If you have been harmed in a crash due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve to be compensated for the full extent of losses suffered, including:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Property damage costs
  • Future expenses associated with the accident (such as the cost of in-home health services)
  • Pain, suffering, emotional anguish, disability, diminished quality of life, etc.

Texas also allows plaintiffs to seek exemplary damages, also called punitive damages, in certain cases. Punitive damages are designed to punish the defendant for their actions. As found in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, in order to recover punitive damages, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant acted out of fraud, malice, or gross negligence. This includes accidents with uninsured motorists.

Tips for Protecting Your Rights after an Accident in Texas

One thing about being in a car accident and filing a claim for damages that is very important to remember is that damages are not guaranteed. In fact, even if you believe that the other driver was fully to blame for your accident, and even if you have been seriously injured, there are multiple factors that could diminish the value of your claim, or even bar you from recovery.

Some tips for protecting your rights include:

  • File a police report. Filing a police report as soon as possible – preferably while you are still at the scene of the accident – is an absolute must. Take pictures and videos of the scene to provide to the police.
  • Notify your insurer. Just as you need to file a police report, you must also provide your insurance company with notice of the accident as soon as possible. If you do not provide notice, your insurance company may maintain the right to deny your claim. It’s best to call your insurer within 24 hours of the accident, if not immediately.
  • Refrain from admitting fault. This is a big one. You need to refrain from admitting fault, or even saying something as seemingly safe as, “I’m sorry.” Anything you say that sounds like an admission of guilt can and will be used against you by an insurance adjuster to try to reduce your settlement.
  • Don’t sign anything. Insurance adjusters are tricky. You may be asked by an insurance adjuster to sign something, such as a medical release or even a release of claim. Do not sign anything. This could be a way to get you to give up your right to damages. Consider having an attorney review any documents handed to you by an insurer.
  • Get medical care. You must seek medical care after an accident if you plan to seek damages for your injuries and medical expenses. If you don’t seek medical attention, then the insurer will argue that there is no proof that your injuries were caused by the accident. What’s more, if you don’t follow your doctor’s orders, your claim value may also be reduced.
  • Hire a lawyer. Hiring a lawyer is one of the smartest, easiest things that you can do to protect your right to compensation. A lawyer who is experienced in these cases will know how to advocate for you and can advise you throughout the entire process.
  • Stay off social media. If you’re a social media user, you can protect your claim by refraining from posting anything to your Facebook, Instagram, or other accounts until the claim process is concluded and you’ve accepted a settlement. Insurance adjusters will check out your online activities to try to get dirt on you. For example, if you post a picture of you smiling, an insurance adjuster may claim that you’re clearly happy, and therefore not entitled to the pain and suffering damages you’ve requested.
  • Follow up. Stay on top of your claim. If you’re injured, follow the doctor’s orders and keep getting the treatment you need. If you haven’t heard back from the insurance company, get your lawyer to ask for a status report. Don’t let your claim fall by the wayside.

What You Need to Know About Dealing with Insurance Companies after a Crash

Insurance adjusters are looking for ways to diminish the value of your claim. Indeed, rather than working for you, an insurance adjuster’s primary job is to do whatever it takes to save the insurance company money. This means paying you as little as possible – and nothing at all, if they can get away with it. If you aren’t represented by an attorney, your risks of being manipulated are even greater.

When you are dealing with insurance companies after a crash, it’s important to be honest and truthful in your answers but to refrain from providing too much information. You should certainly never make guesses about things that you are unsure about. You should also be careful about your language. If you say things like “I’m fine” or “Yes, I’m healing well,” the insurance company may later use this against you as proof that your injuries really aren’t that serious. After all, you’re fine, right?

While dealing with an insurance company to some extent is inevitable. The company is the one that will, hopefully, ultimately pay your claim. Hiring a lawyer who can represent you can be the best thing for everyone. Insurance adjusters know that they can’t get away with shady tactics with a lawyer around. When you don’t have to deal with an insurance adjuster, you’ll have more energy to focus on your recovery.

The Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims in Texas

In order to recover compensation from an at-fault party after a crash in Texas, you must be sure that you file your car accident action within two years from the date of the crash. This two-year limit, which is found in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, is known as the statute of limitations. If it expires and you do not bring your claim within two years’ time, then you will likely be permanently barred from recovery.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Houston

Car accidents are caused every day for a variety of different reasons. Most are caused by drivers’ negligence. However, drivers’ actions are not the only reason crashes happen.

When you call our law firm, our attorney will work hard to discover the true cause of your crash. Some potential causes that are relatively common include:

Driver negligence. This is by far the most common cause. When drivers cause crashes, they need to be held responsible for the damages that result. Examples of driver negligence that lead to collisions include:

Vehicle defects. While a less common cause than driver negligence, vehicle defects can sometimes be to blame for collisions or for making injuries worse. Things like defective brakes or steering systems can be extremely dangerous. When an accident would not have occurred but for a vehicle defect, our attorney can assist you in bringing forth a products liability suit against the manufacturer or another responsible party.

Road conditions. Some car accidents are caused by road conditions. For example, an animal darting out into the road is serious – and may lead to a tragic accident – but this is a natural phenomenon that no one can be blamed for. However, a pothole that is dangerous and goes unrepaired is a different story. Negligent design or maintenance of the roadway could form the basis of a claim against a government agency or other responsible party.

Call Our Houston Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today

You shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of serious injuries, disability, economic losses, and other hardships because someone else acted irresponsibly. If you have been injured in a bicycle, motorcycle or car accident in Houston or surrounding areas of Texas, the attorney at Seerden Law Firm, PLLC wants to meet with you.

Attorney Andrew Seerden offers consultations completely free of charge, and always works on a contingency fee basis. To learn more, please call our firm today or send us a message online. Our firm is here to serve you.

Featured Car Accident FAQs

Featured Car Accident FAQs

How do you charge?

For Personal Injury Cases: You don’t pay anything unless we recover money for you. In almost every personal injury case, we work for a percentage of the settlement or judgment. Our fee is 33 1/3% if the case settles without litigation or 40% with litigation (once a lawsuit is filed). We pay for court costs and other reasonable and necessary expenses and deduct these amounts from the client’s portion of any recovery. If there is no recovery, you do not owe us any case costs or expenses.

For Business Litigations & Consumer Cases: We are open to different fee structures including pure contingency, flat fee, hourly, and different combinations thereof. We are willing to discuss options to make our services most cost effective to you or your business.

How much is my claim worth?

In a personal injury case, you are generally entitled to money damages for past and future medical bills, lost wages, earning capacity, pain and suffering, disfigurement, disability, impairment, loss of quality of life and other damages. This list of damages is a general listing. Some may not apply to your claim and there may be others that do apply which are not listed here.

Why do I need an attorney?

Because insurance companies and corporations are in business to make a profit and they will likely not offer you a fair settlement without an attorney. You cannot get a fair settlement unless you know how much your claim is really worth. It is not the claims adjuster’s job to tell you how to get the most from him. It’s his/her job to pay you the least you will take so as to save the company money.

What are my compensations for a car accident claim?

If you have been harmed in a crash due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve to be compensated for the full extent of losses suffered, including:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Property damage costs
  • Future expenses associated with the accident (such as the cost of in-home health services)
  • Pain, suffering, emotional anguish, disability, diminished quality of life, etc.

How Can I protect my rights after a car accident in Texas?

Some tips for protecting your rights include: File a police report, Notify your insurer, Refrain from admitting fault, Don’t sign anything, Get medical care, Hire a lawyer, Stay off social media, Follow up. Stay on top of your claim.

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Location

Houston Office