When Do I Need to Hire a Texas Car Accident Attorney?
A Texas car accident can be devastating to you and your family, especially if you have suffered a serious injury or have lost a loved one. Losing a spouse or child can be immeasurable in terms of financial and emotional loss. For serious injuries, victims can lose valuable time from work or may not be able to return to work at all. In cases like these, hiring a Texas car accident attorney will save you time, regrets, and possibly thousands of dollars.
Serious Texas Car Accident
In many cases, injured or grieving victims in Texas wrongful death cases are tempted to settle early or handle the case without an attorney. In some of these cases, claimants try to deal with the other party’s insurance agent or attorney until the statute of limitations is looming and then retain an attorney. In too many of these instances, people have seriously undermined their own cases and committed errors that have drastically devalued their injury claim.
In any case where you have sustained a car accident injury or lost someone in a fatal accident in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, or anywhere else in the state of Texas, you need to immediately consult a Texas car accident attorney and without delay. Here are few reasons why you need to do so:
When to Hire a Texas Car Accident Attorney
- You will be contacted by the other party’s insurance agent and asked to give a recorded or written statement. Adjusters know that they can often get you to admit at least some fault of your own and that your injury is not serious. An agent might advise you that your statement is needed or he or she will not make any offers of settlement. An attorney, however, will handle any request for a statement and will review your testimony before you make it so you are well prepared and your responses are appropriate.
- You may feel that you can treat your injuries on your own or that you do not wish to bother your physician. Meanwhile, your injuries may worsen and after one or two weeks, you finally see your doctor. This delay in treatment can damage your claim's credibility. Also, if you asked for time off from work after a few weeks, your employer may be suspicious about your injuries. With an attorney, he or she will ensure you get immediate medical treatment, and if needed, a consultation with medical specialists. Your attorney will also see that your physician gives you a report or certification that you are disabled from work as a result of your car accident and your expected period of incapacity.
- Your attorney will investigate the scene of the accident and find and interview any witnesses. If liability is an issue, an accident reconstruction expert may be retained to prove fault. Also, private investigators can locate witnesses and know how to question those who are favorable or unfavorable to your claim.
- If you are having financial difficulties or are being hounded by medical providers or insurers for unpaid bills, your attorney can have them stop harassing you and will negotiate with them once your case has been resolved, which can save you thousands of dollars.
- Many times injury claimants feel their injuries are not serious or that there is limited insurance, or they are offered a quick settlement by the other party’s insurer, which can be enticing, especially if they are grieving over a loved one's death. If you accept a settlement but find out later that there are considerable unpaid medical bills or that your injury is now worsening, or that other parties may have contributed to the accident, you may have no recourse to demanding additional compensation. Only by immediately retaining a Texas car accident attorney can these possibilities be explored.
How to Choose a Texas Car Accident Attorney
One of the best indicators of a personal injury attorney’s experience is whether she is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. Lawyers who are Board Certified have been deemed by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization to possess a special degree of skill and knowledge.
Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyers are especially equipped to deal with insurance companies and issues of liability, injuries, damages, and insurance. They have the experience in recognizing the special issues that arise from the different kinds of injuries from a Texas car accident such as traumatic brain injury, paralysis, broken limbs, internal injuries, spinal injuries, joint damage, disfigurement, and death, among others.
No amount of compensation can replace a parent, spouse or child, but there is often more insurance available or additional assets that a liable party may possess that an experienced Board Certified accident attorney might uncover. The Texas car accident attorneys at Van Wey Law have experience dealing with the insurance companies and can demonstrate to insurance companies the special qualities that your loved one brought to your and your children’s lives, which may help to maximize your recovery.
Further, the attorneys at Van Wey Law may be able to determine if there are other responsible parties that contributed to the accident. In these cases, different timelines exist that must be met or you could lose your opportunity to include them in an injury or wrongful death claim.
If you were injured in a Texas car accident, or if your loved one was killed in a Texas car accident, you need the experience of a Texas car accident attorney on your side. Call the experienced Texas car accident attorneys at Van Wey Law today at (214) 329-1350 or (800) 489-5082 for a free initial consultation.