Is It Worth Getting an Accident Lawyer in Texas?

If you were injured in a car crash you can make a personal injury claim, while if you lost someone you will have to file a wrongful death claim.

Texas is the most dangerous state for drivers in the US. According to statistics, in 2020, Texas recorded the most fatal car crashes in the whole country. There were 3,305 crashes in which 3,642 people were killed. The number of those injured in motor vehicle accidents is in the tens of thousands. What are the victims’ rights? 

If you were injured in a car crash you can make a personal injury claim, while if you lost someone you will have to file a wrongful death claim.

Many people wonder whether it is worth getting a lawyer after an accident. For a minor accident you don’t need legal representation, but if you have sustained severe injuries you should consider talking to the best accident lawyers in Texas you can find. 

How can a lawyer help me?

First of all, having a lawyer will take a lot of pressure off your back. If you’re still trying to recover from your injuries you don’t need all the hassle of communicating with the insurance company and taking care of the paperwork. 

However, the main reason why you should hire an experienced accident lawyer in Houston is that they will probably need to conduct an investigation into your case and this is a time-sensitive matter. 

For instance, if you were involved in a car accident, your lawyer will probably want to visit the scene, to evaluate whether other factors such as the state of the road or missing road signs might have played a role in your accident. Also, they will need to talk to eyewitnesses as soon as possible, before their recollection of the accident becomes too vague to be of any use. 

At the same time, it is best to leave all communications with the insurance company to a skilled accident lawyer who knows what to say and what not. If you’re still in pain and you haven’t recovered from the shock of the accident, you might say things that can be taken out of context and used to minimize the value of your claim. As an example, you should never say anything resembling an admission of guilt. 

Is Texas an at-fault state?

Texas is a modified comparative fault state. This means that you can recover damages even if you were partly to blame for the accident. If you did something wrong, like being a few miles per hour over the speed limit, your percentage of blame may be evaluated at 10%. In this case, the damages you deserve will be reduced by 10%. However, a ruthless insurance adjuster may claim that your percentage of blame was much higher, more like 40%, which means the value of your settlement will be reduced accordingly. 

You need a lawyer who knows how to drive a hard bargain. If need be, your lawyer will call in an independent expert to present their own assessment. An insurance adjuster knows that what they’re trying to do to you amounts to bad faith and they can be sued for that. If they see you have a no-nonsense lawyer and plenty of evidence to back your claim, they will probably offer you a fair settlement. They won’t like it, but it’s a much safer option than going to court and having their shady practices exposed.