A serious accident can be a debilitating, life-changing event. After a car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident, you may be wondering how to pay for your expensive medical bills and how you’ll make up for lost income as a result of missing work.
It can be difficult to know what steps to take and how to get the help you need. You may be wondering whether you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to pursue compensation for your injuries and other losses, like lost wages and damage to your vehicle.
This post provides some general guidance on when to seek advice from a personal injury lawyer, but it is not a substitute for talking to an experienced attorney. If you were involved in any of the following types of accidents, schedule a consultation with an experienced lawyer right away.
Most injury lawyers offer a free and confidential case review and, thus, you have nothing to lose by speaking to an attorney about what happened to you.
What Kind of Accidents Require a Personal Injury Attorney?
Were you hurt in any of these types of serious accidents? A personal injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and the different options you have for securing compensation.
You were involved in a multi-vehicle accident.
If you were injured in an accident involving multiple vehicles, you should call a lawyer to discuss your case. After a multi-car crash, it can be very difficult to determine who is at fault. Auto insurance companies may try to assign fault to you or reduce your settlement amount based on the number of other cars involved. The claim settlement and negotiation process becomes even more complicated when one or more drivers did not carry insurance (or did not carry insurance that meets the minimum financial responsibility requirements in Texas).
After a multi-vehicle accident, a personal injury lawyer will communicate on your behalf with the insurance companies for the other parties to make sure that your interests are protected and that your settlement demand is taken seriously. If the insurance companies are unwilling to make you a fair settlement offer, a personal injury lawyer can file a lawsuit against the other parties in court so that you can get the compensation you deserve.
You were involved in an accident with a commercial truck company.
If you were injured in an accident with a semi-truck, big rig, or other commercial truck, you should hire a personal injury lawyer. Due to their large size, commercial trucks are much more likely to cause serious injuries than passenger vehicles. In addition, different state and federal laws apply to commercial truck drivers and the companies for which they work.
Only an experienced truck accident lawyer will be able to represent your interests in negotiations with a commercial insurance provider. If necessary, your lawyer will bring a lawsuit against the commercial trucking company in Texas state court or federal court.
You were in an accident that caused long-term or permanent disability.
If you’re facing a lengthy recovery after an accident or now have a permanent disability, you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. Unfortunately for victims of serious accidents, insurance companies often try to make settlement offers that don’t fully account for their complex medical issues and expensive long-term treatment.
A personal injury lawyer can calculate the amount of expenses you’ll incur over your lifetime as a result of your disability. Your lawyer can also use evidence and legal precedent to establish how much income you’ll lose over time as a result of your injuries. If you try to negotiate a settlement with an insurance company on your own, you could be leaving tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.
You were in an accident where liability is not clear.
If you were involved in an accident and it’s not clear who is at fault, you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. This is especially true in Texas, where courts apply what is known as the “51 percent bar rule.” Under this modified comparative fault standard, you may be prevented from recovering any compensation at all if you are found to be more than 50% at fault for your accident. You’ll need an aggressive personal injury lawyer to prove that you deserve full compensation for your injuries and financial losses.
When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Many people make the mistake of waiting too long to talk to a lawyer after an accident. They don’t understand how statements they make to the other parties involved in the accident and representatives from their insurance companies can jeopardize their interests. By the time they hire a personal injury lawyer, some people have hurt their case by saying the wrong thing to the wrong person.
You should hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible following a serious accident. This is the best way to protect your legal interests and make sure you don’t compromise your chances at getting the compensation you deserve. You may not need to pay anything up front for your lawyer.
Many personal injury lawyers take on cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that the lawyer only gets paid if he or she secures a settlement or damages award for you.
Sutliff & Stout are Texas Personal Injury Lawyers
When you need to hire a personal injury lawyer, call Sutliff & Stout. Our experienced personal injury lawyers offer victims of serious accidents a free and confidential case evaluation. To schedule a free consultation, text or call our office anytime at 281-853-8446 .
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