Sugar Land Accident Lawyer
Although the court, your insurance company, and other parties involved with you in an accident will thoroughly review the causes and effects of the accident, they may not look very favorably at your personal circumstances when consigning culpability for the accident. Regardless of the cause of your accident, whether that be a mechanical fault, road conditions, or the actions of others on the road, a good auto accident lawyer can help you fight for your rights and win compensation if you’ve been wronged or harmed in a car accident.
The same applies if a negligent road user caused the accident. With the right representation, you can file for fair compensation to help cover medical bills, losses of income, funeral bills, and other financial inconveniences that you suffered as a result of the accident.
Types of Accidents That Sugar Land Car Attorneys Handle
While a number of accident lawyers in Sugar Land, TX specialize in specific accidents, below are a few of the different types of accident cases that our team covers for the Sugar Land area.
- Car/truck collisions
- Pedestrian accidents
- Drinking and Driving Accidents
- Bus accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Semi-truck/18-wheeler cases
- Runaway trailer cases
- ATV and boat accidents
One of our Sugar Land car accident lawyers can help you win fair compensation for yourself or your loved one in the event of an auto accident. Compensation differs from case to case, but a competent attorney will look at all case-specific details to see that you are covered from every possible angle.
What To Do After a Car Accident in Sugar Land, Texas
If you’ve been involved in a car accident anywhere in Texas, you should be ready to act in accordance with state law.
- Contact a reputable Sugar Land car accident attorney. We are here to help you find the right attorney for your specific set of circumstances.
- Do not leave the scene of the accident. This will not only help you know what happens after the accident, but it also will keep you from having your license suspended.
- If you have not been severely injured, assist other passengers or motorists who may have been injured during the accident. When you do this, be careful when trying to move an injured person. The best option is to notify 911 and waiting for an ambulance to arrive at the scene. You may also inform highway patrol officers or local Texas police personnel. When injured in a car accident, try to stay calm.
- Gather information from other parties involved in the accident, including their names, contact information, license plate number, and driver license number. It is also important that you take photos of the scene of the accident. This can serve as useful evidence in a court of law.
- As soon as possible, report the accident to the Texas Department of Transportation (DOT). A driver’s crash report has to be submitted within ten days of an accident. With the help of a Sugar Land, TX car accident lawyer, you can file such a report in a manner that favors you.
How a Sugar Land, TX Car Accident Lawyer Will Help You
Collecting Evidence
While you might be able to pick up some of the more obvious details from an accident scene, an experienced car accident attorney will be able to identify and record accident-specific details that the average person is likely to miss.
Filing an Accident Report
Because the law is often complex, you might find it hard to file a report that works in your favor. However, a lawyer experienced in Texas car accident cases will know how to gather proper evidence for the success of your case. Our lawyers can help you retain your driving privileges and win compensation for all subsequent medical expenses after an accident.
An accident report includes information on your insurance coverage. The DOT cross-checks your details with the insurance company included in the report. If you did not have liability insurance at the time that the accident happened, you will need to pay a yearly surcharge of $250, otherwise, you risk the suspension of your license.
Negotiating With Your Insurance Company
Insurance companies are known for trying all they can to reduce claim compensation amounts. In addition to this, they have lawyers skilled in Texas accident law who are hired to negotiate with accident victims to reduce the amount of compensation the victims are willing to accept. You need a skilled accident attorney on your side who will assist you get the compensation you truly deserve.
Fatal Car Accident Attorneys in Sugar Land, TX
While it may be hard to focus on legal matters after the death of a family member in an accident, you should take the time to learn your legal options and rights from an experienced lawyer. You and your family are eligible for fair compensation from the careless road user who caused the accident, and our Sugar Land fatal accident lawyers are here to help you every step of the way. Furthermore, our legal services are offered on a contingency basis, meaning that you pay nothing until justice is served and you win your claim.
Our Approach to Proving Fault in a Fatal Accident
The attorney working on your case will be tasked with collecting accident-related evidence and using it to prove fault to get you a fair settlement. Depending on the specifics of your case, this often involves proving that the negligent driver was:
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Distracted by texting or other internal/external factors
- Driving a malfunctioning vehicle
- Driving aggressively
- Fatigued/falling asleep at the wheel
Recovering Damages in a Wrongful Death Claim
A claim can be filed against the at-fault motorist or against the driver’s estate in case the motorist did not survive the accident. Persons entitled to file such a claim are:
- Parents
- Children
- Surviving spouse
To win a wrongful death claim, the lawyer handling your case will take the steps needed to prove that the death of your loved one was a direct result of the wrongful act or gross negligence of the other driver. Our lawyers have the experience and resources it takes to do this in a timely and efficient manner. As a result, we will work toward recovering damages such as:
- Emotional or mental pain and anguish
- Pecuniary losses to compensate family members for the loss of the deceased’s care, service, and income
- Loss of companionship/company
- Pain and suffering of the deceased before death
- Medical bills incurred by the deceased before death
- A potential loss of inheritance
- Property damages related to the accident
Punitive Damages for Fatal Accidents
If the need arises, our attorneys will gather the evidence needed to help you prove that the accident resulted from the other road user’s gross negligence, willful acts, or omission in order to file for punitive damages above and beyond other damages that can be claimed.
Punitive damages are pursued to punish the actions of the negligent driver and deter such actions for happening again in the future. A successful punitive damage claim may get you compensation from the at-fault driver’s personal assets until all damages, pain, and suffering are satisfactorily covered.
Legal Options After a Fatal Car Accident
If you lose a family member in a fatal accident due to another driver’s gross negligence, the law permits you to follow a number of specific courses of action, including:
- Filing a wrongful death claim against the responsible/at-fault motorist
- Filing a claim with the insurer of the at-fault motorist
- Filing a wrongful death claim against the responsible vehicle’s manufacturer
Comparative Fault in Fatal Accidents
Just like any other Texas personal injury claim, wrongful death claims are limited by comparative fault laws. These laws state that, if the actions of the deceased played a part in causing the accident, the amount their claimants are entitled to recover falls proportionately to the percentage for which the deceased was responsible for the accident themselves. For you to get any settlement, your loved one must have been less than 50% responsible.
Insurers and their adjustors take advantage of comparative fault laws and they will do all that they can to shift the blame to your loved one in order to avoid paying out compensation. Our lawyers are aware of this and will be on the front line guarding your rights and those of your loved ones against extortion.
Time Limits on Wrongful Death Claims
In Texas, there is a statute of limitations on all wrongful death lawsuits. These require that a wrongful death case be filed within two years from the day it occurred. While the “clock” could be paused for several reasons, it is best to file your claim as soon as you can. Additionally, evidence disappears very quickly and the faster you are at filing a claim, the better position you will be in for successfully getting through the entire claims process.
Contact Us For A Free Consultation
We invite you to share with us your accident details for a free consultation and assessment of your case. Call us on 713-677-2159. Whether you accidentally caused a crash and thus are liable for damages, or if a negligent party caused the accident, we will help you fight your case. Our team of experienced legal professionals has a winning track record and we focus on getting our clients the compensation they are entitled to. Do not suffer in silence and contact us today.
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