What happens after you get into a car accident? Do you contact your insurance company? Do you get your car repaired? There are various questions that arise when someone crashes into your car. It is often tedious and stressful to understand what insurance is responsible for your damages and injuries and what damages you are entitled to receiving.
The San Antonio car accident attorneys at the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm know the answers to these questions, and we’re here to help you decipher the mess. Talking with insurance adjusters who are paid to low ball or undervalue your claim can be frustrating. Insurance corporations hire teams of lawyers to defend, delay and ultimately underpay claims. It is only fair that you level the playing field by hiring experienced lawyers who are trained to deal with the insurance companies and their team of professionals.
No one wants to be injured an automobile accident, but if if it happens to you, know that you have legal options. If you or someone you know was recently in a car accident in the San Antonio area, you probably have questions piling up. For more severe injuries or uncompliant second parties, you may seek out the help of an attorney. San Antonio offers many experienced car accident lawyers who can help you figure out what the next move is. Choose a San Antonio personal injury lawyer that knows how to handle car crash cases, and come into the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm for a free consultation. What will we cover when you walk through our doors?
After sustaining the car accident injury caused by another person’s negligence, you need to find a supportive attorney who you can trust. At the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm, you are gaining a knowledgeable and experienced team.
To determine how the accident happened and who is liable for the injuries and damages, it is important to understand the type of car accident that you were involved in. Common types of car accidents include the following:
Most car accident claims are based on allegations of negligence. When negligent conduct causes accidents and injuries, the responsible parties should be held accountable. Common causes and contributing car accident factors include driver error, distracted driving, drowsy driving, intoxication, speed, and driver inattention. Other factors may relate to dangerous and defective road conditions, automobile defects, and negligent vehicle maintenance.
Thousands of car accidents happen every day, and although you may have a small amount of knowledge regarding insurance claims and car accident law, we encourage you to seek legal help. Injury law is complex and requires a team of professionals who works on it every day. If you miss something while handling the case yourself you risk losing money and not being able to pay for your damages. There’s also a chance that you will have to battle large teams of adjusters and lawyers put together by insurance companies. The Villarreal & Begum Law Firm has the experience and knowledge required to level the playing field.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were over 500,000 total crashes during the latest reporting year in the state. Out of these, we know that there were 3,659 total fatalities and 249,241 total injuries. Looking closer at our area, the DOT says that the following was true about San Antonio during the latest reporting year:
Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers regularly help clients who have sustained the following in a car accident:
Most car accidents are caused by driver error. In our area, it is not uncommon for a car accident to be caused by drivers disregarding traffic laws, impaired drivers, and distracted drivers.
After a car accident, your health is a priority, which means that you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. The goal of a personal injury claim is to ensure that you secure compensation to pay for your past, ongoing, and future medical expenses. Getting a medical evaluation and treatment for your injuries will help you begin the physical recovery process. Your medical records will also help to establish your injuries and show that they were caused by the car accident.
It is also important to preserve evidence related to your claim. If you can, you should remain at the scene, take photos of the accident scene and property damage, and talk to the responding officer to share your version of events. You should also secure the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. Then it would be in your best interests to contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your accident and injuries sustained.
After a car accident, we know that injured claimants, especially those who have never been injured in an automobile accident, have questions about making a personal injury claim. See below for answers to some of the most frequently asked car accident questions our clients ask during legal consultations.
If you were injured in a car accident, especially if your injuries were severe, you should call the police and wait for the responding officer to interview you about the accident. It is beneficial to have your statements included in the report. However, we know that it is not always possible to speak with the police immediately after an accident, especially if your injuries were severe and you required immediate medical attention.
If a police report was not filed or a report was filed, but your statements were not in the report, you can contact the police to provide them with accident details and explain what happened. Your personal injury attorney will help you contact the police about the accident report and challenge any inaccuracies that may be contained in the report.
You should absolutely get medical attention after a car accident, even if you think that your injuries are not serious. The first reason you should seek medical attention is to evaluate your injuries and to begin treatment for any injuries discovered as soon as possible. Delayed treatment can lead to additional medical problems and a longer recovery process.
As mentioned above, the second reason you should get medical attention is to document your injuries and prove that your injuries were related to the car accident. After an accident, defendants may argue that your injuries were caused by something other than your accident if you wait too long to seek medical care.
After a car accident, insurance companies, responding officers, your attorney, and in some cases, a jury separately go over the accident facts and evidence to determine who was at fault. When liability is clear, the accident report will indicate who the officer believes was at fault for the accident and may issue a citation accordingly.
In cases where liability is contested, the defendants and insurance companies often blame the injured claimant for the accident. Your attorney will investigate the accident, collect evidence, and interview witnesses to help determine car accident cause and fault. During settlement negotiations, your attorney will present facts and evidence to the defense to persuade them to settle your claim. If your case does not settle, it will be up to a jury to determine who was at fault for the accident.
In most car accident cases, the negligent driver is responsible for your injuries. If the driver was working at the time of the accident, the driver’s employer might also be responsible. If your injuries were the result of an automobile defect, the manufacturer may be liable for your injuries and damages. In many cases, at-fault parties have insurance coverage. This means that there is a good chance that an insurance company will ultimately be liable for your accident losses.
Defendants do not want to have to pay for car accident claims, even when they are covered by an insurance policy. Negligent drivers, their employers, manufacturers, or anyone else who caused your accident will likely try to avoid responsibility because they do not want to be personally liable. They also do not want to see their insurance premiums go up after an accident.
Insurance companies will try to avoid paying at all or will try to pay as little as possible for your claim. Defendants and insurance companies frequently blame the injured claimant or third parties for the accident so that they can avoid or reduce their liability and responsibility for paying for your injuries and damages.
In general, damages refer to the losses you suffered as a result of your car accident. Compensation for your damages is meant to return you to the position you would have been in had you not been injured in the accident. Although compensation does not reverse the losses you have suffered, a financial recovery can help to make you whole again. Damages are different for every case, but compensation for a car accident frequently covers lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and other accident-related losses.
In the aftermath of a car accident, most people want to know how much compensation they are entitled to. There is no single answer to that question, as each case is different. The total compensation a person will receive depends on a wide variety of factors, including the severity of the injuries, the total cost of treatment, whether or not you can return to work, and more.
At the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm, our San Antonio personal injury lawyers regularly help car accident victims recover the following:
You should not talk to an insurance adjuster unless you have first consulted with a San Antonio car accident attorney. Whether it’s your insurance company’s adjuster or the defendant’s adjuster, insurance companies are not on your side. Their goals are to limit the company’s financial exposure and to pay as little as possible for their claims. Unfortunately, these goals generally make insurance companies adverse to injured claimants and their families.
If you speak with an insurance adjuster, they may ask you for details about the accident and injuries you sustained. The conversation will be recorded, and anything you say to the adjuster can be used against you. They may pressure you to accept a fast settlement for an amount that may not compensate you for all of your losses, especially if your injuries are severe and future medical care will be required.
If you have a personal injury attorney representing your claim, your attorney will take care of all communication with insurance companies. In fact, when you have legal representation, insurance adjusters are not permitted to contact you. After being informed that you have secured the assistance of an attorney, they will always contact your attorney if they have any questions or want to discuss your case.
It is understandable to feel upset or angry when you are in a car accident with serious injuries. However, it may not be smart to go straight to court and file a lawsuit even if the other driver was the cause of the accident. Typically, if the other party has insurance, you will be able to settle the issue without a lawsuit.
Your attorney will be the mediator between you and the at-fault driver. When you have a San Antonio car accident lawyer, insurance carriers will be able to handle the matter promptly since it is normally easy to discover who is at fault. The insurance carriers do not want to see the accident go to trial so they will be motivated to settle when they discover you have an attorney.
There are some instances in which insurance claims do become lawsuits due to not finding a mutually beneficial arrangement. Your attorney can help you understand why the claim became a lawsuit and explain how insurance coverage affects your claim that has now become a matter of the court system. They will help you with the paperwork and legislative jargon involved, while also protecting you from any issues that arise during the process.
Each state has time limits in place that dictate how long a person has to file a lawsuit in order to recover compensation for injuries caused by another person’s negligence. These time limits are called the statute of limitations. In Texas, car accident victims have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent party. Due to this strict time limit, it is essential that you speak with a San Antonio car accident attorney who will ensure you meet all deadlines pertaining to your case.
Car accidents often lead to serious injuries or death. Our San Antonio car accident lawyers at the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm work to ensure you receive the proper compensation for these damages while you cope with the grieving process. You might need medical attention or even psychological help after a car accident. Leave it to an accident attorney to get compensation to pay for these services.
The discovery phase is where both sides of the court case exchange information about the claim, accident, and any other aspects of the case. Your attorney and the defendant’s attorney will interrogate, request depositions, gain access to documents including police reports, and, in some cases, request a secondary examination of the injuries claimed to be caused by the accident.
You should remember that not all cases filed will make it to the courtroom. In many cases, this serves as more motivation to have the other party’s insurance to settle the matter. Like any other business, lawsuits reflect poorly on insurance companies, and they prefer to handle it discreetly.
Courts often set mandatory meetings for settlements so both the plaintiff and defendant can try to reach an agreement. Your personal injury attorney will work hard for you to get the best settlement for you while the defendant’s attorney will attempt to keep the settlement low. If a healthy arrangement cannot be made, a third-party mediator may be brought in to resolve the matter.
Personal injury lawsuits are a long and arduous process that can be made better with the help of an attorney who will fight for you and ensure that everything is completed properly. If you are in a car accident, seek help from the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm. Our San Antonio-based lawyers will work hard for you to get the settlement that you deserve.
Don’t wait for the insurance companies to contact you or take away your rights; instead, put together a strong legal team. We help you get your life in order and give you the confidence to get back on the road. Contact us at (210) 777-4878 for your free consultation. Speak with one of our friendly legal professionals and get the money you deserve for your car accident.
I am very grateful for them! I contacted a few law offices before and the way their office staff greeted me made me feel like a very important client and took consideration for any conditions I had at the time.
-Jessica Maestas
