Car Accident Attorney occur nearly every minute, drastically affecting individuals’ lives. Some incidents are minor, resulting only in property damage, while others can lead to serious injuries or even fatalities. Although suffering injuries or damage due to someone else’s fault feels very unfortunate, seeking the right approach toward a savior can prevent further loss.
Car accidents are fatal and generally involve legal complexities, such as filing a lawsuit and seeking legal help to resolve them. While you recover from the trauma and the injuries, the negotiation with the insurance company and court trial await you to tackle. Let us understand how an experienced car accident attorney in Houston helps you get better results. Here is the following 10-step guide to help you gain a better understanding of what to expect from a personal injury lawsuit
Step 1. Preliminary Investigation
If you sustain serious injuries in a car accident, first responders will likely come to your aid and take you to the nearest medical facility for emergency care. However, seeking medical attention is important even with minor injuries, such as small cuts and bruises. Avoid the mistake of thinking your injuries will heal without treatment. Play it safe and visit a doctor.
Conduct a preliminary investigation to preserve evidence. Photograph the crash scene, including road debris, tire marks, and signs. Record witness names and numbers and obtain traffic and video surveillance from highway cameras and local businesses.
Step 2. Medical Treatment For Injuries
Receiving appropriate medical treatment after a motor vehicle accident is crucial. It may be the most essential step in restoring your life to normal.
When visiting the doctor, describe your symptoms clearly and accurately, avoiding exaggeration. Doing so will enable your doctor to suggest the most effective treatment. This approach will facilitate a quicker recovery and ensure your comfort along the way.
Adhere to your prescribed treatment; it will help you recover. Additionally, your medical records serve as the most reliable means of documenting and verifying the nature and severity of your injuries. This ongoing verification will significantly enhance your chances in court if you decide to file a personal injury claim later.
Step 3. Submit A Claim To Your Insurance Company
Notify your insurance provider of the car accident immediately, as they can assist with repairs or compensation based on your policy’s collision coverage. They will pursue reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurer. Failing to notify them means you’ll pay all expenses yourself and negotiate settlement terms for your claim with the at-fault driver’s insurer, which can take months.
The at-fault driver’s insurer might contact you for a recorded statement, press you to accept a small payment for your “inconvenience,” and sign a release.
Signing a release for quick cash won’t benefit you! Your injuries may be more severe than expected. Reopening your personal injury claim is unlikely once you sign the insurance company’s release.
Step 4. First Meeting With A Car Accident Lawyer
Consider that insurance companies have teams of legal advisers and adjusters who will start reviewing your personal injury claim immediately after the accident. Therefore, you must hire a board-certified, experienced car accident attorney in Houston to level the playing field.
Step 5. Medical And Liability Investigation
Once your attorney is involved, they will review your medical reports and history to assess the severity of the physical, mental, and psychological injuries you have suffered due to the motor vehicle accident. This will subsequently aid you in determining a fair value of what you are owed.
Step 6. Settlement Demand
Once your injuries are healed, they will demand a settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This will outline the details of the car accident and medical treatment, facilitating your settlement negotiations.
Your car accident attorney Houston may exchange several proposals and counter-offers during negotiations before reaching a final settlement.
Step 7. Case Settles, Or A Lawsuit Is Filed
Once the at-fault driver’s insurer makes its final settlement offer, you must decide whether to settle out of court or proceed with a lawsuit. You won’t make a wrong choice with legal guidance on the fairness of the offer. Ultimately, the decision is yours.
Step 8. Discovery
Filing a lawsuit initiates the discovery phase, during which both sides (you and your attorney and the other driver and their attorney) share evidence, documents, and reports.
The discovery phase may include written questions, medical records, wage loss documents, photos of the accident scene, and depositions. Once this information exchange concludes, the court may order mediation before the trial begins.
Step 9. Mediation
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution where a neutral third party (mediator) facilitates dialog to reach a mutual settlement outside the court.
In most personal injury mediations, you and your car accident attorney Houston will be in one room, and the opposing party’s attorney will be in another. The mediator will move between the rooms so both parties can explain their views and proposals. The mediator will then try to find a middle ground acceptable to both parties.
Step 10. Trial
If mediation fails, a jury will hear the case and decide if the defendant was negligent and the plaintiff was less than 51% at fault. If so, the plaintiff will be awarded damages reduced by their percentage of fault.
