If you have been involved in a serious car accident in Texas, you may be feeling overwhelmed, and unsure of what comes next. Legal matters may be the last thing that you want to deal with when you are already coping with injuries from the accident. The good news is that you do not always have to go to court after a car accident in Texas. There are ways to recover and get you the full amount of damages that you are entitled to without ever setting foot in a courtroom, however, the means to this end is also legal in nature.
How to Avoid Court After a Car Accident in Texas
The first step after being involved in a vehicle collision is to contact a Texas personal injury lawyer. Your lawyer will initiate a claim with the liable driver’s insurance company and will handle negotiations with the insurance company’s claims adjuster. Through this process, you may be able to get the compensation that you are entitled to directly from the negligent driver’s insurance company, and without going to court.
It should be noted that the first settlement offer made by insurance companies is higher when the claimant is represented by an attorney. This is because they know that the claimant is in a position to sue and bring the matter to court, so it is more cost effective for the insurance company to offer a higher settlement up front and save on litigation costs. If the insurance company does not offer a fair settlement, your attorney can either appeal the settlement offer or file a personal injury lawsuit against the insurance company.
Note that just because you have filed a lawsuit against the insurance company does not mean that you will have to go to court. In fact, most lawsuits against car insurance companies are settled outside of court. Your lawyer can help handle negotiations, and if avoiding court is important to you, your lawyer can use that information in arriving at a settlement as efficiently as possible.
Your lawyer can also help you to present the strongest claim possible for your damages, by guiding you to get complete and comprehensive documentation of your medical treatment and expenses. They may also instruct you to keep a journal of your pain levels, how the injury affected your daily life, and when you had to miss work due to your injuries. The settlement amount will still include coverage for all economic expenses as well as compensation for pain and suffering, as it would if you went to court. However, instead of a jury of your peers deciding on the amount that you are owed, it will be hashed out between your attorney and the attorney representing the insurance company.
Contact the Law Office of Raul A. Guajardo to Schedule a Consultation
If you have been injured in an Edinburg, Texas car accident, you do not have to navigate the process on your own. Our lawyers are here to help. Contact the Law Office of Raul A. Guajardo today to schedule a consultation and start fighting to get the compensation that you are entitled to.