If you have been injured in a car accident in Houston, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. Car accident victims have clear legal rights under Texas law, and the insurance companies have a legal obligation to pay what they owe.
However, asserting your legal rights and holding the driver and his or her insurance company accountable isn’t easy. There are several steps involved in filing a successful claim, including many steps that require experienced legal representation.
Patrick Daniel Law is Strategic, Meticulous, and Merciless in protecting your legal rights if you were injured in a car accident in Houston. Call (713) 999-6666 today for a free case review.
1. Collect as Much Evidence as Possible
While you are at the scene of the accident, you should try to collect any and all evidence that you can. This includes documenting the following:
- The damage to your vehicle
- The damage to the other driver’s vehicle
- The area surrounding the scene of the accident
- Traffic signs and signals
- Weather and road conditions
Ultimately, there is no such thing as too much evidence when it comes to a car accident claim. It is in your best interest to take a lot of photos and video footage of anything that can help prove who caused the crash.
2. Get the Other Driver’s Information
Before leaving the scene, you will also need to obtain information from the other driver(s) involved in the crash. This includes:
- The driver’s name and contact information
- Insurance information for the driver and the owner of the vehicle (if the driver doesn’t own the vehicle involved in the accident)
- Details about the vehicle, including the year, make, and model
- The license plate number on the vehicle
If multiple vehicles were involved in the accident, you should get all of the information above from each driver.
3. Get a Copy of the Police Report
Any time you are involved in a car accident involving property damage and/or physical injuries, you should call 911 from the scene (unless someone else calls before you do). Wait for the police to arrive and provide a statement to the officer.
The Houston Police Department says to allow 5 to 8 days for the processing of an accident report. You should request a copy of the report as soon as possible and review it for accuracy.
4. See a Doctor
Once you leave the accident scene, your first priority should be to obtain medical treatment for your injuries. See a doctor promptly or go to the emergency room if necessary.
5. Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
When you have a car accident claim, following your doctor’s advice is important for protecting your health and your legal rights. Fill your prescriptions, rest as instructed, take care of your injuries, and make sure to keep any and all appointments with doctors and other medical professionals involved in your care.
6. Write Down Everything You Remember
If you decide to hire a car accident lawyer, your attorney will rely on you to provide as much information as possible. With this in mind, you should write down everything you remember about the accident. The more details you can write down and share with your lawyer, the better.
7. File an Insurance Claim
Taking notes will also help you with filing an insurance claim. While you need to file a claim to protect your legal rights, you need to be very careful when doing so. Be as accurate and concise as possible, stick strictly to the facts, and don’t say anything the adjuster may be able to construe as admitting fault in the accident.
8. Stay Off of Social Media
Just as you need to be careful about dealing with your insurance company, you also need to be careful about what you say and do online. The best way to avoid mistakes is to stay off of social media altogether. If you post photos or comments the insurance companies can use against you, this could prevent you from recovering the compensation you deserve.
9. Document Your Losses
While you need to be careful about what you post publicly, you should do your best to thoroughly document your accident-related losses. To do this, keep copies of your medical records and bills, keep copies of any documents you receive from your employer, document your pain levels on a scale of 1 to 10 each day, and write down all of the ways your injuries negatively impact your life (i.e., preventing you from doing yardwork or forcing you to miss your children’s games or recitals).
10. Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
Finally, and most importantly, you should speak to an attorney about your case as soon as possible. You will need to hire an experienced lawyer to prove liability, calculate your economic and non-economic damages, help you avoid costly mistakes, and fight for just compensation on your behalf. You can hire a car accident lawyer at no out-of-pocket cost, and you should only incur legal fees if your lawyer helps you recover just compensation.
Injured in a Car Accident in Houston? Patrick Daniel Law Can Help
Attorney Patrick Daniel is committed to protecting the rights of injury victims. He is recognized as one of the nation’s top attorneys in high stakes litigation.
When drivers are negligent behind the wheel, car accidents can lead to serious injuries and death. At Patrick Daniel Law, we are dedicated to pursuing the maximum compensation you deserve in your time of need.
Contact Patrick Daniel Law today for a free case review. Our Houston car accident lawyer serves clients throughout Texas.