A car accident may take a huge toll on your life in more ways than one. Not only might you need urgent medical attention for painful injuries, but you may also have to pay steep costs for things like hospital bills and vehicle damage. Fortunately, you may take legal action to get financial compensation from the at-fault driver, and a lawyer should help you.
After a car accident, you should first call for help. While waiting for the police and an ambulance to arrive, exchange information with the other driver, and try to document the scene. Call an attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney can help you sue for damages if necessary. Alternatively, they can assist you in filing insurance claims to cover your damages. We may need to prove how the other driver is at fault. Witnesses, photos from the scene, security camera footage, and more may all be helpful.
Obtain a private, free case assessment by calling our car accident attorneys at Cap City Injury Attorneys at (512) 612-3110.
What to Do Following a Vehicle Accident
The aftermath of a car accident can be difficult to navigate. You might be in pain, frightened, and unsure of what to do next. Taking the following steps can help you get emergency assistance and protect your legal rights.
Your very first step after an accident is to get help. If you have a phone, call 911 and have the police sent to the scene right away. If you or others have severe injuries, an ambulance should also be dispatched.
While you wait for help to arrive, you should try to exit your car if you can do so safely. Exchange information with the other driver and get the names of anyone who might have stopped to help. You need the other driver’s information to file an insurance claim or lawsuit, and getting the names of potential witnesses may prove useful to your case.
Once you get treated for your injuries, you should call a lawyer and ask about how you can get fair financial compensation. Your lawyer should review your case and advise you of all your legal options.
Should I Sue for a Car Accident in Round Rock, TX?
Whether you should sue another driver for a car accident depends on your situation. For some, a lawsuit is a good idea and may get them the compensation they deserve. For others, different legal options might be more suitable for their case.
Many people file insurance claims and find their damages are sufficiently covered. If this is the case, a lawsuit might not be necessary for you. Our car accident lawyers can help you file a third-party claim with the other driver’s insurance. If they do not have insurance, you might have uninsured motorist coverage. In either case, we need to prove that the other driver is at fault.
We should also think about whether the defendant can even pay for your damages in a lawsuit. Their insurance might not help them, or they might not have any insurance, forcing them to pay out of pocket. Suing an insolvent defendant might be a fruitless endeavor.
Talk to your attorney about whether filing a lawsuit is the best idea or if other legal options are better suited to satisfy your needs.
Insurance Options After a Car Accident in Round Rock, TX
Before deciding to sue, you should review your insurance options with an attorney. Drivers are often surprised to learn just how many insurance options they have.
Texas auto insurance is a fault-based system where a driver may file third-party claims against another driver’s liability insurance. When they do, they must prove that the other driver is directly responsible for the accident.
However, there are numerous optional insurance policies that you may take advantage of. For example, Texas gives drivers the option of purchasing no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. This policy would cover medical bills, a portion of lost wages, and a few other non-medical expenses. If you file a PIP claim, you do not have to prove fault, and you may be covered if you are at fault for the accident.
If the other driver is uninsured or your damages exceed their policy limits, you may turn to your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Again, this is an optional insurance policy, but it may be useful in certain cases.
How to Prove Fault in a Car Accident Case
To prove how the other driver caused the accident, we need as much evidence as we can find. While much evidence may come straight from the accident scene, we might find other helpful evidence elsewhere.
Witnesses are often a crucial form of evidence in car accident cases. Other drivers, passengers, or people who stopped to help may testify about what they saw. Your own testimony may also be extremely important, as you were directly involved in the accident.
Video footage of the accident may be just what we need. Depending on where your accident happened, we might find nearby homes or businesses with security cameras that recorded the accident. Alternatively, you or other drivers might have had dashcams that recorded the crash.
Medical records may help us prove injuries and the costs of medical care. Remember, we must have evidence of your damages in addition to evidence of the defendant’s negligent behavior.
Recoverable Damages in a Vehicle Accident Case
After the accident, we must keep track of your injuries, expenses, and other losses. These will form the basis of your damages and financial compensation. If anything is mistakenly left out of the case, it might not be included later, and you could miss out on valuable compensation.
Your medical expenses may be a major factor in your damages, as medical care is often expensive. Even minor injuries might require costly treatment. If your injuries are more severe, your medical costs might be astronomical.
Your injuries might leave you unable to work, at least for a while. In that case, we should determine how much income you have lost and will continue to lose because of your injuries. In addition to lost income, we can help you claim the value of vehicle repairs or a replacement vehicle if yours was totaled.
Car accidents often lead to much pain and suffering for injured victims. Your physical pain from your injuries, mental anguish, trauma, and any loss of enjoyment or quality of your life may lead to substantial compensation.
Receive Legal Help by Calling Our Round Rock, TX Car Accident Lawyers
Obtain a private, free case assessment by calling our car accident attorneys at Cap City Injury Attorneys at (512) 612-3110.