The aftermath of a car accident can be extremely overwhelming. If you were injured in a car accident in Houston, TX, you may be entitled to substantial compensation. An experienced Houston car accident lawyer can help. The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Our lawyers have over 58 years of experience advocating for injury victims like you. Since we started our practice, we’ve recovered over $500 million in settlements and verdicts.
You deserve an experienced Houston car accident attorney in your corner. To learn more about how we can help, contact our law offices in Houston, Texas, at 713-575-1799 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Can The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me Recover Compensation After a Car Accident in Houston?
A serious car wreck can take a serious toll on your life in Houston, TX. That includes both physical and emotional challenges. Unfortunately, your financial security may also be on the line. An experienced Houston personal injury lawyer can handle the legal issues.
At The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve been protecting accident victims like you since 2000. Over the years, we’ve been recognized for our legal skills by prestigious lawyer rating services, including The National Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Our lawyers have been listed among the Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers nine times.
Our team is also led by an attorney who has been Double Board-Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
When you hire us, your Houston car accident lawyer will:
- Listen to your story and conduct a full investigation to find out what happened
- Identify any responsible parties who played a role in the crash
- Work to disprove any allegations that you share fault for the crash
- Bring in leading experts when your case involves complex legal issues
- Negotiate aggressively for the full compensation you deserve
- Take your case to trial if the insurance company refuses a fair offer
Insurance companies don’t just hand over fair settlements. Even when everyone pays their premiums on time, you’ll have to fight for a fair deal. Hiring an experienced Houston personal injury attorney to handle the insurance negotiations can be critical to reaching a fair outcome. Give us a call today to learn more about our legal services.
Why Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer After a Crash in Houston?
A lawyer can make a huge difference when it comes to the outcome of your case. Your lawyer can also simplify and streamline the recovery process.
An experienced lawyer will:
- Understand the legal process and how the insurance company works
- Have access to respected experts and specialists who can testify on your behalf
- Know how to protect against insurance tactics that can delay or undervalue your claim
- Work closely with you to understand how the injury has changed your life
- Handle the paperwork and communications so you can focus on recovering
Experienced attorneys handle personal injury claims every single day. They know the insurance claims process inside and out.
Reputable lawyers also offer free case reviews, so you can find out whether you have a strong case without any obligation or risk.
How Much Compensation Can I Recover By Filing a Car Accident Claim?
Factors that are unique to your case will dictate your case value. All personal injury cases are different. That’s because all accidents and all victims are different, even when some of the facts are similar.
When assessing your case value, a lawyer will consider:
- The severity of your injuries and the types of medical care required
- Whether you will require ongoing medical care after your case is resolved
- The cost of your medical treatment to date
- Your expected future costs for medical care, rehabilitation, assistance, etc.
- How the injury has impacted your earnings during recovery
- Whether the injury will impact your future earnings
- How your injury has impacted your daily life and mental health
- The extent of your physical pain
- Whether you need assistance with daily activities
- Your vehicle repair costs and other property damage
- Whether shared fault will impact your case value
The fact is, without an experienced Houston car accident attorney by your side, you probably don’t know how much your case is worth. You may be focused on your current expenses and fail to consider future costs. Most crash victims have little idea how to translate their non-financial losses into a dollar value.
The insurance company knows that. They also know that experienced attorneys deal with these issues every day. That’s one reason why the insurance company is much less likely to play games with you when you hire a lawyer.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident in Texas?
Under Texas law, the statute of limitations in personal injury cases is two years. You have two years from the date of the action to initiate your lawsuit. Wait any longer, and you lose your right to damages.
It’s always possible that you could have more or less time to take legal action. For example, if you were a child at the time of the accident, the clock doesn’t start running until your 18th birthday. If the defendant is a government agency, you could have much less time to act.
Regardless of the circumstances, we’re here to help you meet the deadline in your case.
What Types of Damages Can I Recover in a Car Accident Lawsuit?
In the state of Texas, compensatory damages can take two forms: economic damages and non-economic damages. In rare cases, punitive damages may be available.
What Types of Economic Damages Can I Recover in Texas?
Economic damages are awarded to compensate for the financial expenses you incur because of the accident and injury.
Examples include:
- Current medical bills, including ER visits, hospitalization, medications, etc.
- Future medical expenses, including follow-up visits and ongoing care
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity and long-term disability
- Nursing care
- In-home assistance
- Rehabilitation
- Vehicle repairs and other property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
The economic damages should put you in the position that you were in prior to the accident.
What Types of Non-Economic Damages Can I Recover in Texas?
Examples of the types of non-economic damages that you may have suffered include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety, depression, or PTSD
- Humiliation
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical disfigurement or scarring
- Loss of consortium
Establishing the value of these non-financial damages can be difficult. Testimony from experts can help the insurance company understand how the injury has changed your life. We may also compare your case to similar situations to make sure you’re getting a fair amount.
When Are Punitive Damages Available in Texas?
Punitive damages punish defendants for intentional wrongdoing or extreme misconduct. To recover punitive damages, there must be strong evidence that the defendant’s acts deserve punishment. Merely proving the defendant was careless is not enough.
For example, punitive damages may be available if you were seriously injured by a drunk driver or in a hit-and-run crash.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Houston?
The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis. Like most personal injury law firms in Texas, we don’t charge up-front fees. We only get paid when we negotiate a settlement or win a jury verdict in your case. When we win, we take a pre-set percentage of that compensation award.
What Happens to My Compensation Award if I’m Partly Responsible for Causing a Car Accident in Houston?
Texas has a modified comparative negligence law. Under Texas law, you can recover compensation if you’re found to be less than 51% responsible for the crash. You lose your right to damages once your fault equals or exceeds 51%.
However, if you’re even slightly responsible, your compensation will be reduced. For example, if the insurance company proves you were 15% liable, your compensation is reduced by 15%.
In serious injury cases, that money can make a huge difference. When the insurance company blames you for causing the crash, it’s even more important to hire a lawyer. Without strong legal representation, you risk letting the insurance company unfairly pin some of the blame on you.
Will My Car Accident Case Go to Trial?
Most personal injury claims are resolved during insurance settlement negotiations. While you’ll start by filing a claim with insurance, the threat of trial should always remain on the table if you are seriously injured. If the insurance company knows that your lawyer is unlikely to win a trial or doesn’t have experience at trial, they’re less likely to settle for a fair amount.
There are some reasons why a trial may become necessary even with a strong lawyer in your corner, including:
- Serious disputes over who is liable for the accident
- Serious disputes about the fair value of your injury claim
- An insurance company that refuses to negotiate in good faith
If a trial does become necessary, our lawyers will file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. The insurance company will join the case as a defendant pursuant to the terms of the insurance policy. This offers another opportunity for the insurance company to settle your case. Most of the time, the insurance company will settle before a trial actually begins.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Houston?
The steps you take after an accident are critical, both to your health and to the strength of any legal claims you may have.
Here are some examples of what you should do after a car crash in Houston:
- Remain at the scene. Under Texas law, you must remain at the scene of an accident. If you leave, you could face criminal charges for hit-and-run.
- Call 911. In Texas, you must call 911 and report any accident that causes injury, death, or property damage that appears to equal $1,000 or more. The operator will send an ambulance to the scene if someone needs emergency medical help. The police officer will also conduct an investigation and create an accident report. That police report can be critical to your case.
- Collect evidence. If possible, take photos and videos of the accident scene. Exchange contact information with witnesses and make sure to take photos of the at-fault driver’s insurance information
- Avoid apologies. You aren’t really sure what caused the accident. While it may seem natural to apologize, the statements you make can hurt your case in the future.
- Don’t talk to insurance adjusters. The insurance adjuster won’t contact you shortly after a crash because they’re concerned about your health. They want you to say something that could hurt your case. They may even get you to admit fault or take a lowball settlement.
- Call an attorney. Your lawyer can start helping with your case from day one, especially if you or a loved one were seriously injured. Once you hire an attorney, you can direct all insurance communications to your attorneys.
Assuming you weren’t rushed to the hospital immediately after the auto accident, seek medical attention. Get to the nearest hospital or see your doctor right away. Not all injuries are obvious, and you could become much worse if you wait too long. Your medical records will also be a key piece of evidence in your personal injury case.
We Handle All Types of Car Accident Claims in Houston
At The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers, our lawyers in Houston have decades of experience handling complex personal injury claims. We have the resources to handle virtually any type of car accident case.
Some examples of our car accident practice areas include:
Distracted Driving Accidents
A total of 95,765 accidents involving distracted drivers were reported across the state of Texas in 2022. 11,496 of those accidents were in Harris County. Distracted driving can involve texting, talking on the phone, or other types of distractions. Ultimately, it happens whenever a driver takes their eyes off the road, takes their hands off the wheel, or lets their mind wander away from the task of driving.
Unfortunately, distracted drivers cause about 262 crashes every single day in Texas. If you were injured and suspect the at-fault driver was distracted, contact our lawyers in Houston today. We know how to help you prove it.
Speeding Accidents
Excessive speeds can make a bad accident worse. The injuries you sustained may have become much more severe because the other driver was speeding. If speeding played a role in your car wreck, call for a free case evaluation today.
Multiple-Vehicle Crashes and Pile-Ups
When a crash involves multiple vehicles, establishing liability can become extremely complicated. Everyone will try to point the finger at someone else. Your lawyer’s skills can make a huge difference to the outcome of your case.
Rear-End Collisions
Rear-end collisions are one of the most common types of car accidents. While many of these crashes are fender-benders, victims often suffer whiplash, facial injuries, and even severe chest injuries. If you were involved in a rear-end crash, proving liability isn’t always cut-and-dry. Contact our experienced accident attorneys for a free case review today.
Other Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
Car wrecks can happen in many different ways.
Our attorneys in Houston also handle the following types of car accident cases:
- Rollovers
- Sideswipe accidents
- Head-on crashes
- T-bone accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Highway accidents
- Accidents involving semi-trucks and 18-wheelers
- Rideshare accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Intersection accidents
- Accidents involving uninsured/underinsured motorists
- Motorcycle accidents
- Hit-and-run accidents
- Accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists
- Fatal car accidents
- Accidents involving commercial vehicles
If you were involved in a car accident in Houston, schedule a free initial consultation to learn more about your legal options today. You may be entitled to significant compensation, and our lawyers are prepared to help you recover every dollar you deserve.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Car Accident Injuries in Texas?
Texas is an at-fault insurance state when it comes to car insurance coverage. To recover damages after a crash, you must prove that someone else caused the accident.
Anyone who shares blame for your car accident can be held liable for the resulting damages.
Responsible parties may include:
- Negligent drivers
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles or defective vehicle parts
- Truck drivers and trucking companies
- Government agencies
- Negligent passengers
- Pedestrians or bicyclists
- Employers of negligent parties who were working when they caused a crash
Most of the time, proving liability boils down to proving negligence. Someone is negligent when they fail to exercise a reasonable amount of caution under the circumstances. That can mean racing through an intersection, texting while driving, or even driving under the influence of drugs.
In legal terms, you must prove:
- The defendant had a legal duty of care
- They breached the duty of care
- The breach of duty was the direct and proximate cause of your accident
- You suffered damages, whether physical, emotional, or financial in nature
The police report will provide valuable details about the crash. However, other types of evidence may be necessary to prove your case. Our lawyers will search for witnesses, video footage, cell phone records, and any other data.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can cause minor injuries or serious and debilitating injuries.
Our lawyers have handled all types of car accident injury cases, including those involving:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Facial injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Degloving injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
If someone close to you has died in a fatal collision, our wrongful death attorneys in Houston can help you fight for justice.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Houston?
Most car accidents in Houston happen because someone was negligent. However, it’s also important to identify the exact cause–or causes–of your accident. That way, you can rest assured that you’re holding all responsible parties financially responsible.
In our experience, some of the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents include:
- Speeding
- Texting while driving
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Racing through an intersection to beat yellow lights
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Aggressive driving
- Unsafe passing
- Illegal lane changes
- Illegal or unsafe turns
- Drunk driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs
- Hazardous road conditions
- Failure to maintain the vehicle
- Defective vehicle safety components
It’s important to identify any factor that directly contributed to the accident and injury. While you’re focused on recovering, our lawyers will conduct a full investigation into the crash. We’ll analyze every available piece of evidence that can be used to prove your case. Just give us a call today to get started.
Statistics on Car Accidents in Houston
According to statistics published by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), 244,092 people were injured in car accidents during 2022. 18,880 people were seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents that year. A total of 4,481 victims were killed in fatal car accidents.
67,386 car crashes occurred in the city of Houston during 2022.
In Houston alone, TxDOT reported:
- 7,621 minor injuries
- 1,563 serious injuries
- 326 car accident fatalities
If you were injured in a traffic accident, you aren’t alone. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your fight for compensation.
Call an Experienced Houston Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Initial Consultation Today
Navigating the insurance claims process can be extremely overwhelming. The insurance company may be asking for information you don’t have. They may already be pressuring you to take a fast settlement. You might not even be sure why the crash happened.
If you’re struggling with painful injuries after a crash, call The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. An experienced Houston car accident lawyer can help you fight for the full compensation you deserve.
