In 2021, 1 person was injured every 2 minutes and 12 seconds on Texas roads. Sadly, 4,489 people lost their lives due to auto accidents. If you are one of those injured people and the crash wasn’t your fault, a McAllen car accident lawyer can help.
You need to focus on recovering from your injuries while they fight to get you the best compensation settlement possible. Work with the right personal injury lawyers in McAllen, TX, and they will handle everything for you. Let’s take a closer look at eight ways they can help you in your time of need.
1. Free Case Evaluation
If you’ve just been involved in a car accident, it’s normal to be focused on your recovery. Some injuries are severe and may take months of healing and rehabilitation. It’s easy for months to go by and bills to pile up before you think about getting legal help.
It’s good to remember, though, that the statute of limitations for car accident cases in Texas is two years. This means that your lawyer will need to start a lawsuit within two years of the accident occurring.
If you’re not sure whether you have a case, don’t fret about your rights. Schedule a free case evaluation.
During the case evaluation, the lawyer will listen to your account of the accident. If you have documentary evidence, such as police reports, bring them with you. Don’t accept a settlement offer from an insurance company until you have spoken to a personal injury lawyer.
The lawyer will evaluate your case and advise you whether or not you are likely to succeed. If the attorney feels confident that you can win, they may agree to take on your case. The evaluation is free, so you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.
2. Gather Documentary Evidence
When a lawyer in McAllen agrees to take on your case, they believe they can prove that you were not responsible for the crash. To prove that another party was responsible, they will gather documentary evidence. This may include:
- Police reports
- Photographs
- Surveillance camera footage
- Dashcam footage
- Insurance accident reports
They will then analyze all this evidence to find the strongest approach to proving liability.
3. Gather Eyewitness Statements
A good personal injury lawyer in McAllen, Texas, will leave no stone unturned as they search for evidence of liability. This includes interviewing eyewitnesses. They may also speak to the investigating officers to find out exactly what happened.
All of these strands of evidence contribute to a complete picture of what happened. This gives you the best chance of achieving the compensation you deserve.
4. Communicate with Insurance Companies
For many people, the stress of dealing with insurance companies while recovering is overwhelming. McAllen personal injury lawyers can take that stress away from you.
They’ll handle all communication with the insurance company themselves. You will have little to no contact with them.
5. Build a Case for Damages
Part of proving liability is proving that the other party’s actions caused you a compensable loss. This means that they did something that caused you to lose out either financially or in terms of pain and suffering. A McAllen car accident lawyer will examine evidence of the economic effect of the crash.
This will include the following:
- Property damage
- Medical expenses
- Caretaker support (if applicable)
- Drugs and therapies
- Medical devices and equipment
- Future medical expenses
- Lost earnings
- Loss of earning potential or business opportunities
It’s your lawyer’s job to analyze these losses and prove the other party is liable for them.
6. Calculate a Fair Settlement
Personal injury lawyers in McAllen, TX, will take all the evidence they have gathered into account to calculate a fair settlement figure. The goal is to compensate you for the economic losses you have already suffered and future expenses caused by the accident.
They will also take into account the non-economic impact of your accident, including:
- Physical pain
- Emotional anguish
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
If your accident has caused catastrophic injuries, you may feel its effects for the rest of your life. If it has affected your ability to have an intimate relationship with your spouse or to take care of your family, your lawyer may pursue damages for loss of consortium.
7. Negotiate with Insurance Companies
Until you have a car accident, you may think that insurance companies are there to help you in your time of need. The truth is that they are a business, and they’re looking to pay out as little as possible. They may fight to try to pin the blame on you and offer you a lowball settlement.
Personal injury lawyers in McAllen, TX, have seen and heard it all before. They know how to negotiate the pursue a fair settlement for you. They’ll use their legal knowledge to make the strongest case possible on your behalf.
8. Go to Court
Most personal injury and auto accident claims can be settled without going to court. But if it’s not possible to agree on a fair settlement, your McAllen car accident lawyer will be ready to go to bat for you in court.
In court, a judge or jury will rule on your case. It’s a risk as it’s possible that you’ll walk away with nothing if they do not accept that the other party is liable. If you win, the judge or jury will set the level of compensation the liable party must pay.
Ask your attorney about their trial experience and success rate before you sign up with them.
Arturo Martinez – Your McAllen Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, you need a trusted lawyer on your side.
Arturo Martinez is a McAllen car accident lawyer with decades of experience in the legal profession. His background as an insurance adjuster, insurance defense lawyer, and municipal judge makes him well-placed to help you with your case.
Call the Law Office of Arturo Martinez, PC, at (956) 781-6203 or reach out online today!
