If you suffered injuries in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you might be able to recover compensation through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. When motorists do not drive safely, they can be held financially accountable for their actions.
In Texas, even if you were up to 50% responsible for the accident, you could still be entitled to a financial award to cover your injuries related to the crash, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001.
A Fort Worth car accident lawyer from Ben Crump Law, PLLC might be able to help you with your case. For a free, no-obligation consultation, call a member of our team as soon as possible at (844) 730-0233.
How a Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
A lawyer is not necessary to get compensation following an accident. You can negotiate with insurance companies by yourself if you want to. However, especially when you are suffering from injuries, a lawyer might ease your mind, knowing that someone is on your side, and your side only.
Gather Evidence
After you hire a lawyer, one of their first steps will be to collect all the evidence they need to determine negligence in your case. This might include looking through your police and medical records. However, it could be as extensive as hiring a crash reconstruction specialist to simulate the crash scene and determine what happened.
Build a Case
After gathering evidence, a lawyer will try to prove the other party’s negligence by building a case to show the following:
- The other party owed it to you to drive safely
- The other party did something negligent while driving
- The other party’s negligent act caused the crash
- The crash caused your injuries and financial loss
This will also help prove your level of negligence in the accident, which will determine the percentage of a settlement you get. For example, if you were 40% responsible, you might only be able to recover 60% of the awards.
Negotiate with the Negligent Party
The next step following building a case will be using it to negotiate a fair settlement with the negligent party or their insurance company.
A lawyer knows how insurance companies operate—they often try to give you a settlement lower than you deserve to protect their own bottom line. If you accept a settlement offer that ends up being lower than you need based on current or future expenses, you typically forfeit your right to suing in the future.
That is why it might be beneficial to speak with a lawyer before accepting an offer. They can evaluate your expenses to see what you should receive from the insurance company ahead of time.
Take Your Case to Trial
While most cases settle outside of court, if the negligent party or their insurance company refuses to give you an adequate settlement, your lawyer can present you with the option of going to court.
In this case, they will argue your case in front of a judge and jury to attempt to get you a financial award. Sometimes, the award from a judgment at trial can be higher than a settlement during negotiations.
For a free legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Fort Worth, call (844) 730-0233
Recoverable Compensation in a Car Accident
The cost of all crashes in 2010 totaled $242 billion, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Many of those crashes involved negligence for which the victims could recover compensation.
While every car accident case is different, and your compensation amount will ultimately depend on your expenses and your level of liability, there are a few common forms of awards you can recover:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Temporary transportation costs
- Car repair or replacement costs
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
This is not a complete list of the compensation you might be entitled to. If you decide to get a lawyer to handle your car accident case, they can give you an estimate of what you might be entitled to. If your case goes to trial, you might also be able to recover punitive damages, which are meant to punish the negligent party in extreme circumstances.
Car accidents are a leading cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If your loved one died in a car accident, you might also be able to recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses.
For a free evaluation of your case, a member of the Ben Crump Law, PLLC team is ready to help. Contact our office today to see if a lawyer can take your case.
Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations in Texas for personal injury cases generally allots two years from the date of the accident to file a claim for compensation, according to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code section 16.003. The statute of limitations is in place in order to ensure that evidence is not destroyed over time.
If you are considering filing a claim for compensation following your accident, it might be in your best interest to act as soon as possible. Your lawyer will need time to gather evidence and build your case.
We understand that this is a difficult time, and it might be tempting to wait until you are fully recovered to attempt to hold the liable party accountable. However, doing this might not leave you enough time. That is why a lawyer can work on your behalf within the statute of limitations while you focus on recovering from your injuries.
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Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC Today
Ben Crump Law, PLLC has recovered millions of dollars for car accident victims across the country, and we want to help you get the compensation you may be entitled to receive.
Our team works on a contingency fee basis. This means we do not take any payment upfront. We only get paid through a percentage of the settlement amount we win for you.
To see how a Fort Worth car accident lawyer can help with your case, call a member of the Ben Crump Law, PLLC team at (844) 730-0233.
Call or text (844) 730-0233 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
