Auto Accident Advice From An Houston Personal Injury Attorney
When a serious auto accident occurs, the injuries may be devastating
. Death, permanent brain damage, permanent disfigurement, loss of limbs and paralysis are all potential consequences of a car accident. Whenever an accident occurs, whether your injuries are serious or more minor, you have legal rights. To make sure you protect those legal rights, consider this auto accident advice from a Houston Personal Injury Attorney.1) Contact the police
When someone is responsible for causing a car accident, a Houston personal injury attorney can help you to sue that person for damages or to make an out-of-court claim against that person to collect compensation. However, you will need to have evidence showing that the other party really was responsible in order to prevail and be compensated in a settlement or court action.
If you do not have a report of the accident from the police, it may come down to your word against the word of the other driver. This could mean that you end up with nothing if the insurer won't settle and the court doesn't believe your story. With a police report detailing what happened and how the other driver was at fault, you have a much better chance of being successful at getting damages.
2) Get medical help
Even if you think you are fine after an accident, you should be checked out thoroughly by a doctor. Some injuries, including brain injury, internal bleeding or damage to the soft tissue and muscle of the body, do not become apparent right away or may not be visible to the untrained eye. It is important to get checked out not only to secure your health in case something is wrong that you aren't aware of, but also to make sure you can prove that the injuries are linked to the accident.
3) Speak to witnesses at the scene and get their contact information
If your case comes down to your word against the word of the other driver, having witnesses to testify as to what really happened can be invaluable. When an impartial third party witness testifies that the accident happened as you said it did, this gives you important evidence to prove the defendant's liability if you sue. If the insurance company knows that there are witnesses, however, they may be inclined to offer you a more fair settlement and the case may never need to go to trial.
4) Contact a Houston personal injury attorney right away
There are time limits for filing your personal injury claim after an accident and if you miss the deadline, the statute of limitations may expire and your claim may be "timed-barred." This would mean that even if you had a clear and legitimate claim against the person who caused your accident, you would not be able to bring that claim under the law.
Getting Help
By following these simple tips, you are well-on your way to protecting your legal rights. Your Houston personal injury attorney will guide you throughout every step of the personal injury action to help make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
by: Jason M. Byrd