After a car crash, you might be wondering whether you should hire a Houston car accident lawyer or not. This is an important question and you should think about it carefully. While every case is different, there are some things to consider before hiring a lawyer. In this article, we’ll describe some situations where you may not need a lawyer, as well as situations where it can help your case.
Why Hire a Houston Car Accident Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer for your car accident case can be helpful in many ways. For instance, your accident attorney takes care of a lot of the legwork in your case for you. After a car crash, your attorney can help gather evidence for your claim, from finding video footage from nearby cameras to getting witness statements. This can be time-consuming to do on your own, and many people lack the experience necessary to know where to look for car accident evidence.
In addition, having an attorney on your side may help you get more compensation for your case. For one, lawyers are often seasoned negotiators. They can make discussions with the insurance go smoother and may help negotiations lean toward your favor. Also, your Houston car accident lawyer can help you understand the value of your claim, which is often much more than many people realize. Therefore, there are many reasons why you should hire a lawyer for your car accident case.
Do You Always Need a Houston Car Accident Lawyer After a Crash?
Now, does that mean you should always hire an attorney after a car accident? Not necessarily. In some cases, you don’t really need a personal injury lawyer. A reputable attorney will tell you when they think hiring a lawyer might be overkill for your case. Here are some common reasons you might not need an attorney after a car accident:
No Injuries after a Car Accident
After a car accident, the first thing you should do is check for injuries. If no one was injured, then you may not need an attorney. Typically adjusters simply pay out the amount needed to fix any property damage to your car. Sometimes they may ask you to get a couple of quotes for the repairs, but for the most part it’s typically a cut-and-dry situation. Therefore, you may not need a Houston car accident lawyer in these instances.
However, it’s important to be cautious. Even if you think you’re not injured, many injuries can appear in the hours, days, and even weeks after a crash. You should seek medical care after an accident to see if you might be suffering from any “hidden” injuries. Also, keep in mind that even seemingly minor injuries can end up costing a lot in the long-run, from medical expenses to lost wages. Remember, as claim value increases, typically the harder the insurance company will fight to pay you less. Therefore, you may need an attorney even if you think you’re not seriously hurt.
You Were At Fault for the Accident
If you were at fault for the accident, then typically you can’t file a claim against the other person’s insurance. This is because in Texas, anyone who is more than 50% at fault for a car accident, then you can’t recover any damages. Now, you might need a lawyer to defend you if the victim of the car accident files a lawsuit against you, but typically your insurance company hires that lawyer on your behalf. In any case, our law office only represents personal injury victims.
When to Hire a Houston Car Accident Lawyer
There are many situations where hiring a Houston car accident lawyer may help with your case. Here are some common reasons to call a lawyer after a car accident:
Call a Houston Car Accident Lawyer if You Were Injured in a Car Accident
Generally speaking, you should call car accident lawyers in Houston, TX if you were injured in a car accident. Injuries can complicate your case in many ways. Therefore, it may help to have an attorney on your side.
Injuries typically increase the damages involved in a car accident case, which often makes insurance companies fight hard to pay you less than your claim is worth. Also, there may be many types of damages, like medical expenses, lost wages due to your injuries, as well as non-economic damages like pain and suffering from your injuries. It may help to have a legal professional on your side to build a strong case against the at-fault driver if you were injured in a car accident.
Talk to a Lawyer if Fault is in Question
In a perfect world, it would be easy to tell who was at fault for the accident and the driver and insurance company would simply take responsibility for your damages and injuries. Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case. For one, there may be many factors affecting fault in your case. You may even share some portion of the fault. Also, many insurance adjusters will try to say that you were primarily at fault for the accident to try to avoid paying your claim.
A Houston car accident lawyer can help defend you against these issues for your case. Your attorney can help gather evidence to show that the other driver is at fault and work with the insurance adjuster to get them to admit their driver caused the accident. Your attorney offers deep knowledge of traffic and personal injury laws as well as experience dealing with insurance adjusters to help you get a fair settlement for your case.
Consider Hiring an Attorney When the Insurance Adjuster Is Being Difficult
Many insurance adjusters use a variety of tactics to try to pay you less for your claim. If the other driver’s insurance company is being difficult, you may need a lawyer to help you negotiate your claim. Your attorney can use legal and negotiation experience to fight for your case and play hardball when needed with shady insurance adjusters.
Consider a Free Consultation from Your Car Accident Lawyers in Houston, TX
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to decide right away to hire a lawyer. Many attorneys, including The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III, offer a free initial consultation. Since every case is different, it helps to be able to talk about your situation with a legal professional to help you decide not only whether to hire a Houston car accident lawyer for your case, but which attorney to hire. During a free case evaluation, you can tell your story and get some perspective from a personal injury lawyer near you for your specific case. So, even if you don’t think you need an attorney, it doesn’t hurt to schedule a consultation or two.
Experienced Personal Injury Legal Services from The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III PC
For an experienced car accident lawyer in Houston, choose The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III PC. We offer experienced legal services for a wide range of personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, and workplace accidents to help you get fair compensation. Mr. Horowitz is a board-certified personal injury attorney in Texas offering a strong track record of success for our clients. Contact us now for a free legal consultation!