Houston Car Accident Lawyer

Overview Of Downtown Houston Texas

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident caused by another driver in Houston, Texas, don’t risk being denied compensation you need to cover your medical bills and other expenses. The Houston personal injury attorney at Tate Law Offices, P.C., can take on the burden of fighting insurers on your behalf.

We can help you seek just compensation and get your life back on track. We have many years of experience pursuing top dollar settlements for car accident victims.

Call us in Houston or  your local office or reach us online today to speak with an experienced:

When you contact us, you will receive a free case evaluation, and you won’t need to pay any fees until after we win your case.

Why Hire an Attorney for a Houston Car Accident Claim?

If you are dealing with serious injuries from a car accident caused by someone else, from trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, or bicycles, it is crucial to discuss your legal options with a knowledgeable Houston injury lawyer. Insurers take advantage of people who do not have legal representation. They try to pay out as little as possible in claims.

Houston car accident attorneys at Tate Law Offices, P.C., work only for car crash victims, never for insurance companies. The services we can provide after a car accident include:

  • Providing a free initial consultation to review your accident, seriously injuries and legal options, with no further obligation from you.
  • Helping you get referrals to medical specialists in the Houston area if you need additional care.
  • Investigating your car accident and injuries to develop evidence that supports your claim for compensation.
  • Consulting experts we regularly work with in accident reconstruction, medical care, life-care and financial planning to ensure your expenses and losses are fully documented.
  • Handling all paperwork and other communications necessary to file insurance claims.
  • Aggressively negotiating with insurers.
  • Filing a personal injury lawsuit, and taking your case to trial.

As a client of Tate Law Offices, P.C., you will have the full support of our firm. We will keep you updated as your case progresses. Even after your case is completed, you will have our counsel and support when you need it.

We know how important the outcome of your car accident claim is to you. It matters to us, too. We are selective about the cases we accept so we can devote the full resources of our law firm to each client.  Our clients’ welfare is something we take seriously. Please see “Our 10 Promises to You” to learn more.

Call A Houston Car Accident Lawyer After A Wreck

After a car accident, the injured look to insurance to provide money for medical bills, property damage, and other losses. When someone else causes an accident, the at-fault individual or business may be legally liable to those who have suffered harm.

If the other driver or their insurer denies responsibility for a car accident, you may have to take legal action to pursue justice. You may be required to present evidence that the other driver was at fault, and to document your losses.

Our attorneys and investigators at Tate Law Offices, P.C., can gather evidence to support your accident claim, and work to compel insurers to make a proper payment to you.

Common Car Accident Causes in Houston

In most cases, we work to demonstrate that a party other than you, such as the other driver, caused the accident. The other driver may have been ticketed or arrested for the car accident that seriously injured you. In other cases, our investigation reveals what really happened.

Typical causes of car accidents we investigate in the Houston area include:

  • Distracted driving – Texting or talking on a cell phone, interacting with passengers or pets, eating and drinking, reading a map, or engaging in any activity other than operating the vehicle is considered distracted driving.
  • Drowsy driving – Driving while fatigued or drowsy can lead to falling asleep at the wheel. We investigate the possibility that drowsy driving was a contributing factor in accidents that involve long-distance truck drivers, business travelers, and students who also work.
  • Impaired driving – Drunk driving causes many preventable injuries and fatal injuries. Drunk driving involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) beyond the legal limit of 0.08 percent. Drivers may also be impaired by prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs.
  • Speeding – Speeding, or driving faster than the posted speed limit or too fast for conditions, is a factor in many accidents.
  • Aggressive driving – Running or jumping red lights, failing to yield, following too closely (tailgating), frequent lane changes, and dangerous passing are considered aggressive driving.

Sometimes there is more to an accident than negligence on the part of the other driver. Other forms of negligence may cause or contribute to a car accident. They include:

  • Manufacturing or design defect – When the failure of a car part or component (tires, brakes, steering column) is faulted in a crash, we investigate whether the manufacturer sold a product that had a design or manufacturing defect.
  • Dangerous road conditions – A road that has fallen into disrepair, a highway work zone set up incorrectly, malfunctioning traffic signals, or other dangerous road conditions can cause crashes. In such cases, a local government and/or its contractors may be held responsible.

Common Injuries Our Houston Car Accident Lawyer Sees

The costs of medical treatment for serious injuries you have suffered will be a significant factor in a car accident claim. Among the serious injuries we see in car crashes are:

  • Back injuries, including herniated or bulging discs
  • Internal organ injuries
  • Fractures (broken arms, legs, ribs)

The claim should reflect the cost of all medical care, from emergency care to hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing care and assistance in cases of catastrophic injury or disability.

We will document your injuries and prognosis for recovery, as well as your lost work time and other evidence of the impact the crash has had on your life. We will consult medical and financial experts to estimate your future costs and losses related to your injuries.

Houston Car Accident Attorney: Filing Insurance Claims

Once our attorneys establish what party is responsible for the car accident, we work to identify the insurance coverage available to provide compensation.

Our objective is to obtain the maximum compensation available to you as quickly as possible. In most cases, we can negotiate a proper settlement based on the evidence we have compiled.

When an insurance company will not agree to an appropriate settlement, we file a personal injury lawsuit asking the court to order payment.

As a lawsuit proceeds, we will continue negotiating aggressively with insurers, but will be ready to present your case in court.

Houston Car Accident Settlement Process

Once we have a settlement or jury verdict in your favor, you will receive a check. We will disburse compensation to pay your medical expenses and other accident-related bills. Our legal fees and case costs also come out of the overall amount.

Please see our Case Results for examples of claims in which our clients have taken home substantial amounts of money after all their bills and legal expenses were paid.

Tate Law Offices, P.C., does not charge legal fees or case costs unless we recover compensation in a car accident case. We do not proceed with cases unless we are confident we can recover enough to make our client whole financially while paying our expenses.

How Much To Expect From A Car Accident Settlement In Houston

After a successful car accident claim, you should have no outstanding bills from your accident. You should also have enough money to ensure a stable financial future.

Our goal is to maximize the value of any car accident claim we file for you.

A personal injury claim in Texas may seek compensation for:

  • Car rental and car repair or replacement
  • Present and future medical expenses
  • Past income losses and future losses due to diminished earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Disfigurement
  • Loss of consortium and loss of services
  • Emotional distress

If an at-fault individual or business was either grossly negligent or engaged in willful conduct that caused the accident, we also may seek punitive damages, which are meant to punish and deter such behavior.

Please see our section on wrongful death and survival damages for information about claims in fatal car accidents.

Almost all compensation in car accident claims comes from the defendant’s insurance coverage. The amount of money you recover may depend on the amount of insurance available in your case.

We will search for all insurance held by the defendant(s) in your case and analyze it to determine how it may be applied to your claim. Insurance coverage usually applied to car accident cases includes:

  • The at-fault driver’s auto liability – Auto liability insurance compensates others in crashes the policyholder causes. Drivers in Texas are required to maintain minimum levels of liability insurance, which are:
    • $30,000 for bodily injury per person
    • $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
    • $25,000 for property damage per accident.
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage – This is optional insurance coverage in Texas. UM/UIM coverage pays the policyholder if another driver causes a crash but lacks insurance, or has too little coverage to cover your losses. Your UM policy also covers losses caused by a hit-and-run driver who fled the scene or if hit by an unlicensed driver. If you have UM/UIM coverage, we can file a claim against it.
  • Business Liability, Umbrella / Excess, PIP, Med Pay policies – Other coverage that may be applied to your claim includes business liability insurance or company vehicle insurance if the driver who caused the crash was acting in the course and scope of his or her job when the crash occurred. It may be that at-fault driver has umbrella or excess coverage that supplements their liability coverage. You may have additional insurance that may be applied to your accident, such as collision or comprehensive coverage, personal injury protection (PIP) or health care coverage.

Regardless of the type of insurance involved in a claim, you can expect the insurance company to fight to pay out as little as possible. However, the skilled and experienced lawyers of Tate Law Offices, P.C., understand the nuances of dealing with auto insurance policies and will press insurers hard to pay the maximum amount available.

5 Steps To Protect Your Houston Car Accident Claim

All Tate Law Offices, P.C., car accident claims begin with a free, no-strings-attached consultation. As you prepare to meet with one of our Houston car accident lawyers, there are five steps to take to protect your rights to compensation:

  • Get medical care – If you have not yet seen a doctor, do so as soon as possible. There are several serious injuries common to car crashes that may have delayed symptoms. Seeing a doctor documents your injuries in case you have a claim. Keep all of your medical bills and receipts, and any other record of your accident and injuries, and their costs.
  • Document vehicle damage – If you still have your damaged car, take photos of the damage. If it has been towed, let us know so we can help you to get photos.
  • Get contact information for witnesses – Write down the names, phone numbers, and email addresses for anyone who witnessed the accident, including your passengers.
  • Stay away from the insurance company — Many sources say to report an accident to your insurance company right away. We disagree. Insurance companies often record phone calls and use what accident victims say to deny them compensation. Instead, it is best to let a car accident attorney take care of all insurance company communications for you. We can report your accident and deal directly with insurance adjusters. If any insurance company contacts you, you can refer them to your attorney, and leave it to us.
  • Contact Tate Law Offices ASAP – The sooner we begin work on your case, the better. We can secure important evidence before it degrades or otherwise disappears. We can also advise you about your rights and what to expect as a claim progresses. Remember, our initial consultations are free, and we never charge a legal fee until we obtain money for you.

Contact Our Houston Car Accident Lawyer Today!

Don’t delay in contacting a Houston personal injury attorney if you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident in Houston, Texas. You have only a limited amount of time in Texas to file a personal injury lawsuit. insurance companies will drag their feet to delay high-value clams. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an auto accident in Harris County, call or reach us online today for a free consultation.

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