There is no doubt that Texas roads and drivers are among the most accident-prone in the country. Far too often, vehicles crash into each other, with one or more passengers or drivers ending up seriously hurt as a result. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in 2017, 3,721 people were killed on Texas roads, while 17,546 people suffered what were described as serious injuries.
That means more that more than 20,000 people were either killed in a car crash or suffered serious injury as a result of a car accident on Texas roads.
If you or a family member is one of that number, then you’re likely facing very costly medical bills, and have questions about how you can recover an auto accident settlement that will protect you now and for the future.
If the crash you were in and the resulting injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and other damages you suffered through a car accident settlement.
Contact an Austin car accident lawyer to help you navigate the legal process and secure the compensation you deserve.
How We Calculate the Best Possible Settlement for Your Case
While the average car accident settlement can be calculated, that amount would not be a fair way for you to determine how much compensation you should expect for your injuries. Rather, car accident injury settlement amounts are determined by a number of factors, which are different in every case. The three main factors the Austin personal injury lawyers at FVF Law will evaluate when helping you understand what you should expect include:
- Who caused the car accident? Like most personal injury cases, the law requires you to prove someone else caused the auto accident, making them legally liable to compensate you for your losses. Common examples of driver negligence include speeding, failing to yield the right of way, driver inattention, and drunk driving. In some car accident cases, legal liability is clear and accepted by the other driver’s insurance company. In others, liability is disputed, so a deeper investigation must be conducted to prove what happened and who was at fault. Also, if you can show there was some reckless conduct involved, like driver intoxication or texting while driving, this could increase your car accident settlement.
- How bad are the injuries? As a general rule, the more serious the injuries, the larger the average auto accident settlement. This is because more serious injuries generally result in larger harms and losses that require more compensation. These harms and losses include financial losses, like medical bills and lost wages, as well as quality of life losses, like pain and physical impairment. To maximize your car accident injury settlement, you have to prove these losses, which takes time, energy, and money. More serious cases typically require the help of experts, such as surgeons and economists. When you can prove a large loss, you are more likely to have a large auto accident settlement.
- How much money is there to recover? Just because someone is legally liable, and your car accident injuries are serious, does not mean you will receive a large car accident settlement. Instead, you have to find out where the money will come from to pay your compensation. Sometimes this is clear, such as when the person who caused the crash was working for a large company when they caused the car wreck. Other times, though, there just are not deep enough pockets to allow the type of auto accident settlement you deserve. For example, Texas only requires drivers to carry $30,000 in insurance to pay for the injuries they cause. This is not nearly enough to compensate someone who is seriously hurt or killed in a car wreck. So, working to identify all available sources of recovery is a very important factor in learning what kind of car accident injury settlement you deserve.
It is important to have an understanding of all three factors before you consider settling your case with an insurance company. It is common for insurance companies to try to convince you to settle your car accident case as soon as possible before you’ve had the chance to fully evaluate the liability, damages, and recovery sources. This is because they want to pay you as little as possible to get you to release your claims. Failing to talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer before entering into a car accident settlement can cost you tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Let FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers help before you jeopardize your rights.
How FVF Law Firm – Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers Determines the Best Car Accident Settlement Amount
FVF Law has helped hundreds of clients put their lives back together after an accident. We understand you want a great car accident settlement and we help by putting together a strategy in each case to maximize how much a client will receive in their own settlement. This involves helping the client get the medical care they need in order to fully understand the short- and long-term consequences of their injuries.
The injury lawyers at FVF Law will also investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and prove who was responsible for causing the wreck. We will also dig to find all available sources of recovery so that full compensation can be recovered, if possible.
Once we have that information, we will determine what needs to be done to put as much pressure as possible on the insurance companies so they pay up. Otherwise, we will take the case to a jury trial.
Our lawyers have handled thousands of car accident cases, including some that were minor and some that were catastrophic or fatal. With this experience, we know how to help our clients make the decisions that will help them secure the best car accident settlement for their injuries. We also specialize in handling truck accident cases, which often involve more severe injuries and complex legal issues due to the size and nature of commercial vehicles. In this case, our Austin truck accident lawyer is here to help and serve you in your best interest.
The most important step in helping yourself maximize your settlement is to take the time to talk to a personal injury lawyer that knows how to get the job done.
How Long Do Car Accident Settlements Take in Texas?
The answer to this question varies depending on a variety of factors that are unique to your specific car accident case. Although it is important to move swiftly in the aftermath of a car accident, the process of reaching a settlement could take much longer. Here are some of the factors that affect car accident settlements.
- The cause of the accident. As with any accident, the key to reaching a settlement is proving responsibility. The process by which this happens — called “discovery” — is an investigation by your legal team in which they gather evidence such as witness statements, physical evidence, and more. This process takes time, but it is important so that your lawyer can thoughtfully and thoroughly prove negligence.
- The severity of your injuries. If your injuries sustained in the car accident are severe, it could take much longer to reach a settlement. This is because it takes longer to diagnose, treat, and assess the long-term effects of injuries that are severe. Your legal team will need time to accurately assess your total damages and losses to get you the most compensation possible.
- The compliance and responsiveness of other parties involved. In car accident cases, the timeline of a settlement is often dependent on how responsive and helpful the other party and their representation are. In addition, it will depend on whether or not the other driver was identified and what level of insurance coverage, if any, they have.
- The litigation process and potential for trial. Although most car accident cases do not go to trial, there is a chance your settlement can be delayed in the event all involved parties cannot reach an agreeable settlement. The process of negotiation and the process of trial, should it come to that, can increase the timeline for receiving your settlement.
How FVF Law Navigates You Through the Car Accident Settlement Process in Austin, TX
The car accident lawyers at FVF Law have more than 100 years’ combined experience handling simple and complex personal injury cases. We have developed the skills, tools and financial resources needed to determine the value of your car accident claim in Texas, and to make sure you receive an outstanding recovery.
We will work with you to make sure you are able to do what needs to be done to fully prove the extent of your injuries, such as getting the proper medical care and diagnostic testing.
This is the only way to find out why you are in pain and what you should expect for the future for medical bills and quality of life disruptions. Even if you cannot afford medical care, we will help you understand the options you have to get that care on credit. If your injury is permanent, we will prove what losses you will likely sustain in the future, and work with the right experts who will advocate on your behalf.
We will push your case forward efficiently and effectively, deploying the appropriate resources to make sure everyone who should be held accountable is called to answer. We will not let you get taken advantage of by any insurance company. It is our mission to make sure you get a great car accident settlement while being by your side the entire time.
Your Next Move Is To Hire a Car Accident Lawyer with Experience
You always have the right to sue, whether you have a lawyer or not. You should know that more than 95 percent of car accident settlements are achieved without ever going to court. Of course, the threat of putting a solid case before a jury is usually a critical step in getting an opposing party and their insurance company to come to the table and negotiate, and the car accident lawyers at FVF Law have a strong reputation for winning cases at trial and for getting the best car accident settlements possible under the circumstances.
The process of arriving at a personal injury settlement value is complex. You and the personal injury lawyer representing you can sort through the details of the accident. The insurance company will always be looking out for its own interests and the interests of its client. You will want to have someone on your side who’s doing the same for you. For cases involving fatal accidents, contact an experienced Austin wrongful death attorney to help navigate the legal complexities and ensure you receive the justice and compensation your family deserves.
Contact Our Austin Car Accident Law Firm To Help You With Your Settlement
The skilled and knowledgeable car accident lawyers at FVF Law have had many years of experience handling car accident claims throughout Austin and the state of Texas.
We know how to handle negotiations with insurance companies in a way that gets you the best car accident settlement possible for your situation. To set up a free, confidential, and no-pressure legal consultation regarding your car accident injury claim, call FVF Law.
If you’re not sure which way is up, that’s okay; that’s what our team of legal professionals is here for. While every claim is different, our goal is the same for every case and every client: to listen to our clients and help them get the largest auto accident settlement possible.