Even those who have been involved in minor collisions can benefit from working with an experienced attorney in their case. If you believe another person, business, or entity is responsible for the accident you were involved in, reach out to the team at the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers.
We work with our clients every step of the way to ensure they are taking the best steps to protect themselves. Whether you are dealing with property damage and superficial injuries, or have been seriously injured, our team can help you to maximize your compensation and move forward with your case.
Accidents in Houston and surrounding areas happen everyday. Make sure you are protected when you work with our experienced Houston car accident lawyer, Beverly R. Caruthers. The sooner you reach out to us from the time the accident occurred the better it will be for your case.
Car accident injuries do not always present themselves immediately following an accident, you will want to be seen by a medical professional to ensure you are in stable condition following your motor vehicle accident.
Can My Houston Car Accident Attorney Speak On My Behalf?
Yes, one of the main benefits of working with an attorney is that they are able to speak on your behalf and communicate directly with insurance companies, physicians, and more. Your attorney will most likely take a recorded statement from you for insurance adjusters. If you are required to speak directly to them, your attorney can be present and help you answer any questions you may be asked.
Insurance adjusters are predatory and will actively work against you in order to minimize your car accident claim. It is in the insurance adjusters best interest to pay you as little as possible to protect their company. They will try to find inconsistencies in your account of events, blame you for the accident, and attack your character.
Settlements: The Most Common Outcome in Personal Injury Claims
Overall, 70% of NOLO readers with a personal injury claim received a payout (an out-of-court settlement or an award after a trial). And for nearly that many (67%), the compensation came in the form of a settlement. Very few readers (4%) saw their case go to trial, which is typical in personal injury cases. Trials can be time consuming, expensive, and risky for everyone involved. That’s why insurance adjusters—as well as the lawyers helping injured people—are usually motivated to reach a personal injury settlement.
More than two-thirds of readers received a settlement for their personal injury claims.
How Much Compensation Is Typical in Personal Injury Cases?
More than half of NOLO readers received payouts ranging from just $3,000 to $25,000. But another 26% of readers received over $25,000, making the overall average $52,900. When you’re looking at these results, keep in mind that the readers we surveyed had come to NOLO’s websites to find information about a claim and to look for a lawyer. It may be that those with the most severe injuries (which lead to a higher settlement or award) immediately retained a lawyer and therefore did not participate in our survey.
For more than two-thirds of readers who received payouts, the amounts were between $3,000 and $75,000.
What Affects the Outcome in Personal Injury Claims?
There tend to be general patterns as to how insurance companies value an injury case. You don’t have control over some factors that affect those patterns, including:
Your injuries. Serious injuries result in more medical expenses and significant “pain and suffering” damages—which generally lead to higher payouts.
The defendant’s insurance policy. Obviously, the insurance company won’t offer settlements over the policy limits.
However, our survey results point to several things you can do that significantly affect the likelihood of a successful outcome as well as the amount of compensation you might receive: hiring a lawyer, negotiating settlement (rather than simply taking the first offer), and taking steps to involve the court.
The Advantage of Legal Representation
Nolo’s survey showed that hiring a personal injury lawyer is the most important step you can take to increase your chances of getting compensation for your harm. More than nine out of ten readers who had legal representation received a settlement or award, compared to about half of those who proceeded on their own.
Effect of Lawyer on Personal Injury Outcomes
Legal representation also made a big different in the amount of personal injury payouts. Readers who hired a lawyer walked away with an average of $77,600 in compensation, compared to an average of $17,600 for those who handled their own injury claims.
When we combine the survey results on compensation and attorneys’ fees, it’s clear that NOLO readers who hired lawyers still came out far ahead.
After deducting the average 32% contingency fee reported by our readers, they ended up with net payouts that were nearly three times higher, on average, than what unrepresented readers received. These results aren’t surprising. Lawyers know what it takes to build a solid personal injury claim, gather evidence, and deal with insurance adjusters. Learn more about when you need a personal injury lawyer and how to find the best personal injury lawyer for you and your case.
Effect of Lawyer on Average Personal Injury Compensation
Negotiating Settlement Offers
It may seem obvious that you’ll end up with a higher settlement by negotiating rather than simply accepting the first offer from the other side. This may not be true in every case, but it’s still one of the most effective strategies for getting more money. Most of our readers (70%) held out for a better deal. As a result, they received settlements that were $30,700 higher, on average, compared to those who accepted the insurance company’s first offer. Get tips on negotiating a fair personal injury settlement.
Effect of Negotiation on Average Personal Injury Settlements
Filing or Threatening a Personal Injury Lawsuit
Just over half of our readers settled or otherwise resolved their personal injury claims without filing a personal injury lawsuit or even notifying the other side that they were ready to do that. But readers who did take one of those steps were more likely to receive a settlement or award, and their payouts were almost twice as high as those who didn’t file or threaten lawsuits ($45,500 compared to $23,000).
Even though most personal injury cases settle, and trials are rare, insurance companies are clearly more inclined to make a reasonable settlement offer if you show them that you’re serious by moving ahead toward a lawsuit.
How Long Does It Take to Resolve Personal Injury Claims?
Half of our readers resolved their personal injury claims within two months to a year, while 30% of readers waited over a year for their cases to be resolved. The overall average was 11.4 months. It’s natural to want a quick payout, but a faster resolution doesn’t necessarily mean a better result.
For one thing, it took longer to resolve claims that had a successful outcome—a settlement or court award—than those that didn’t. Also, many of the factors that increased the likelihood of successful outcomes and higher payouts also increased the average time needed to resolve claims, including hiring an attorney, filing or threatening a lawsuit, and negotiating with the insurance company.
Why Choose Attorney Caruthers?
After you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to someone’s reckless or negligent actions, you need an experienced attorney on your side. Houston personal injury attorney, Beverly R. Caruthers has more than three decades of experiencing fighting for justice for her clients.
Our law firm’s efforts have helped secure more than $50 million in settlements for our clients, and have earned our firm national recognition for work in areas such as birth injury law. Whether your life was changed by a terrible accident or the negligence of another, you can trust attorney Caruthers to handle your case with the skill and commitment required in your time of need. Each case she handles gets the same level of dedication and commitment as the next.
Let us help you navigate the legal system in order to get the results you are looking for. Schedule your no-obligation car accident consultation with Attorney Caruthers today. Our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure your needs are being met and that you are getting the treatment you deserve in your car accident case. Don’t hesitate, the sooner you call the more we can do to help your case!
Spanish Speaking Personal Injury Attorney Near Houston
Texas has a large Spanish-speaking population that often does not get the justice they deserve in personal injury cases. At the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers in Houston, our legal team refuses to let a language barrier impact your pursuit to justice and compensation. If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and is in need of Spanish-speaking legal help, our team is here for you.
We make it easy for individuals who have suffered an injury due to a car accidents to navigate the legal system and get the results they need to continue on in their lives. Schedule your no-obligation, no-cost car accident consultation with Attorney Caruthers today. Our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure your needs are being met and that you are getting the treatment you deserve in your car accident case. Don’t delay, the sooner you call the more we can do to get you the results you deserve in your case.
Car Accident Lawyer Near Houston
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury, experienced loss of income, or are unable to work due to a car accident, you can benefit from the services of a Houston car accident expert in your personal injury case. Whether you missed work due to an injury or due to not having access to a vehicle, Attorney Beverly R. Caruthers can help you!
Our team works hard to bring the most efficient and practical solutions to your car accident case. Beverly R. Caruthers proudly serves and defends the Greater Houston area including but not limited to Baytown, Conroe, Crosby, Humble, Huntsville, Lake Jackson, Missouri City, Pasadena, Spring, Tomball.
Caruthers Law Firm
Address: 4141 Southwest Fwy, Suite 400
Houston, TX 77027
(713) 526-9557
View our Website
View our Facebook page
View our Google Listing