When you have been involved in a car accident in Houston, working with an experienced attorney can help you. Not only can attorneys help to alleviate the stress that comes with speaking to insurance adjusters, it also can help you maximize your compensation. Experienced Houston car accident lawyers know how to navigate cases involving car accident injuries, ensuring they are taking all factors into consideration when filing a claim. Vehicle accidents typically involve property damage, medical bills, loss of wages, and pain and suffering compensation. Insurance companies will try to take advantage of you and pay out the minimum amount when you do not have legal representation.
You Are Not Required to Speak With the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
Let’s quickly answer the question that the title of this article poses: No, you are not legally required to speak with the other insurance company’s representative. Speaking to your own insurance company after a car accident is a different story, however.
Now the question is whether you should speak with the other driver’s insurance company. The answer is less straightforward and will depend on the facts of your accident. Generally speaking, you shouldn’t talk to the other insurance company when there is the potential for anyone involved in the accident (you, the other driver, a passenger) making a claim for serious personal injuries. You also shouldn’t speak with the other driver’s insurer if you have a car accident attorney or adjuster from your own insurance company who can speak on your behalf.
Having said that, in some situations, it may make sense to speak with the other insurance company.
When Is it a Good Idea to Speak with the Other Insurance Company?
It may be a good idea to speak with the other insurance company in the rare instance where the other driver was clearly at fault, but has either refused to speak with, or has lied to, their own insurance company. In that case, the other insurance company may have no idea who was at fault, and will probably not be aware of the extent of your car accident injuries and/or your vehicle damage. In those circumstances, if you don’t speak with the other driver’s car insurance company, it will be a long time before you get a settlement check from the other insurance company, if at all.
Tips When Talking with the Other Driver’s Car Insurance Company
First, always remember that the primary goal of the other driver’s car insurance company is to pay out as little money as possible. The company does not have your interests in mind. It wants to find evidence that you were at fault for the accident, and that your damages or injuries are minor (or nonexistent). So, you shouldn’t tell the insurer that you feel fine or that your injuries are minor. Even if you believe this is the case, some car accident injuries don’t show up right away, and minor injuries can turn out to be much more serious than expected.
Second, anything you say to the other driver’s car insurance company can serve as a basis for refusing to pay you anything, or reducing the value of your claim.
Third, only answer the question asked. Do not volunteer additional information or agree to have your statement recorded, whether it’s over the phone or in writing. The purpose of a recorded or written statement is to lock you into a certain version of events, including the extent of your injuries or property damage. However, what you know or feel can easily change just days after the accident.
Fourth, do not guess or speculate as to what happened. If you don’t know, it’s okay to tell the car insurance company that.
Finally, if you need to provide more than just basic, objective details about the accident (beyond the date of the accident, where it occurred, names of any witnesses or the police officer who prepared the police report), ask to have your own car insurance company’s adjuster on the line during the phone call. Even better, just provide the detailed information to your own car insurance’s company’s adjuster and have your adjuster speak directly with the other driver’s insurer. Getting assistance from your car insurance company’s adjuster may help prevent you from accidentally saying the wrong thing, or saying more than you have to.
Ideally, your attorney or a representative from your own car insurance company will talk to the other driver’s insurer, but this isn’t always possible or practical, especially if it was a very minor accident. So communicating this information will sometimes fall on you. In these situations, you have to be careful what you say.
Providing A Recorded Statement
As stated above, insurance adjusters are not on your side. These professionals are in the business of paying out victims as little money as possible before closing the case and moving on. They will use many different tactics as a way to poke holes in your story and minimize the severity of what you have been through. After an accident your emotions will be high, you may be suffering from extreme physical trauma, and are most likely not in the best headspace to begin talking to insurance companies.
When you work with an attorney, they can speak on your behalf. In most situations they will help you to come up with a clear and concise way to explain the situation you were involved in, record this, and use it in your case. Having a recording is an excellent way to avoid the many pitfalls and traps insurance adjusters will try to put in your path to fair compensation.
Houston Car Accident Attorneys
When you suffer an injury due to careless or negligent actions of another, the problems are not left behind at the scene of an accident. In fact, the collision is just the beginning of a long and often complex process in order to get fair compensations. Injuries from car accidents vary in severity, from minor scrapes and bruises to life-altering conditions, and even death. When you work with an experienced car accident attorney, you are working with someone who is advocating for your needs every step of the way. Your car accident attorney will help you determine how much compensation you deserve, by breaking down a full list of the costs involved. Listed below are some of the areas Attorney Beverly R. Caruthers can help you recover compensation:
Property Loss: Whenever you are involved in a car accident, your vehicle or belongings may become damaged. Your experienced Houston car accident attorney can help you to come up with the cost for the property damage you have suffered in order to come up with the right amount of money for your compensation.
Medical Costs: Medical costs following a car accident can be extreme. Not only are there the initial costs to be transported to a hospital and evaluated, there is treatment, and in many times continued treatment such as therapy. These costs can become overwhelming for victims of car accidents. Instead of trying to get fair compensation on your own, work with the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers.
Loss of Income: For many victims that become injured in a car accident, their injuries will prevent them from going to work either short-term or long-term, or their injuries may make it so they are unable to return to the position they originally had. Additionally, if you are a contractor or were about to start a new job before you were injured but are unable to, you may be entitled to compensation for the potential earnings you missed out on. Working with an experienced attorney can help you to maximize your compensation by exploring all options.
Pain and Suffering: Pain and suffering is the legal term used to describe the physical and emotional stress that is the result of an injury. Some damages that might come under this category would be: aches, temporary and permanent limitations on activity, potential shortening of life, depression, or scarring. If you have suffered from any of the above mentioned damages then you may be eligible for compensation.
Should I Hire An Attorney After My Car Accident?
Getting fair compensation for injuries you suffered in a car accident is not as simple as it may seem. You can have suffered injuries from an accident that was completely not your fault and still be faced with several obstacles that make it difficult to be granted the money you need to take care of your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and suffering. When you pair up with an experienced Houston, Texas car accident attorney such as Beverly R. Caruthers, you do not have to face these obstacles on your own. Attorney Caruthers will work with you to help you determine a fair amount of compensation for your situation and apply the pressure on insurance companies to get you what you deserve.
Do Not Wait To Speak To An Attorney
Waiting to speak with an attorney after your accident is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to collecting fair compensation. Do not waste time after you have been injured, instead contact the Law Office of Beverly R. Caruthers right away. We can help you to explore your options and find out more about how our team of legal professionals can help you through this difficult time. Car accident cases are rarely simple and often require professional help for the best results.
If you have any questions or concerns surrounding injuries you obtained in a car accident, we can help. We offer all car accident victims who have suffered injury free case consultations. Once we know more about your case we can help you to determine what a reasonable rate for compensation is and help set you up for success in your case. Contact us today to learn more about the car accident and personal injury services we offer and how we can help you get the maximum compensation for your case. Our team is waiting to help you put this in the past and get on with your life. Contact us today for a free consultation over your case and remember, we don’t get paid until you do.
Abogado de colisión de automóviles que habla español cerca de mí
Muchas veces, las personas de habla hispana tienen más dificultades para obtener justicia en sus casos de accidentes automovilísticos, lo que hace que no tomen medidas contra quienes las han dejado con devastación financiera y trauma físico. En la oficina legal de Beverly R. Caruthers, nuestro equipo se niega a permitir que el idioma que habla afecte su búsqueda de justicia y compensación. Si usted o un ser querido ha resultado lesionado en un accidente y necesita un asesor legal que hable español, nuestro bufete de abogados está aquí para ayudarlo.
Hacemos que sea más simple que nunca para las víctimas lesionadas en accidentes automovilísticos navegar por el sistema legal para obtener los resultados que necesitan para continuar en sus vidas. Programe hoy mismo su consulta de accidentes automovilísticos sin compromiso con el abogado Caruthers. Nuestro equipo trabajará con usted en cada paso del camino para garantizar que se satisfagan sus necesidades y que reciba el tratamiento que se merece en su caso de accidente automovilístico. No lo dude, cuanto antes llame, más podremos hacer para obtener la mayor compensación por sus lesiones.
Car Collision Attorney 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
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