If you’ve been severely hurt in a collision caused by another driver or due to somebody else’s carelessness, you may have the right to demand financial compensation in a car accident claim. Let a Houston car accident attorney from The Callahan Law Firm handle your car accident claim while you focus on your recovery.
Our attorneys have over 25 years of experience fighting for the rights of injured Houstonians like you. We believe that you deserve the maximum compensation when you’ve been hurt in a crash due to someone else’s wrongdoing. That’s why we represent everyday people against the big insurance corporations, aggressively pursuing a full financial recovery for the injuries and damages that our clients have suffered in car crashes.
At The Callahan Law Firm, we intentionally limit the number of cases that we handle so that we can provide the attention, effort, and resources that your claim deserves.
Contact us today to speak to a knowledgeable Houston car accident lawyer about how our firm can help you pursue compensation for the injuries you suffered.
Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Houston
The types of injuries in a car accident can vary widely based on the circumstances of the crash. That’s why it’s crucial to seek professional medical advice. In Houston, some examples of common car accident injuries include:
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Whiplash, which is an injury involving chronic pain and loss of motion caused by the head and neck jerking back and forth in a collision
- Brain injuries, including concussions, brain bleeds, clots, and skull fractures
- Back injuries, including bulging or herniated spinal discs that can trigger conditions such as sciatica
- Joint injuries, such as ligament sprains, muscle and tendon strains, or tears of soft tissue
- Burn Injuries
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Fractures and broken bones
- Disfigurements, such as permanent scarring or amputations
- Deep cuts and lacerations
Can I Get Compensation for My Injuries?
You might be entitled to some compensation for your injuries from your own auto insurance policy if you purchased personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (med pay) coverage. PIP and med pay can help cover medical expenses incurred after a car accident, regardless of who caused the crash.
You can also seek compensation for your injuries from another party if that party was at fault for the accident. That means that if someone else caused the crash through negligence or recklessness, you could demand that their insurance company pay for your injuries.
Even if you’re found partially at fault for the crash, you can still claim compensation, but it would be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility for the accident. This is known as comparative negligence.
Speak with one of our car accident attorneys to find out how to protect your right to compensation for all types of car accident injuries.
What Should I Do If I’m Injured in a Car Accident?
After a car accident, take these steps to help protect your legal options. You can start by collecting evidence to use in a personal injury claim for compensation.
- Takedown the contact, license, vehicle, and insurance information from each motorist involved in the accident. Remember to get contact information for any eyewitnesses to the crash so that your attorney can contact them for their testimony.
- Use your cell phone to take photos or videos of details from the accident. Vehicle damage, skid marks on the road, the road lines and traffic controls at the scene, the condition of the road, and weather and traffic conditions at the time of the crash all might be valuable evidence. Also, be sure to take photographs of any visible injuries you suffered.
- Get examined by a doctor as soon as possible to diagnose the injuries you’ve suffered as a result of the crash.
- Follow all treatment instructions you receive from your doctor.
- Keep all the bills and invoices for your injuries and other accident-related expenses. It’s a good idea to document your recovery and how your injuries impact your life by keeping a diary or journal.
- Speak with a Houston car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Hiring an attorney soon after the incident will give your lawyer as much time as possible to investigate the crash and prepare a compelling legal case on your behalf.
Who Can Be Held Liable for My Car Accident Injuries?
In most car crashes, one or more drivers involved in the wreck can be found to have caused the accident due to negligent or reckless operation of their vehicle. They could be “at fault” for the crash and your injuries.
These at-fault drivers could include the driver of the vehicle that hit you or a motorist who negligently cut off another car and caused that vehicle’s driver to veer into your vehicle.
In addition to drivers, other parties could bear responsibility for a car accident in Houston. For example, when an at-fault motorist was driving a work vehicle at the time of the accident, such as driving to a client’s location, the at-fault driver’s employer might also be held liable for the injuries you sustained in the crash.
In rare cases, the highway or intersection where the crash occurred causes the collision. A road surface with broken pavement or potholes can trigger a car accident. Unsafely designed intersections might increase the risk of collision between vehicles. In these cases, the local or state government could bear some liability for crashes at the unsafe locations they control.
Types of Compensation for Car Accident Injuries in Houston
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to hold those at fault for the accident accountable in a personal injury claim. This claim could provide you with financial compensation for your injuries and the expenses you incurred due to your injuries, including:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation related to your injuries, including surgeries, physical and occupational therapy, prescriptions, and mobility and medical equipment
- Long-term medical and personal care if you’re disabled by the injuries that you suffered
- Lost wages if you miss time from work while treating your car accident injuries
- Lost future expected earnings and employment benefits if disabilities prevent you from returning to your old job
- Lost enjoyment or quality of life due to physical disfigurement, scarring, or physical disabilities that impact your daily life
- Physical pain and emotional distress
- Costs to repair or replace your vehicle damaged by the crash
- Loss of consortium, which can compensate your spouse for a loss of companionship, society, and intimacy resulting from your injuries
Many types of injuries caused by car accidents in Houston require extensive treatment. Victims of these catastrophic injuries might be owed higher compensation than those who suffer less severe injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2.5 million Americans went to the emergency department for crash injuries in the past years.
Determining Fault in a Houston Motor Vehicle Accident
Determining fault for a Houston car accident is an essential step in your personal injury claim. You and your attorney will need to identify who is responsible for the collision and who you might be entitled to pursue financial compensation from for your injuries. In car accident claims, we review all of the evidence from the accident to understand what happened in the crash and determine whose actions caused the accident.
Examples of the evidence we examine include:
- Police crash report
- Accident scene photos and video
- Dashcam or helmet cam footage
- Footage from nearby surveillance or traffic cameras
- Eyewitness statements
- Vehicle damage and repair reports
- Cell phone records
- Your medical records
With complex accidents resulting in severe and serious injuries, we can consult with accident reconstruction experts. They can provide us with written reports, animations, or recreations that demonstrate what happened in the accident and identify the party or parties who are at fault. At The Callahan Law Firm, we can marshal our considerable resources to pursue the justice you deserve.
Contact a Houston Car Accident Lawyer Today
Call or contact a Houston car accident lawyer at The Callahan Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’re ready to tell you more about your legal rights and options for pursuing the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
