You’ve probably seen lawyers advertising all over the place these days. The amount of advertising lawyers do might make you skeptical about hiring one after you’ve been in a car accident. However, we are here to tell you there is value in hiring a lawyer. A Richardson car accident lawyer will be your dedicated advocate and fight to maximize your recovery after an accident.
What Are The Benefits of Hiring a Richardson, TX Car Accident Attorney?
After a car accident, your day-to-day life has probably been upended. Maybe you were hospitalized or missed work for medical treatment. Perhaps you don’t have a car to drive and rely on rideshares or taxis to get around. All of this gets expensive. These are costs you would not have incurred if the person who caused your accident had not been negligent. That’s why you deserve compensation. A Richardson car accident lawyer will take a number of steps to help you be made whole.
A Lawyer Knows How to Prove Liability
Before you can receive compensation after a car accident, you must prove that the negligence of another party caused the accident and your injury. Negligence is a legal theory applied to the facts of your case to prove liability. To receive compensation, you must prove that someone else is liable for your injuries and losses.
When another driver caused your car accident, proving negligence requires showing that:
- The at-fault driver owed you a duty of care to operate their vehicle safely;
- The driver breached this duty by engaging in unsafe behavior;
- The unsafe behavior caused your injury; and
- You suffered compensable damages.
It is crucial to prove a clear connection between the at-fault driver’s breach of duty and your injuries. But, determining how the other driver breached their duty in a car accident isn’t always easy. That’s why having an experienced car accident attorney on your side is helpful. They will know how to investigate your accident and collect evidence to establish that the other driver is liable for your damages.
A Lawyer Knows How to Calculate Your Damages
The value of your claim depends on your total amount of damages. A lawyer will add up your potential damages, and the insurance company will do a similar calculation.
To calculate your damages, an attorney will add up the losses you’ve incurred due to the accident, such as medical expenses, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses, property damage, and future medical expenses. These are called economic damages because they compensate you for the money you spent or lost due to your accident. Your lawyer might also include damages for emotional or psychological harm caused by your injury, including:
- Pain and suffering;
- Physical impairments such as disfigurement, scarring, or amputation;
- Emotional distress;
- Loss of enjoyment of life; and
- Loss of consortium or loss of intimacy.
These types of damages are called noneconomic damages because they compensate you for non-monetary losses. To bolster your claim, an attorney can request and examine medical records, bills, invoices, and other evidence relevant to your damages. A lawyer has the resources and experience needed to accurately calculate damages, which will help simplify the process for you during a frustrating and emotional time.
A Lawyer Knows Which Laws and Factors Are Relevant to Your Case
An experienced car accident lawyer will have a thorough understanding of the applicable laws and how the Texas court system will interpret them. They will also know how to present evidence to show why you are entitled to compensation. A lawyer can also negotiate with insurance companies and any other parties on your behalf. If your claim with the insurance company doesn’t have the outcome you want, you can file a lawsuit. When filing a lawsuit on your own, be prepared to deal with a lot of paperwork and confusing rules that will take a lot of time to understand and piece together. You’ll have to figure out what to file and when, what legal precedent to cite, what evidence is admissible, and more. It’s rigorous, and you have a limited amount of time. A good lawyer with an in-depth knowledge of the law can handle all of these tasks for you so that you can focus on yourself and your family.
A Lawyer Will File Your Claim On Time
Filing your claim on time is key to making sure you don’t miss out on compensation. Under Texas law, a driver involved in a car accident must report the accident to the local police department or sheriff’s office if the accident resulted in the injury or death of any person involved.
Additionally, your insurance policy will likely require you to report an accident within a reasonable period, which may be as little as one or two days or as long as 30 days. Check your policy information or contact your insurance company to find out how long you have to report an accident.
Lastly, you generally have two years to file a car accident lawsuit in Texas. However, there are exceptions that might give you more or less time to file, and other facts could also be relevant when determining the exact date to file.
All of this can be confusing. The experienced car accident lawyers at Hartley Law Firm can help you file on time so that you don’t miss out on much-needed compensation.
Hartley Law Firm Will Advocate For You
If you want more information about your car accident case, the attorneys at Hartley Law Firm are here to answer all of your questions. Austin Hartley is an award-winning attorney who was named the 2021 Litigator of the Year by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers and as one of the Best Lawyers Under 40 by D Magazine in 2022. Contact Hartley Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
