Carrollton Car Accident Lawyer

Accident Lawyer Michael Grossman Discusses the Basics of Car Accident Cases in Carrollton Texas

The majority of us are usually in car wrecks at some point in our lives. Sometimes these altercations aren’t serious and you have just slight property damage. Other times, wrecks can lead to serious consequences, including lifelong injuries.

Regardless of how severe your accident is, you need to make sure your rights are taken care of. There are occasions with some car wreck cases where you can protect your rights on your own. In other scenarios it’s best to have a car accident lawyer working alongside you. In this article, Carrollton car accident attorney Michael Grossman explains some of the core parts of car accident law so you’ll know what’s involved in the legal process and if you should think about getting an attorney or not.

If you have anymore questions about your legal rights or if you don’t know whether to obtain a lawyer, call us toll free at 1-855-326-0000. It’s no cost to you, and we’ll be glad to provide our opinion.

What it Takes to Win

When it comes to working car accident cases, the burden of proof usually is on the plaintiff to prove his case. The defendant has the presumption of innocence at first that they’re not liable for the plaintiff’s injuries. The plaintiff will only have the ability to obtain compensation when they’re able to use credible evidence to prove the defendant should be held liable for the plaintiff’s injuries.

As the plaintiff in a Carrollton car accident lawsuit, the first step you’ll need to prove if you want to win your case is that the defendant broke the duty of care he owed you. Virtually every driver owes each other a duty of care to drive safely so they don’t wind up hurting other drivers and pedestrians. If a motorist drivers accidentally or deliberately in a manner that a normal person wouldn’t, even for an instant, he is ruled to have violated his duty of care. For instance, if an individual drivers while drunk, and speeds through traffic while moving in and out of lanes or ignores a red light, the majority of time he’ll have breached his duty of care.

The next step if you want to recover is that you have to show your injuries were a result of the defendant’s breach of the legal duty he owed you. Since other motorists and pedestrians could have been a part of your accident, it’s common for a defendant to claim that one of these third parties, and possibly even you, were to blame for the accident. Proving that the defendant in your case caused your accident requires evidence that a Carrollton car accident lawyer can help you find and give to the judge and jury.

Finally, you’ll need to show you sustained injuries that you should be compensated for. The injuries you’ve suffered because of your wreck probably seem pretty apparent to you. You may have an ever-growing stack of repair expenses and repair bills you can’t pay. Maybe you’ve been in pain every day since the wreck happened. Or maybe you’ve been able to return to work since the accident. Just because the degree of injuries is evident to you, don’t assume the judge and jury will instantly believe you. You’ll need to total just how much you’re entitled to receive and bring evidence of your injuries to back up your numbers.

The Role of Insurance

Every vehicle in Texas is required by law to carry insurance, but the truth is that lots of drivers choose to violate the law and drive without it. Whether the driver liable for causing your accident was insured or uninsured can play a huge role in the result of your case.

If the other motorist was insured, you’ll be working on your claim with an insurance company and its adjusters. The positive here is that since an insurance policy is established, technically there is money available to assist you with your injuries. The downside is that this money isn’t going to be easy to access. You’ll probably have to battle for it. Insurance companies aren’t there to assist people; they are businesses that exist to make a profit. Whenever they have the ability to do so, insurance companies turn to investigators, lawyers and adjusters to deny accident victims’ claims or pay accident victims as little as possible legally.

However, if one or more motorists involved in your accident didn’t have insurance, the driver who caused your wreck will be expected to pay the bill for your injuries from their own pockets. While you won’t have to deal with big-time insurance companies and their squads of ruthless professionals if there’s no insurer involved in your case, you will encounter a different challenge. If the defendant that’s part of your case had tons of money, odds are that they would have had insurance for their car. If you and the defendant in your case don’t have insurance, an accident lawyer can do an asset check on the defendant to determine how much the defendant is worth, even if the defendant is attempting to hide their assets. If the defendant truly doesn’t have the ability to pay you, though, there’s not much that can be done to handle the situation. It’s a sad fact that lots of plaintiffs aren’t able to receive what they should be owed from an uninsured driver.

Signs You Need a Carrollton Car Accident Attorney

It’s usually not a good idea to represent yourself after you’ve been hurt by someone else, but there are some exceptions to these cases. Usually if the only injuries you’ve sustained in a car wreck were those to your vehicle or other property, you’ll probably be fine to deal with it yourself. However, if you’ve been physically injured, it’s wise to get a Texas lawyer on your case.

Did You Know?

Michael Grossman has been fighting for car accident victims` rights for over 20 years. Call Mike to discuss your case. 1-855-326-0000

If you haven’t been personally hurt in a wreck, you may be able to protect your legal rights without having to turn to a Carrollton auto accident attorney. This is because in situations involving simply property damage, insurance companies usually have to adhere to rigid guidelines when figuring out how much to compensate accident victims for their losses. In these types of cases there’s not much room to maneuver if an insurance company attempted to short change you.

If you’ve been in a wreck and just your car has been affected, the first part in recovering for your property damage is to swap information with the other motorist. Make sure you get his contact information and details about his insurance. Then take your car, or have it towed, to a nearby mechanic. The mechanic will then send a repair bill straight to your insurance company. Your insurance company will pay the mechanic, and then send the bill to the other motorist’s insurance company for reimbursement. Usually the two will argue over which should ultimately be liable for getting the bill. When this occurs, the two companies usually reach an agreement on their own, without any need for you to become involved. If the sum being disputed is over $5,000, however, you probably need to be involved and could have to get a Texas attorney to help you with your claim.

Cases where you’ve endured physical harm are considerably different because insurance companies don’t have to follow guidelines when determining how to compensate you. Instead, they have every opportunity not to pay you a dime. If you want to recover, you’ll have to meet the burden of proof we discussed earlier. If your injuries were physical in nature, like whiplash, broken bones, head injuries or back injuries, or require one or more doctor’s visits now or in the future, you should think about retaining a Carrollton Texas accident lawyer to help you with your claim. In these cases, having a lawyer on your side can be the difference between getting a large settlement and winding up with nothing.

Even if your accident didn’t leave you with any physical injuries, there other instances where you should think about obtaining a lawyer to assist with your claim. If you ignore these signs and keep pursuing your claim without a Carrollton car accident law firm by your side, you run the risk of not getting what your case really is worth.

• The other driver is a problem - If the other motorist involved in your wreck starts being a problem this could be a sign that he’ll make it tough for you to recover anything for your injuries. If a motorist tries not give you his or her contact information, or if he tries to get you to not call the police to report an accident, these could be indications that you’ll need a lawyer to help guard your rights.

• You aren’t able to afford healthcare - Following a car accident, the costs for getting proper medical care for your injuries can be steep. Lots of people living in and near Carrollton don’t have insurance, and those who do have health insurance may be unable to pay for their deductibles or discover that the treatment they need isn’t carried under their plan. Following a wreck, some accident victims choose to not get treatment they need because they’re concerned about the financial burdens of taking time off from work to get checked out.

  If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, getting medical attention isn’t just important for your health, it’s also essential for your legal case. The Carrollton automobile accident lawyers at Grossman Law Offices can see to it you get the medical attention you need, even if you don’t think you can cover it. We’ll connect you with a physician who will work with you and factor in your financial situation. Along with that we can explain how the income you lose when you take time off from work to get medical care can be reimbursed by the defendant in your case.

• The insurance company attempts to pressure you - Insurance companies are around to turn a profit, not to just sit around and help others. Following an accident, insurance companies will often apply pressure on victims and try to take smaller settlements. If you take a settlement from an insurance company instead of moving ahead with a trial case, you’ll be surrendering your legal right to sue the defendant for additional money to help you with your injuries. As long as you get an honest, ethical settlement, a settlement is a plus - you get your money quicker and without the uncertainty that comes with a jury trial. However, if you take an unfair settlement offer, you’ll permanently waive your rights to get what your case is truly worth. Don’t trust an insurance company that tries to settle your case before you’ve obtained legal representation. It’s good to always have settlement offers examined by a lawyer prior to accepting them.

  Along with that, you should think about getting an attorney if the insurance company working your case does any of the following:

  • Harassing you with incessant phone calls and nonstop questions.
  • Attempting to get you to admit you’re not hurt, or that you were the cause of the accident.
  • Not giving you a rental car while yours is still in the shop.
  • Making you a settlement offer then adding it’s “more than you’re entitled to” or it’s “the best they can do.”
  • Saying they’ll pay your medical and repair expenses after you’ve sent them for your payment, and then refusing to pay them once you’ve sent them in.

• You have a bad feeling about how your case is being handled - If you don’t like how your claim is being worked by the insurance company, trust that inner voice! Always remember that the insurance company’s interests are totally in conflict to you. While you’re attempting to collect what’s right for your injuries, they’ll be hard at work attempting to deny your claim or give you as little as possible. If you’re concerned about how your claim is being worked, call the Carrollton car accident lawyers at Grossman Law Offices. We’ve prevailed in cases and won settlements against virtually every big-time insurance company in the country. Insurance companies know about our reputation. We can get their attention and make sure your claim is being worked in an ethical manner.

How to Choose the Right Texas Car Accident Lawyer for your Case

There are plenty of lawyers in the Dallas area. Choosing the proper one for your case may seem like a daunting task. While the process of getting an attorney is crucial, it doesn’t need to be stressful. At Grossman Law Offices, we tell visitors that you need to talk with two or three lawyers before choosing who you want to handle your case. Ask each lawyer about their background for settling and succeeding in cases like yours. Discover what they think the strengths and weaknesses are of your case, and see if they help connect you with a previous client whose case was similar to yours. The goal is to find a lawyer who has the background in winning cases like yours and who you think is honest and trustworthy.

At Grossman Law Offices, our Texas car accident lawyers have working car accident litigation for the past two decades. We’ve seen a multitude of accidents and injuries. We’ve probably seen cases just like yours and that we’re used to working with the exact insurance company that’s involved in your case. In every car accident case that our lawyers get, we deal with every detail in our clients’ claims. Some of the services we provide in every case that we handle include:

• Totaling how much your medical bills will eventually amount to and delivering a demand to the defendant for that amount before your bills are due.
• Doing investigations to figure out all of those individuals responsible for your accident, including motorists, pedestrians, passengers, manufacturers and others.
• Demanding to take all calls from insurance companies and their adjusters so you won’t be harassed by them.
  
• Delivering your medical and repair bills straight to the insurance company, so you can focus on getting better instead of thinking about paperwork and meeting deadlines.
• Gathering and securing evidence like photos, witness statements, police documents, and measurements that you’ll need to prove your case.
• Making sure you get proper medical care, even if you don’t think you’re able to see a physician.
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• Using our reputation to apply pressure on the insurance company to give you the highest settlement possible.
• Acting as a mediator in your case.
• Taking your case to trial if needed.

If you want additional information about what our Carrollton car accident injury lawyers can do to assist you or you want a free personal consultation, call us toll free at 1-855-326-0000. Our team is here 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your calls. We’d love to explain your options and let you know how we can help you.