Car Accident Attorneys Providing Compassionate Legal Representation to Injured Victims in Houston, Texas

Have you or a loved one suffered severe injuries in an automobile accident? Car accidents are not only violent and traumatizing events, but they may leave victims with lasting damage to their finances and quality of life. If you’ve suffered due to a car wreck that was not your fault, you should not be expected to be responsible for costly medical bills and other expenses which arise after the accident. And while many of us would like to hope that our insurance provider will provide adequate financial recovery for our insurance claim, too many of us learned that insurance companies would prioritize their own financial interests instead of standing by their customers.

You deserve fair compensation for your injuries and to be treated with respect by your insurer and the other party’s insurance company. If they were responsible for your accident, you have the legal right to file a lawsuit and seek damages.

To recover financial compensation from any potentially liable parties, you may be required to prove that their negligence played a deciding factor in the cause of the accident. Achieving this legal victory can be difficult for a car accident victim still recovering from their injuries and fighting to keep their head above water as costly medical bills pile up. It is strongly advised that you seek the professional guidance of an experienced car accident lawyer to represent your legal claim.

At the Houston-based Shariff Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys from Houston are committed to helping clients recover compensation that allows them to return to their lives without the financial burden of the accident’s aftermath weighing them down. If you would like to discuss the potential for your car accident claim in more detail, please contact our law offices to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team by calling (713) 881-9739. We are here to help.

How Common Are Fatal Car Accidents in Texas?

Texas has earned a reputation for its big hats, tough work ethic, and larger-than-life aesthetic. But it also has its problems, not least of all on the roads. Unfortunately, the state has also earned itself a reputation as the most dangerous state for drivers. The numbers reflect this unenviable title, showing that the Lone Star State has five times as many fatal car crashes annually than other states, with Houston being the deadliest city for drivers in Texas.

These numbers are more complicated when you look a little closer, however. For example, while Texas easily has the most deaths on its roads, the state ranks closer to the middle of US fatal wreck rankings when you look at fatalities per capita. Florida has more car accidents in general but fewer fatalities, and California has a high number of accidents but a comparatively small number of deaths. That said, these numbers are rising in Texas, while driver education courses are seeing dwindling numbers as the year progresses.

In Texas, the most reported demographics for traffic fatalities are people between the ages of 21 and 25, with men suffering more than twice as many traffic deaths as women. Drunk driving is responsible for approximately 40% of car accident deaths, instances of drivers speeding come in second place at around 33%, and motorcycles are involved in close to 10% of all Texas traffic fatalities. Curiously, most Texas auto accident fatalities are related to single-vehicle crashes. Over the past decade, over 50% of all motor vehicle accident deaths involved only one vehicle.

What Does the State’s ‘Proportionate Responsibility’ Modification of Comparative Fault Laws Imply?

Texas is an at-fault state, meaning that the parties responsible for an accident may be held legally and financially liable in a civil court case. Comparative fault is a version of at-fault law that says that multiple parties can be liable for one accident. Under comparative fault or comparative negligence, the responsibility for an accident will be divided up, and the blame will be distributed across multiple parties. For example, one party may be 70% responsible and another party only 30% responsible — and the amount of money they pay in damages will reflect this.

Texas operates with a modified understanding of comparative negligence, which it calls proportionate responsibility. Under comparative fault, the accident victim can be partially responsible for the accident. With proportionate responsibility, the plaintiff cannot recover anything in damages if it is determined that they are 51% or more responsible for the accident. This means that, even if you hold some responsibility for the car crash, so long as that responsibility is not over 50%, your lawyer may be able to pursue compensation for your claim.

What Types of Car Accident Cases Do We Represent?

Our law firm has represented motorists in both severe and minor accidents. No accident or injury is too small to be unworthy of legal consideration.

We can assist you with a car accident case such as:

• Accidents involving an uninsured driver.
• Bicyclist and motorcyclist accidents.
• Bus accidents.
• Distracted driving accidents.
• DUI accidents, including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Head-on collisions.
• Hit-and-run incidents.
• Pedestrian accidents.
• Rear-end collisions.
• Rideshare accidents.
• Sideswipe accidents.
• T-Bone collisions.
• Truck accidents.

What Are Common Car Accident Injuries?

If you are injured in a car accident, it is crucial that you seek medical treatment immediately. While you may not believe you are badly hurt, some injuries take hours, days, or weeks to manifest fully. If you try to brush off the injuries and assure the negligent driver that you are well, those claims could be used against you should you ever decide to take your car accident case to court.

Injuries commonly seen in auto accidents include:

• Broken bones.
• Burns.
• Concussions.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Disability.
• Internal bleeding.
• Loss of sight and or hearing.
• Organ damage.
• Paralysis.
• Soft tissue injuries.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Whiplash.
• Wrongful death.

What Causes Car Crashes?

In addition to drunk driving, driver negligence is the most common cause of car accidents on Texas roads. Distracted driving is on the rise in these days of ubiquitous personal handheld technology. Texting while driving, speaking into a cell phone, or using a GPS navigation device are commonly responsible for distracting a driver from the road. Speeding, swerving in and out of lanes, merging at dangerous times, and failure to yield are other causes of a collision. In some cases, the disrepair of the road or defective vehicles can cause a driver to lose control and collide with obstacles. Personal grooming, eating, and talking to passengers in the car can also cause accidents.

Can a Car Accident Attorney Help Your Case?

Personal injury protection or PIP coverage is designed to cover all medical expenses up to the policy limit. $2,500 is the minimum that a driver can have in PIP coverage in Texas, though it is highly advisable to buy additional coverage. A $2,500 PIP claim may not be adequate to pay for your medical bills if your injuries are severe. With the help of a lawyer, it is possible to recover punitive damages as well as compensation that goes beyond your PIP coverage.

Your attorneys will review all the evidence pertaining to your case in an attempt to establish negligence on the part of the other drivers so that you can receive the maximum compensation for your claim. At The Shariff Law Firm, our lawyers will review the police reports and your medical records, speak with eyewitnesses, and obtain expert testimonies that may help your case.

What Types of Damages Could Be Recovered in a Car Accident Settlement?

With a strong case, you may be awarded compensation from the at-fault parties. It is unlikely that the at-fault driver or drivers will have the funds in hand to pay the settlement agreement, so it is more likely that those damages will be recovered from their insurance company. Compensation may take the form of economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages you may recover include:

• Cost of ongoing medical care.
• Cost of physical therapy.
• Future lost income due to inability to work.
• Lost wages.
• Medical expenses.
• Property damage.
• Rehabilitation.

Non-economic damages you may recover include:

• Disability.
• Disfigurement.
• Emotional trauma.
• Lost companionship.
• Lost quality of life.
• Mental pain and suffering.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Experienced Car Accident Lawyers Today

If you have suffered a severe injury in a motor vehicle accident, it is imperative that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. After that is done, please contact a car accident lawyer to discuss your case. You have legal rights as an accident victim. It is unfair for you, the injured victim, to be held responsible for injuries in an accident that was not your fault.

If you do not act quickly, it is possible for the other parties involved in the crash to claim that you were at fault for the accident and try to recover damages from you instead. Speaking to a lawyer is not only about getting the settlement you deserve. It may also be about protecting your legal liability should things go sideways in court.

If you lost a family member or a loved one in a car accident, you might be able to hold liable parties accountable by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. While no amount of financial compensation can ever hope to return your loved ones to you, these finances could go a long way towards easing the burden left due to the accident and lost income.

For help filing a wrongful death suit, please contact one of our talented attorneys. The Shariff Law Firm, PLLC offers a free case review for all prospective new clients, so if you are curious about the potential of your case or want guidance about how best to proceed, please take advantage of this free consultation. Our legal team is respected across Houston for providing compassionate legal representation to injured clients and grieving family members. If you do not feel that we are the right team for you and your goals, you are under no obligation to retain our legal counsel after the free initial consultation. To schedule your free case evaluation, please contact our law office at (713) 881-9739.