If or when it is clear that the insurance company is unwilling to cooperate despite clear evidence of their insured's negligence, your attorney will file a lawsuit against the defendant.
It's very important to remember that your attorney would be suing the person that harmed you - not the insurance company. The insurance company will try to settle on behalf of their insured or they will hire lawyers to defend their insured in a lawsuit.
It's true! Even though it is fairly common knowledge that motorists are required to carry liability insurance, we are not allowed to mention it. This is so that the jury is not swayed into thinking the defendants can or cannot pay the potential amount the jury might award to the plaintiff.
This is a result of the power that the insurance lobby has over Texas law. That's a big win for the insurance companies but not always for the injured party. Insurance can prey on the sympathy the jury might feel for the defendant's ability or inability to pay for the plaintiff's damages.
On top of that, we have to pretend as if the defendant will be paying out of his or her own pocket for any potential verdict even though it is the insurance company who will pay.
It's important that passengers take the right steps after an accident to protect their potential claim. It may seem awkward to request insurance information if the at-fault driver is a friend, co-worker, or relative. However, that is exactly what liability insurance is for.
You may seem fine at first, but car wrecks often leave behind latent injuries that can take days, weeks, and in some cases, months to fully manifest. In fact, do not discuss your injuries with the insurance company at all.
Insurance companies are skilled in asking questions that have hidden legal implications in order to minimize your pain and suffering. Even everyday questions, such as "How are you?", can be used against you.
You should refrain from discussing your injuries until you have completed any treatment plans outlined by your doctor. It is best to consult with a personal injury attorney who can handle these conversations on your behalf and file a lawsuit to protect your rights.
You may have additional coverage on your own auto insurance policy, such as Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or Uninsured and Under Insured Motorist (UM/UIM), which can be critical if the at-fault driver does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your injuries.
Car accidents can be very disruptive to your everyday routine. Personal injury attorneys know the ins and outs of the entire process and can develop the best legal strategy for you to win your case.
Stanley and Associates are there for you through the entire process.
When you're already in pain, the last thing you want to deal with is phone calls, paperwork, and arguing with insurance companies. Our team will file all claims for you, handle all communications with the insurance companies, and we work with many physicians to ensure you get the treatment you need.
Best of all, you don't pay us a single dime until we win your case. If we don't win, you don't pay! If you're ready to make a decision, contact us as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 via email or phone call. Call 972-833-8000 today!
Once a police officer arrives, their job is to be a neutral third party and to document as much evidence as possible, including date, time, weather conditions, vehicle damages, injuries, identifying information for the individuals involved, witness statements, and video evidence (when available).
Based on the evidence collected, officers will typically assign contributing factors to determine who is at fault or majority at fault.
We have seen them all and they do occur more often than you may think. If the law enforcement officer got some objective information wrong, details about your vehicle, your insurance coverage, or the location of the accident, for example, you can probably get the report changed or amended as long as you provide documentation in support of the correction.
Critical errors, such as an officer attributing fault to you because of a misunderstanding, the officer siding with the other driver, assigning contributing factors to the wrong party or not obtaining a statement from an involved party, may require more effort on your part to have corrected, though, not impossible.
If you simply don't agree with something that is in the report, such as an account of the accident given by a witness, or the officer's finding that you violated a traffic law, you'll have a much tougher time getting any change made.
In that situation, the best you can probably do is write up your own version of the detail you are disputing and hope that it be included as a supplement to the report. In most cases, whether it is added to the report or not will be up to the law enforcement agency.
Once you have gathered your facts and details, it is time to contact the police officer or department to request the report be updated or changed. Remember:
If you find you are not getting anywhere with the police officer or department, it may be time to consult with an attorney regarding your personal injury case.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car wreck due to a drunk driver, contact Stanley & Associates for your free case consultation. We have represented thousands of clients across Texas and have over a decade of experience.
Our Texas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means no fee unless we win. Call 844-227-9739
How long you can keep a rental depends on a variety of factors. Those factors may include:
In many cases, the rental company or insurance provider will cover the cost of a rental car for the duration of repairs to your damaged vehicle, up to a certain limit. This could range from a few days to a few weeks or even longer.
If you need the rental vehicle longer than the time allowed by your rental or insurance agreement, you may need to pay out-of-pocket to extend the rental duration. If the damage to your vehicle is extensive, it may take longer to repair, which could result in a longer rental period.
Read: Do I need GAP insurance? Is it worth it?
Additionally, if the accident was not your fault and you are waiting for the other driver's insurance company to cover the cost of the rental, the length of the rental period could depend on how fast the other driver's insurance company processes your claim.
There are scenarios in which you may have to pay out-of-pocket to obtain a rental car, such as:
It's important to review the terms of your rental agreement or insurance policy to determine the specific length of time and dollar allowance per day you are entitled to for a rental car. Your rental or insurance agent will be able to answer questions or concerns about the terms of your rental car.
Car accidents can be very disruptive to your everyday routine. Personal injury attorneys know the ins and outs of the entire process and can develop the best legal strategy for you to win your case.
Stanley and Associates are there for you through the entire process.
When you're already in pain, the last thing you want to deal with is phone calls, paperwork, and arguing with insurance companies. Our team will file all claims for you, handle all communications with the insurance companies, and we work with many physicians to ensure you get the treatment you need.
Best of all, you don't pay us a single dime until we win your case. If we don't win, you don't pay! If you're ready to make a decision, contact us as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 via email or phone call. Call 972-833-8000 today!
To obtain a rental, you will need to file a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance and check your insurance policy to see if you have rental coverage.
After an accident, insurance companies will conduct an investigation to determine who caused the accident. In the best-case scenario, the at-fault party's insurance company will accept liability right away and their insurance company will cover the cost of a rental vehicle.
More often than not, liability may be disputed. This means that one or both insurance companies need more evidence to determine who exactly caused the accident.
If this happens to you, you may need to use your own rental coverage on your policy to get into a rental car ASAP. If you don't have the coverage on your own policy or can't afford to pay for a rental out-of-pocket, you will have to wait until the at-fault party's insurance company accepts liability.
This also means that if you did not have rental assistance on your insurance policy and the other person was uninsured, you will be responsible for obtaining your own rental vehicle.
How long will I have a rental car after an accident? Read more.
Car accidents can be very disruptive to your everyday routine. Personal injury attorneys know the ins and outs of the entire process and can develop the best legal strategy for you to win your case.
Stanley and Associates are there for you through the entire process.
When you're already in pain, the last thing you want to deal with is phone calls, paperwork, and arguing with insurance companies. Our team will file all claims for you, handle all communications with the insurance companies, and we work with many physicians to ensure you get the treatment you need.
Best of all, you don't pay us a single dime until we win your case. If we don't win, you don't pay! If you're ready to make a decision, contact us as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 via email or phone call. Call 972-833-8000 today!
Never give a statement or sign anything without consulting with an attorney first. Even a greeting, such as "how are you doing today?", can be used to make it sound like you weren't hurt at all. In some cases, they'll try to place the blame on you!
Insurance adjusters are trained to use anything you say to diminish the value of your case. Attorneys are here to make sure that they don't. You should hire an injury attorney as soon as possible and refer all questions about your injuries to your attorney. #CallMyLawyer
Our attorneys know that insurance adjusters are not there to help you. They are there to protect the company and their own interests. They will try to get you to settle for less than what you deserve and they don't care if you get the medical treatment you need.
Car accidents can be very disruptive to your everyday routine. Personal injury attorneys know the ins and outs of the entire process and can develop the best legal strategy for you to win your case.
Stanley and Associates are there for you through the entire process.
When you're already in pain, the last thing you want to deal with is phone calls, paperwork, and arguing with insurance companies. Our team will file all claims for you, handle all communications with the insurance companies, and we work with many physicians to ensure you get the treatment you need.
Best of all, you don't pay us a single dime until we win your case. If we don't win, you don't pay! If you're ready to make a decision, contact us as soon as possible. We are available 24/7 via email or phone call. Call 972-833-8000 today!
In a jury trial, the defendant (at-fault, negligent party) always has insurance on their side.
The defendant's lawyers are provided by their insurance company to defend them from the lawsuit. However, during the trial - no one is allowed to even mention that insurance companies are involved. You can't even say the word "insurance" for fear of a mistrial.
This is one of the best kept secrets helping the insurance companies maintain their position as one of the most profitable industries in the world! Insurance companies are not keen to let this information out to their customers.
Even though liability insurance is a requirement in Texas, insurance companies don't want people to know that the defendants in a jury trial have liability coverage in case they are ever sued to avoid paying out big awards to the plaintiffs (injured victims).
They are preying on the sympathy of the jury - hoping they will assume the defendant can't possibly pay a big settlement on their own even though it is the insurance company who will pay.
Have a question of your own? Email us at info@seriousinjury.legal OR reach out to us on social media.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a car wreck due to a drunk driver, contact Stanley & Associates for your free case consultation. We have represented thousands of clients across Texas and have over a decade of experience.
Our Texas car accident attorneys are available 24/7 to assist you. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means no fee unless we win. Call 844-227-9739
They take multiple factors into consideration, such as your driving record, your age, the type of vehicle you are insuring, and how you use the vehicle. Essentially, the less likely the insurance company thinks you are to be in an accident, the lower your insurance premiums will be. Be mindful that not all insurance companies play by the same rules.
If you were involved in a hit-and-run accident or by someone who didn't have insurance (or not enough insurance), you should absolutely file a claim on your own policy. Why? Because this is what you've paid your insurance premiums for. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you from this type of loss so that you don't suffer the financial burden alone.
Many insurance companies will not raise rates on their insured after a no-fault claim has been filed while some might. If you find that your insurance rates have gone up significantly, you can try to negotiate a better rate with your current carrier or begin looking for a new insurance carrier. If it is in their best interest to raise rates, it is in your best interest to find an insurance carrier that suits your needs, too.
Did you know that insurance companies in Texas are required to offer Uninsured Motorist coverage and Personal Injury Protection? If they fail to offer these coverages to you and obtain your signed, written rejection of these coverages, then this coverage may be applicable to you.
Beware of purchasing a "full coverage" insurance policy. This term is meaningless and causes confusion for many people thinking their injuries would also be covered just to find out they had a minimum liability policy with collision and comprehensive coverage for their vehicle only. Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage is not required per Texas statute but is highly recommended in case you are seriously injured in a car wreck.
If you've been in an accident and are unsure what to do, consult with our law office today by calling 972-833-8000. We have two decades of combined experience in accident injury law. We fight to protect our clients' rights, help them seek medical treatment, and win compensation for their injuries.
Because it can help cover some of your lost wages and medical bills or expenses incurred whether you caused the accident or not. Liability coverage only pays for damages you cause to other people and Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage will only cover your medical expenses if you did not cause the accident.
Be wary of any insurance agent that tries to sell you a "full coverage" insurance policy. "Full coverage" is a meaningless term as far as insurance coverage goes.
In Texas, insurers are required to offer PIP when purchasing an insurance policy OR they must obtain an authorized signature from the policy holder rejecting the coverage. One caveat is that if there is no signed written rejection, you are covered. It is up to you to reject this coverage.
$2500 is the minimum amount of PIP coverage that auto insurance companies are required to provide. Depending on the company you choose, you can select up to $10,000 or more in PIP coverage if requested. We recommend that you obtain as much PIP coverage as your insurer will sell you due to the astronomical costs of medical care.
Unfortunately, many Texans often do not include this beneficial coverage on their policies because they are unaware that:
The attorneys at Stanley & Associates recommend that drivers include Personal Injury Protection in their auto insurance policy. Due to the rise in the cost of medical bills, we recommend that you carry $10,000 in coverage or more. Even the minimum $2500 can help with out-of-pocket expenses from your injuries.
We aim to help assure any doubts you may have so you can be confident and informed when making your decision. Let’s go over the top 5 reasons why it’s worth hiring a personal injury attorney.
They are only interested in protecting their bottom line. They have teams of attorneys looking for ways to minimize the amount of money they pay-out to badly injured victims. You should have an attorney fighting for you and your rights.
Many injured victims don’t realize how severely they were hurt without proper medical treatment and professional diagnosis. Not to mention, insurance companies will actively discourage treatment so they don't have to pay. We help find doctors so you can be seen ASAP instead of waiting weeks through your regular healthcare network.
Our personal injury law firm has decades of experience handling scrupulous insurance companies and navigating the legal challenges an injury claim presents. You can count on our attorneys to fight for you while you recover and get back to your normal routine.
Why manage a case on your own when you can have a legal team do it for you? Insurance companies know that claimants are not trained negotiators. According to a report conducted by the Insurance Research Council, settlements were 40% higher when claimants were represented by a lawyer. Our attorneys know the tricks and strategies that will lead to the best resolution.
There is no cost to you up front - no legal fees of any kind. Seriously. You won't have to worry about "billable hours." Our attorneys will work your case on a contingency fee basis which means you pay nothing unless you win. There is no out-of-pocket cost to hire a personal injury attorney. Attorney fees are deducted from your settlement offer if a satisfactory outcome is achieved.
If you're unsure if you have a case, give us a call at 972-833-8000 for a free case review. There is no obligation to hire an attorney for your free consultation.
