Houston, TX Rear-End Collision Lawyers Helping Accident Victims with Insurance Claims
If you were involved in a rear-end collision in Texas, you’re not alone. Rear-end accidents are the most common type of car accident across the country, so our legal team in Houston has assisted numerous accident victims with cases involving this type of crash. Whether you were able to walk away from a car accident with minor injuries or are still healing from a serious injury due to the crash, you need to hire a car accident attorney to help you recover compensation.
After all, rear-end collisions can result in catastrophic injuries that last a lifetime, so you’re going to need to recover damages to pay for your medical bills, property damage, and other expenses after the crash. If you want to know more about how a car accident lawyer can help you after a rear-end collision, schedule a free case evaluation with the caring, skilled legal team at Milano Legal Group, PLLC.
What Usually Causes Rear-End Accidents?
A rear-end accident happens when one car crashes into the car ahead of it. This can occur for many reasons. In many cases, it’s due to distracted driving on the part of the at-fault driver, such as texting or scrolling through social media on their phone. They could also be busy eating, drinking, or focusing on their stereo system, causing them to rear-end the car ahead of them because they’re not paying attention to the road.
Another reason for rear-end collisions is that the driver is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, so their reaction time is slower than usual. Their depth perception may also be off, causing them to think the car ahead of them is farther away than it is. They could also start to drift off behind the wheel, though fatigued drivers who are not abusing drugs or alcohol often do the same.
In some cases, the driver who caused the car accident isn’t entirely to blame, as outside forces may have contributed to it. Examples include inclement weather, unpaved or dangerous roads, car malfunction, or poor visibility on the road. However, drivers are expected to account for these possibilities by keeping an appropriate distance from other cars. Driving too closely or tailgating can make it hard to stop when there is snow or rain on the ground or when there are other hazards on the road. As such, the driver who caused the car accident will still be held liable.
If you think one of the above reasons is to blame for the car wreck you were in, you should talk to a rear-end accident lawyer about your legal options. You may be advised to bring a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance company or initiate a personal injury lawsuit if that doesn’t get the results you deserve. Contact our Houston law firm today to set up a free consultation with our team.
Who Is Typically At-Fault in a Rear-End Car Accident?
In most rear-end car accidents, the trailing driver is most likely to be considered the at-fault party since they’re expected to keep their distance from the cars in front of them. However, there are some exceptions where the driver in front could be considered at least partially at fault. More specifically, if the driver in front did any of the following, they might be partly to blame for the car wreck:
- Stopped in the middle of the road
- Made a sudden stop or lane change without signaling first
- Put the car in reverse
- Drove recklessly right before the rear-end car accident
- Drove with faulty brake lights
- Failed to turn on hazard lights when the car broke down
If you were the driver in front and one of these applies to you, it’s possible you will be considered partially at fault. But this does not necessarily mean you won’t get compensation for the expenses related to the crash. Texas observes a law called comparative negligence, which means liability can be divided among two or more drivers. As a result, the compensation you get will depend on how much fault you are assigned.
For instance, if your actions on the road prove that you were 20 percent at fault for the rear-end collision, you could collect 80 percent of the compensation you’re seeking. However, if the court finds that you’re more than 50 percent at fault for the rear-end crash, you likely won’t be entitled to damages.
An experienced car accident lawyer will help you figure out what caused the auto accident and what damages you should pursue from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If you’re ready to talk to caring Houston rear-end accident lawyers who want to assist you with your car accident claim, contact Milano Legal Group, PLLC, today.
What Injuries Are Common in Rear-End Collisions?
Rear-end car accidents can cause severe injuries that may even last a lifetime. This is why it’s so important to get immediate medical attention after a rear-end crash. Some of the most serious injuries of rear-end collisions start off feeling minor or barely noticeable and eventually become much worse over time.
One example of such an injury is whiplash. In fact, whiplash is the most common injury that car accident victims suffer from rear-end automobile accidents. This is because when your car is suddenly hit from behind by the at-fault driver, your head and neck whip forward and then back with quite a bit of force, causing a neck injury that can take months of medical care to heal.
Whiplash isn’t the only injury you might suffer in a rear-end collision. The following are other severe injuries you might experience from a traffic accident of this kind:
- Broken bones
- Internal injuries
- Burns
- Lacerations
- Bruises
- Spinal cord injury
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Arm and leg injuries
- Head wounds
- Facial scarring
If you suffered injuries like these when you were rear-ended by a negligent driver, it’s important to get medical attention as soon as you can, followed by an appointment with Houston personal injury lawyers who can help you seek damages from the at-fault driver. Whether you suffered a traumatic brain injury or broken bones, you’re likely going to have medical expenses that include hospital bills, physical therapy costs, and more. You should not have to pay for these medical expenses on your own, especially since they can quickly add up if you need ongoing medical attention as you heal.
Houston personal injury attorneys can guide you through all the steps of bringing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party’s insurance carrier. Having a qualified attorney on your side to pursue maximum compensation from the other driver will help you pay for your medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more after a rear-end accident. If you’re ready to talk about your legal options, come to our Houston law firm for your no-obligation consultation.
How Can an Accident Lawyer Help After a Car Wreck?
Experienced lawyers in Houston are aware of how devastating rear-end accidents can be for victims. This is why you can rest assured that the goal of your personal injury attorney is to help you collect the maximum compensation possible from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This usually means pursuing damages from insurance companies to pay for everything from medical bills to pain and suffering.
If you’re not sure how personal injury claims against insurance companies work, that’s okay, as your lawyer can walk you through the process. In general, your lawyer will first examine all the evidence in your personal injury case to determine who to pursue compensation. This usually requires reviewing the police report and your medical records and then talking to the insurance adjusters involved in the case. Your attorney will then look at your expenses from the accident to determine how much to pursue in economic damages and non-economic damages alike.
The Houston law firm you hire will do everything possible to make sure you don’t have any out-of-pocket costs as a result of an accident that you didn’t cause. Skilled attorneys will work toward a settlement agreement that benefits you, meaning they will spend hours reviewing the accident report, communicating with insurance companies, getting details from insurance company adjusters, and more.
If you want this kind of legal help but are worried you can’t afford to pay for it right now, keep in mind that most lawyers work on personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay legal fees until you get your settlement, so you don’t have to wait until you have more disposable income to start your claim against the insurance company. If you’re ready to pursue a claim after an auto accident that you’re still healing from, contact our Houston law firm today at 855-545-1777. We’ll be happy to set up a free consultation so you can talk to our legal team as soon as possible.