If you live in Lewisville, Texas, then you are certainly no stranger to traffic jams. If you've ever tried to take 121 Business coming north from the airport or Grapevine or Fort Worth, then you know how crazily backed-up that bridge can be. And not only that, a huge amount of the highway construction in town seems to be overly-concentrated in Lewisville and the surrounding areas. And I-35 can be a nightmare, too. To top it off, all the shortcuts from one of these highways to another require people to fly through Lewisville's streets. This probably has to do with the fact that Lewisville is a hub for several of our big highways to interchange with one another. And with all of this hurrying from home to work to wherever, it's inevitable that you're going to see a lot of car wrecks. People get frustrated and distracted buy all the road hazards, and then all of these frustrated and distracted drivers are frustrated and distracted at the same time!
We've had numerous clients tell us that their car wrecks and the messes that follow were among the most trying times of their lives. Dealing with insurance companies and insurance adjusters and doctors and doctors' offices—it can all be extremely overwhelming. But if you and/or a loved one need a Lewisville car accident lawyer, Glenn Law Firm is here for you. We are just down the street here in Grapevine, and one of our Lewisville car accident attorneys would be glad to answer any questions you may have. We assist clients primarily in the North Texas Metroplex, but we have helped Texans all across the state to receive the compensation they deserve for the injuries they've suffered as a result of motor vehicle collisions.
The Two Categories of Claims
When the other driver involved in a car wreck is the party that was responsible, they are known as the “at-fault” driver. In the aftermath of a car wreck, there are—generally speaking—two categories of claims that you may have against the at-fault driver: (1) property damage claims; and (2) personal injury or bodily injury claims.
Property Damage Claims:
The most obvious property damage involved in a car wreck is the damage done to your vehicle. Sometimes this can be as minor as a small ding or a few scratches. Other times, this can be as severe as a total loss, or as you've probably heard it referred to: a car can be “totaled.” Regardless of the extent of the damage, both of these examples and everything in between fall into the category of property damage claims. Property damage can also apply to the belongings that were in the car. Perhaps an important piece of equipment was in the car and was damaged by the force. There are instances when this type of damage can be recovered, as well.
When you open a claim with the at-fault party's insurance company, you should hear from an adjuster. That adjuster will ask you to provide various pieces of information to help determine the value of your vehicle—or, to put it in terms of the contract with your insurance company—your “loss.”
Personal Injury / Bodily Injury Claims:
The personal injury or bodily injury component is just what it sounds like: injuries to your person and/or body. This is a different type of claim and it is often handled by a different adjuster.(**HOWEVER: This is not always the case, and you need to make sure that if you are settling your automobile accident's property damage claim, you are not simultaneously releasing the insurance company from personal injury liability without realizing it!!**)
Sometimes injuries are on the milder side. These can include scrapes, minor bruising, seatbelt rashes. Some of these will go away quickly on their own, and they will not require extensive treatment. In these instances—especially where liability is clear—an insurance adjuster might be willing to deal fairly with you and compensate you for the expenses you incurred and the suffering you endured. (That said, it is generally the better path forward to retain a car accident lawyer to handle your case and guide you through the legal processes.) Of course, it's typically a good idea to give your injuries some time to make sure you are permanently healed. We very frequently have clients who thought they were better, and then their injuries became exacerbated weeks later and wound up being worse than before. If you have already settled your claim though, there's no going back for a do-over. (Another thing to keep in mind is that Texas law establishes a two-year statute of limitations for car wreck injuries, and the clock starts ticking the day of the accident—if you let this date run-out, then you will have no legal recourse to seek recovery. Contacting an auto accident attorney to get information like this will be helpful.)
Where more than minor injuries are present, a Texas car accident lawyer can be essential. Significant injuries that require lengthy treatment will be challenged by insurance adjusters nearly every step of the way. This will require that you properly procure medical records, clearly lay out the progression, causes, and treatments associated with your case, you may need to hire experts, and you may run into other challenges along the way as well. And all of this can be required while you're just trying to get better! If you cannot get the insurance company to be reasonable or fair, then you may have to take your case all the way to trial. If a lawyer has been arguing your case all along, then you will be more-than-prepared to see your case all the way to the finish. But at Glenn Law Firm, we consider it an honor to take care of the legal side of the aftermath of your car wreck so that you can focus on what is most important to you: getting better and staying on top of your responsibilities.
Call Glenn Law Firm Today
Please do not hesitate to give us a call if you have been injured and are wondering if you need a lawyer. We do not charge you to call us; we provide a free case analysis / consultation. You can either fill out our online submission form on this page or you can call us at (817) 424-5999. We look forward to fighting for you.