Car Accident Lawyer in Hempstead, TX

Car accidents happen once every 40 seconds across the United States. Sometimes, there is simply nothing that can be done to avoid them. Many times, however, one of the drivers causes the accident by driving negligently.

A completely damaged front end of a silver car

Get Back on Track After a Car Accident

A car accident can turn your life upside down in a minute. Suddenly you’re faced with decisions you don’t feel prepared to make, being buried by medical expenses, and dealing with the other driver’s insurance company. Handling the chaos that follows a car accident is the last thing you need when you’re trying to recover from a personal injury. So instead, contact Brian C. Gutierrez, an experienced attorney serving Madisonville, Bryan, College Station, Hempstead, and Houston, TX. Don’t struggle with filing a personal injury case on your own. When you reach out to a Hempstead car accident lawyer, they will handle your personal injury claim and pursue compensation for the injuries and property damage you received in the accident. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced lawyer to learn how they can help you recover compensation for your losses.

How Can I Find the Best Hempstead Car Accident Attorney?

When it comes to protecting individuals and families after a car accident, no firm is better than the Law Offices of Brian Gutierrez. Brian Gutierrez is a Hempstead car accident lawyer who will work diligently to make sure our clients have the best chance of winning their case and feel fully protected by our legal team. We treat every client with careful consideration and use every resource at our disposal to win your case.

For almost 20 years, our team has been representing families in the Hempstead, TX area. Several generations of families come to us for legal help because they trust our services and our insight into their cases. We don’t pass you off to another Hempstead car accident lawyer—when you work with us, you work with Attorney Brian Gutierrez directly. In addition, our entire team helps to support your case and make sure that your defense is catered to your unique situation.

Car Accidents Can Have Lasting Consequences

If the injuries you suffered in the accident seem minor, or the damage done to your vehicle isn’t significant, you may be tempted not to contact a personal injury attorney. While you technically have the right to do that, hiring legal representation can benefit you on multiple levels.

Your Hempstead car accident attorney will not only serve as a buffer between you and the insurance company, but they will also work to prove you are not at fault if there is any question over who is responsible for the accident. The other driver and their insurance company may try to discourage you from contacting a law firm. If they do so, do not heed their advice because they do not have your best interests in mind.

Schedule a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your case. Seeking legal services prevents you from being taken advantage of by the other driver’s insurance provider.

Contact Texas Lawyers to Minimize Long Term Damage

When you think about the lasting effects of a car accident, things like permanent injuries or wrongful death likely come to mind. However, while the physical effects of a car accident are often devastating, an accident can also have lasting financial consequences.

Whether you lost wages while recovering from an accident or received a personal injury that prevents you from working as you did before, a TX personal injury attorney will do their best to secure the compensation you deserve. An attorney will help you maneuver through the legal process with minimal stress and disruption to your life.

Common Types of Car Crashes

Whether you’re a Houston, TX, native or moved to the lone star state later in life, chances are you’ve witnessed or been involved in a car crash. In 2021, the Texas Department of Transportation recorded 66,988 car collisions in Houston, TX. With such a high number of motor vehicle accidents, it’s no surprise that attorneys practicing law in Houston, TX and the surrounding area have served clients injured in numerous types of automobile accidents. If you’re in one of the following types of car accidents, scheduling a free case review with a personal injury lawyer will help you determine the best way to pursue compensation for the damages you received.

Multiple Vehicle Crashes

Navigating the outcome of a car accident between two vehicles is challenging, but handling the necessary claims for accidents involving multiple vehicles is something no driver should attempt without a legal team. Proving fault and negotiating with insurance companies will be a full-time job, so you’ll want to let a professional handle it.

This situation will become even more challenging if one or more parties in the accident suffer a personal injury. Collisions involving multiple vehicles, victims, and at-fault parties will require you to hire a skilled car accident attorney in the TX area if you want to ensure your rights are protected.

Personal Auto Accidents With Serious Injuries or Damage

Even if an automobile accident only involves two personal vehicles, if any party is seriously injured or significant property damage occurs, you will want to contact a Hempstead car accident lawyer. Legal representation is essential in car accidents that cause severe injury or damage.

If you are injured in a car crash, you will want an attorney working to seek compensation for your losses. Alternatively, if you hold partial fault in an accident and the other driver is injured, you will want a lawyer representing you to ensure that you are not being blamed for more than your fair share of fault.

Drunk Driving Accidents

Whether you are the victim of a drunk driver or made the mistake of getting behind the wheel intoxicated, personal injury lawyers offer you the best chance of resolving the situation favorably. You need a car accident lawyer if you are in an accident while driving under the influence.

Personal injury lawyers evaluate your case and help determine if you have grounds for filing a lawsuit against a restaurant or bar if you were overserved. They will also be familiar with Texas law regarding drunk driving and ensure your rights are protected throughout the resolution of the case.

If the actions of a drunk driver harm you, you’ll want to work with a personal injury lawyer to pursue recompense for your economic and non-economic damages. The average individual doesn’t have the legal experience necessary to recover the compensation they will need to cover their medical bills and lost wages if they experience serious injuries. Finally, if you cannot reach a reasonable settlement offer with the other party’s insurance provider and your case escalates to court, you will want a Hempstead car accident lawyer representing you.

Truck Accidents

When semi trucks crash into passenger vehicles, the results are often horrific. Due to the mass of semi trucks and their inability to stop or maneuver quickly, it isn’t unusual for truck accidents to involve fatalities. A Hempstead, TX, personal injury lawyer should handle any accident involving a fatality.

You may still want to discuss your case with a Hempstead car wreck attorney even if your truck collision didn’t result in a fatality. Trucking companies have legal teams ready to address any potential legal issue from a crash. If you don’t work with a personal injury lawyer, you risk being blamed unfairly for the accident or missing out on the compensation you deserve.

Should I Hire a Hempstead Car Accident Lawyer After a Car Crash

When it comes to car accidents, Texas is a modified comparative fault state. This means that instead of each driver’s insurance paying for their client’s share of the damage, the insurance company of the driver 50% or more at fault is responsible for all the damage. Unfortunately, this can cause significant delays in the payout process. Insurance companies may argue for weeks over who should have to pay and who is more at fault.

Ultimately, neither company wants to lose money. If you are a victim of a collision that was not your fault, this is especially frustrating. Not only did someone else hit you, but you now have to wait for their insurance to take responsibility. You may have medical bills, car repairs, and other expenses to cover. For many families, this is an undue economic burden.

Your only line of defense is to hire a Hempstead personal injury lawyer or car accident lawyer who can advocate for you and demonstrate your innocence. If the case should go to civil court, your personal injury attorney can present your case and help to refute the other driver’s claims of innocence. Without representation in these cases, the other driver and their car accident attorney will likely succeed in blaming you.

Actions to Take Following a Car Accident

Personal injury lawyers will be the first to tell you that the moments following the car accident can significantly affect personal injury cases. You’ll want to take these steps to protect yourself from legal issues following an accident:

Call Professionals

In Texas, crashes resulting in a fatality, personal injury, or property damage exceeding $1,000 require filing a police report. Failing to report an accident can leave you facing consequences ranging from fines to jail time.

Along with the police, you’ll want to request medical professionals to the scene if anyone believes they might have an injury. Even a minor injury should be evaluated by a professional, not only for health reasons but for the sake of having a paper trail in case the accident reaches civil court.

If you suffer a personal injury due to another driver’s negligence, you will likely want to pursue compensation for your medical bills and property damage. To do so, you’ll need proof that you received the injury from the collision.

Gather Evidence

While you may feel as if you’ll never forget the details of an experience as traumatic as a car accident where you suffered a personal injury, your memories of the accident will fade. Additionally, even if you’re sure you recall the events of the car accident accurately, if the other party claims something else happened, it will be their word against yours.

Gathering objective evidence of the accident scene will be helpful if you file a personal injury case with a Hempstead personal injury attorney. Of course, your personal injury lawyer will collect additional material to support your claim. Still, evidence such as photos of the accident scene, property damage, and crash location will strengthen your case.

Stay at the Accident Scene

Following the collision, remain on the scene. If your vehicle is movable and obstructing traffic, remove it from the roadway, but do not leave the area. You should step to the side of the road if your car is immobilized in an unsafe situation but remain at the accident site.

Leaving the scene of a car accident where someone suffered a severe personal injury is a crime, and criminal charges can be brought against you if you flee. Should the other driver flee the scene, do not pursue them. If possible, do your best to note identifying information about their vehicle, such as make, model, color, and license plate number.

Don’t Volunteer Information

Many individuals’ first response after getting into an accident is to apologize to the other driver. It can be a reflexive action, the same way you instinctively apologize if you bump into someone in the grocery store.

Unfortunately, a knee-jerk apology at the accident scene can impact your ability to pursue compensation for your injuries and even be seen as accepting fault for the crash. So don’t make any statements, apologize, or sign anything until you have spoken with a Texas personal injury attorney.

Collect Contact Information

You’ll want to get the other driver’s contact information and their insurance provider. Also, if anyone witnessed the car accident, ask for their contact information and if they would be willing to make a statement to the police regarding what they saw.

Contact Personal Injury Lawyers

If you’re on the fence about discussing your situation with personal injury lawyers, it’s best to play it safe and have the details of your car accident reviewed by a Hempstead personal injury attorney. Find a Texas law firm or law office with a legal team specializing in personal injury law.

Texas lawyers who practice personal injury law will be experienced in the ins and outs of car accident law and be able to provide you with the legal help you need to make wise decisions regarding your case. Many law offices in and around Houston, TX, will offer a free consultation regarding your case.

Scheduling a free consultation with a Hempstead car wreck attorney will allow you to gain insight into your case and see how you connect with the attorney. Finding a lawyer who you feel comfortable with is crucial, so don’t be afraid to schedule a free consultation with several personal injury lawyers to find the attorney who is the right match for you.

How Will I Get Compensation from My Personal Injury Case?

Car accidents sometimes result in significant injuries. Common car accident injuries include:

Broken bones
Paralysis and spinal cord injuries
Brain injuries and concussions
Whiplash
Scrapes, cuts, and road rash
Dental injuries
Death

If you suffer serious injuries following a collision, you will need specialized medical treatment to properly heal. Many of these injuries will not heal on their own, and the medical bills for ongoing care can be astronomical. Your car accident attorney can help you demonstrate the full extent of your medical bills and pursue compensation from the insurance companies or in court.

You may suffer from more than physical consequences after a collision. There are many other ways that a simple car accident can alter your life:

Lost wages. You may need to take several weeks or months off of work to heal properly.
Lost future wages. In some cases, victims are permanently unable to perform their jobs because their injuries prevent them from performing the job’s necessary tasks.
Pain and suffering. Emotional injuries are common as well. Victims often have PTSD, anxiety, and depression after accidents, a reality that can change their ability to function normally within their everyday lives.

Preventing Collisions in Hempstead, TX

Even safety-conscious drivers can get in car accidents, but there are steps you can take to prevent ending up in a wreck. By following these best practices, you can minimize your chance of suffering a personal injury in a collision and avoid being at fault for a car accident.

Avoid Distractions

Staying focused on the road can be difficult when you have a million things on your to-do list. However, distracted driving can cause life-altering consequences in an instant. Focus on driving and leave your phone and any other distracting devices stowed safely in your bag or glovebox.

If there’s something that honestly cannot wait, pull over. Multitasking while driving isn’t worth putting yourself and others at risk for injuries or death.

Maintain Space

No matter how fast your reflexes are, you won’t have enough time to respond to another driver’s actions when you tailgate. In normal road conditions, you’ll want to keep at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you.

You can gauge how far a three-second gap is by picking a roadside marker; from when the car in front of you passes it to when you reach the marker, you’ll want to be able to count at least three seconds. In hazardous road conditions, you’ll want to increase the distance.

Stay Alert

Maintaining situational awareness while driving will help you avoid car accidents. Since you can’t control the actions of other drivers and pedestrians, you’ll want to pay attention to your surroundings so that you are ready to react to their movements.

Be deliberate in your movements through traffic, and remember to watch the vehicles behind you, not just the ones alongside you and in front of you. By staying in a strategic mindset, you stay ready to respond to whatever the road throws at you.

Let a Skilled Personal Injury Lawyer Manage Your Case Today

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your car accident, seeking legal help can ensure you explore all the legal options available. Being in a car accident is an overwhelming experience, and you’ll want someone on your side looking out for your best interest while filing a car accident claim.

When you hire a Hempstead personal injury lawyer from a reputable legal practice, you’ll know that a professional will handle any legal issue arising from your accident. In addition, personal injury lawyers have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you obtain the compensation you need for your injuries.

Trust Your Case to a Hempstead Personal Injury Lawyer

Injuries you receive in a collision can negatively impact your health in the long term, your financial situation, and your quality of life. Personal injury lawyers can help you procure the justice and compensation you deserve.

Work with an attorney you can trust. Contact Brian C. Gutierrez, PLLC, and schedule a free consultation to discuss how we can help with your situation.