When Vehicles Collide in Texas, so too do Powerful Interests
Just why is it that insurance companies appear to “play nice” when dealing with a damaged car, yet they are so tricky when dealing with an injury? The answer is actually quite simple. The State of Texas has set forth specific guidelines that an insurance company must follow when dealing with a matter of property damage. Your vehicle is real property with a very easily determined value. The state government tells the insurance companies explicitly what they can and cannot do when handling property damage issues.
On the contrary, there are few guidelines regarding the injury claims process when it comes to establishing the value of the financial losses that an accident victim experiences. It begins with treatment for wreck-related injuries and medical expenses. But that’s just the beginning. The simple fact of the matter is that medical costs are tremendously high (and going higher every day). Insurance companies are in the business of paying out as little as possible because they’re in business to make a profit. Thus, they will use all manners of sly tricks and unfair methods to find some reason to deny or reduce the value of your claim.
Contrary to popular belief, the accident victim in a Texas car accident bears the entire burden of proving to the insurance adjuster that his or her claim is worth a fair amount of money. The insurance company has no obligation to pay you any amount of money. You, as the accident victim, must go through the proper legal steps to adequately prove your damages to receive fair compensation. Insurance adjusters are all too happy to “assist” you in doing this the wrong way so that you end up unintentionally giving them the very ammunition that they need to legitimately (albeit unfairly) deny your claim or pay you pennies on the dollar. It’s all about the “loopholes” and how you close them.
Again, the insurance adjusters have no obligation to pay you anything for your injuries. You, the accident victim, have the burden of proving the value of your claim. And you have to do it against opponents who are very experienced at saying “no;” then making it stick if you let them.
Winning on Liability is NOT Exactly Winning
In every personal injury claim – car accidents included – the injured plaintiff must show that the defendant owed him or her a legal duty (generally, this is simply the duty not to inflict harm upon others while behind the wheel). Plaintiffs must then show that the defendant breached this legal duty and that the plaintiff suffered some loss and incurred damages (which is the legal term that covers all expenses arising from this negligent vehicle wreck, not just the medical bills).
Most people inaccurately think that being involved in an accident that is clearly “the other guy’s fault” somehow translates to a clear victory. It doesn’t work that way. And the road between the accident scene and the courthouse can take some unusually curious twists and turns.
Even if you have a police report or witness statements that clearly show the other driver was at fault for the wreck, that only gets you partway to the finish line. When an insurance company accepts liability, what they are really saying is, “We admit our driver was to blame for the accident. But now it’s your responsibility to prove to us that we should pay you some amount of money.” Only, they never come out and actually say that second part. But they sure act that way. Many accident victims inaccurately believe that the insurance company accepting liability means that they’ve won. But that only ends up being a Pyrrhic victory that accomplishes nothing. Again, the plaintiff accident victim must still prove that the insurance company owes them some quantity of money. And all the insurance carrier has to do is sit back and say “prove it.”
Proving is where most people unintentionally damage their case.
Our car accident attorneys shield you from the tricks and tactics employed by the insurance adjusters, their bosses, and attorneys. They simultaneously carry you through the claims and – if necessary – the clear laws involved in the process of successful injury compensation. We handle all the details that make up a successful claim (or civil case) in such a way that makes it impervious to the defendants. And that is the key to success: your opponents see the futility of continually denying you and finally offer that reasonable settlement: because they don’t want to fight your strong case in court.
Over the decades, our attorneys have determined the most effective strategies for adequately establishing a causal link between the accident and your injuries as well as the most effective means of proving up your damages. By hiring our experienced attorneys, you ensure that the full story of your injury claim is properly presented to the insurance adjuster and all of his or her fellow defendants. They will not be able to find a technicality by which they can refuse to pay reasonably.
Don’t add to the stress and confusion by letting an inexperienced attorney handle your case or represent yourself when you are unqualified to look out for your (or your family’s) best interests. We are uniquely qualified and fully prepared to fight for and win the fairest compensation for your total damage claims. If you or someone you know was injured in a car accident, contact an attorney at our Law Firm today at 1(800) 862-1260 (toll-free) for a free consultation and find out how we can help you.