The consequences of a car crash may include serious injuries and expensive medical treatment. If you were injured in a collision in La Porte because of another driver’s negligence, a car accident lawyer in La Porte can help you understand your legal rights, investigate the circumstances of the crash, and pursue compensation for the losses you have suffered.
At Lowe Law, we have decades of combined experience helping injury victims seek compensation after accidents caused by someone else’s negligence. We understand how difficult it can be to recover from an injury while also dealing with the financial consequences of a crash.
Schedule a free consultation with one of our La Porte personal injury lawyers today.
How a Car Accident Lawyer in La Porte Can Help Establish Liability
Determining who is legally responsible for a car accident can be challenging, and you may need to look beyond the driver who caused the initial impact. Texas car accident claims generally depend on proving that another party’s negligence caused the collision and your resulting injuries.
Drivers have a responsibility to operate their vehicles with reasonable care and follow applicable traffic laws. A driver may potentially be liable when negligent conduct contributes to a crash, including:
- Distracted driving, such as texting behind the wheel
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions
- Following another vehicle too closely
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs
- Making unsafe turns or lane changes
- Failing to maintain control of a vehicle
- Driving aggressively or recklessly
In some cases, more than one party may contribute to an accident. For example, a commercial vehicle collision could involve the driver, trucking company, vehicle owner, or another responsible party.
A La Porte car accident attorney can investigate the circumstances surrounding your collision and work to establish how the accident occurred and who may be responsible for the resulting losses.
How Texas Comparative Negligence Rules Could Impact the Compensation You Are Able to Recover
Texas uses a modified comparative negligence system when multiple parties share responsibility for an injury. If you are found partially responsible for your car accident, your compensation may be reduced according to your percentage of fault. Texas law generally bars recovery when a claimant is more than 50% responsible for the occurrence in question.
If you are 50% or less to blame, the available compensation will be reduced in direct proportion to your level of liability. For example, suppose your damages total $100,000, and you are determined to be 10% responsible for the crash. Your recoverable damages could potentially be reduced by 10%, leaving $90,000 in damages.
Insurance companies may attempt to argue that an injured driver was partly responsible for a collision to reduce their financial exposure. An experienced car accident attorney in La Porte can examine the evidence surrounding your crash, address allegations of shared responsibility, and work to protect your ability to seek appropriate compensation.
Compensation You May Be Eligible To Pursue After a Car Accident in La Porte
The losses associated with a car accident can extend well beyond the initial cost of repairing or replacing a vehicle. Depending on the circumstances and severity of your injuries, you may be able to pursue compensation for several types of economic and non-economic damages.
Understanding the full scope of the compensatory damages you incurred is necessary to recover the full value of your losses after the crash.
Economic Damages
Economic damages generally involve financial losses that are easy to document and calculate. Depending on your circumstances, economic damages may include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Necessary modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability
When an injury affects your ability to work or requires ongoing care, evaluating future losses may be an important part of determining the potential value of your claim.
Non-Economic Damages
In addition to the financial impact of a car accident, you may also face far more personal losses that affect your physical comfort, emotional well-being, relationships, and ability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed.
Depending on the facts of your case, non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Permanent disability
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
The extent of these damages can depend on the duration of your recovery and the ways your injuries affect your everyday life.
Exemplary Damages
In certain circumstances, Texas law permits injured parties to seek exemplary damages. Unlike compensatory damages, which are intended to compensate an injured person for losses, exemplary damages are intended to punish particularly wrongful conduct and deter similar behavior.
These damages are not available in every car accident case. Texas law generally requires clear and convincing evidence of fraud, malice, or gross negligence before exemplary damages may be awarded.
Deadlines for Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Texas
Texas generally gives people injured in a car accident two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003. Failing to file within the applicable statute of limitations can prevent an injured person from pursuing the claim in court.
There can also be practical reasons to begin investigating a collision as soon as possible, with evidence becoming more difficult to obtain as time passes. Vehicle damage may be repaired, surveillance recordings may be overwritten, witnesses may become harder to locate, and important details about the accident may become less clear.
Beginning the legal process promptly can give your legal team an opportunity to:
- Investigate how the collision occurred
- Identify potentially responsible parties
- Locate and interview witnesses
- Obtain available photographs and video
- Review police and accident reports
- Document your injuries and medical treatment
- Assess lost income and other financial losses
- Communicate with insurance representatives
- Develop evidence supporting your claim
Taking action promptly does not guarantee a particular result, but preserving evidence early can be important when establishing liability and documenting the extent of your losses.
Reach Out to a Car Accident Attorney in La Porte Today
A car accident can leave you dealing with consequences that continue long after the vehicles have been towed away. If another driver’s negligence caused your accident in La Porte, the experienced legal team at Lowe Law can help you understand your options.
Since founding our firm in 2016, we have recovered millions of dollars in damages for injured clients. Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We can listen to what happened and explain the legal options that may be available while you focus on your recovery.