Summer auto accidents seem to be the most inevitable as more drivers on the highway than any other time of year because many families across the country embark on road trips for their summer vacations. Accordingly, the summer months are also when the majority of car accidents occur. When it comes to car accidents, even minor fender benders can cause inconveniences, conflicts, and injuries.
While not all accidents require you to have an attorney, you will need to contact one if:
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Texas had a total of 3,343 fatal crashes in 2017. A recent news article reported that Dallas County leads the state when it comes to car accident fatalities. The Texas Department of Transportation also reports that the leading causes of car collisions in Texas are speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence.
In addition to the inherently higher volume of traffic on the roads during the summer months, there are a number of other factors that also contribute to the increase in traffic accidents during these months.
Many road construction crews also take advantage of the good weather during the spring and summer to perform maintenance on highway infrastructures. These construction zones disrupt traffic with lane closures, narrow roads, concrete barriers, poor road surfaces, and little to no shoulder room. These factors are the cause of many accidents.
If motorists do not take proper care of their tires, they are at an increased risk for a tire blowout in the hot weather. Worn tires (with bad tread), old tires, and under-inflated tires are very vulnerable in the summer heat. In the summer, road pavement temperatures can reach over 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This, along with the internal heat generated by the flexing rubber in under-inflated tires, can be too much for the tire rubber and result in a blowout. Any tire over 6 years old is at risk in the heat, as well as tires with little to no tread on them. If you are unsure whether your tires are in safe driving conditions, take it into a local tire shop before your next road trip.
Summer means vacation for kids in school. This means an increase of young drivers on the road, and young drivers are particularly prone to distracted driving. A study done by AAA found that distraction played a role in 6 out of 10 moderate to severe teen car accidents. The causes of these accidents varied from cell phone usage, passenger distractions, taking eyes off the road, singing to music, grooming or reaching for objects.
Retaining the services of an attorney helps you know what your legal options are in the aftermath of an auto accident and can also help get you referred to a medical provider to help get you back on your feet. An attorney will defend your rights and represent your interests throughout the settlement process and, if necessary, take the case to trial.
Hiring a personal injury attorney relieves you of the burden of going through the legal processes, such as gathering relevant documents, collecting the witnesses’ statements, attending meetings with the insurers, and so on. Retaining the services of an experienced attorney helps you focus on the recovery process.
Proving that another person’s negligence caused the injuries you sustained is not always straightforward. This is because the parties involved are likely to shift blame to avoid compensating you. A competent auto accident attorney will sift through the evidence, call on witnesses, and if need be, reconstruct the accident to build a strong argument for your claim.
Thompson Law has a robust team that will investigate the circumstances of your accident to establish each party’s percentage of fault. An attorney will also fairly assess how much responsibility your insurance company should take as well as the compensation amount you are eligible for. Should your case go to trial, an attorney will aggressively represent you and protect your rights even if you were at fault.
An attorney will also help you get the settlement you deserve, inclusive of unquantifiable damages such as pain and suffering, which many individuals do not even realize can and should be included in their settlement.
Most importantly, hiring an attorney immediately after a wreck can help you get referred to medical treatment for your injuries so that you can get on the road to recovery. There are also legal implications of acting quickly: most states have a statute of limitations on how long you should take to file an auto accident claim. In Texas, you should file a claim within two years following the injury. By taking action immediately after the car accident, your attorney is in a better position to obtain and file all the necessary proof within the two-year deadline.
Texas is a comparative fault state. This implies that in case of an accident, the parties involved may have contributed to the accident to a certain extent. The claimant can only recover damages if they were 50% or less at fault. An experienced attorney will help you navigate through the complex determinations of fault to see if you are potentially able to recover for your injuries.
No matter the circumstances of your auto accident, get in touch with the experienced team at Thompson Law as soon as the incident happens. We offer obligation-free consultations during which time we will go through your claim details and explain all your legal options. Should you let us represent you, you will pay no fees unless we win your case. Contact us at 844-308-8180.
Thompson Law NO COBRA HONORARIOS a menos que obtengamos un acuerdo para su caso. Hemos puesto más de $1.9 mil millones en acuerdos en efectivo en los bolsillos de nuestros clientes. Contáctenos hoy para una consulta gratuita y sin compromiso para hablar sobre su accidente, obtener respuestas a sus preguntas y comprender sus opciones legales.
La ley estatal limita el tiempo que tiene para presentar una reclamación después de un accidente con lesiones, así que llame hoy.
