Austin Car Accident Lawyer

No one plans for a car accident, but they’re unfortunately common, especially in high-traffic cities. The consequences of a car accident can be severe, but compensation may be available.

Having competent and experienced legal representation is essential after a collision. You can rely on comprehensive help from an Austin car accident lawyer when you contact the Zinda Law Group for assistance.

An Austin personal injury lawyer can help you secure fair compensation and answer all of your legal questions. Call or fill out our online contact form to get started. 

What Damages do You Get After a Car Accident?

The legal system categorizes damages in a personal injury claim as “economic” and “non-economic.” Your car accident lawyer in Austin, TX, can review all the potential compensation for your claim. Examples of available funds may include damages for your:

Medical Expenses

Auto accidents can leave crash victims with broken bones, spinal cord injuries (SCIs), traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), burns, and various other internal injuries. A fair settlement may cover your:

• Emergency medical treatment and transportation
• Time spent in a hospital 
• Medical assessments and procedures
• Over-the-counter and prescription medications
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation 

An experienced car accident attorney can track all of your medical bills and expenses, factoring them into your claim. You can focus all your energy on recovery by trusting us to handle your accident injury claim. 

Property Repairs

The negligent party may have to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle after a car crash. You may also qualify for funds to pay for other property damaged in a collision, like a cell phone or other electronic devices. 

Lost Wages

Many people need time off work to recover from auto accidents. We track your lost pay and include it in our request for fair compensation on your behalf. 

You may end up with a disability that prevents you from returning to your career. In this situation, you can count on us to help you secure damages for your lost future earnings. Find out more by contacting our professional auto accident lawyers. 

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages do not have ties to a specific amount of money. We focus on bringing our clients coverage for their:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of society or companionship (the damage that occurs when an individual loses a loved one)
• Loss of consortium (specifically the society or companionship of a spouse)
• Damage to reputation

Both economic and non-economic damages are recoverable, but non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate because something like emotional suffering does not have a set equivalent dollar amount.

Our Austin car accident attorneys will work harder than other law firms to pursue the maximum possible compensation for you. We know you’re going through a difficult time and want to support you throughout the process of getting financial recovery. 

Punitive Damages

Sometimes, drivers have a chance to secure punitive damages following a collision. However, Texas only offers this form of compensation after serious injuries. You can work with your lawyer to determine if you qualify for punitive damages. 

Should You Contact a Lawyer After a Crash?

It is essential to speak to an Austin car accident lawyer as soon as possible after being in a car accident. Timeliness is vital in engaging legal representation after an accident.

When an accident has occurred, it is essential to begin an investigation as soon as possible. Evidence such as the conditions of the scene at the accident site, the vehicles involved, and the witnesses or video footage that may have captured the accident all may be lost if not gathered very soon after the accident happened. .

In addition, all states have statutes of limitations that limit how long you may file a complaint after an accident, and some are as short as one year. Don’t lose your right to compensation by missing this deadline; talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.

Why Hire Us for a Car Accident Claim?

What you do in the aftermath of a car accident could affect any claim you file, so choosing your lawyer is essential. Having good quality legal representation could be the difference that allows you to recover the compensation you deserve.

At Zinda Law Group, our car accident attorneys have decades of combined experience. We’ve helped over 10,000 clients and secured over $210 million for individuals who turn to us for you. We can help you seek justice in your case. No one is “just another client” with our team.

Our attorneys seek to settle every case as quickly and efficiently as possible, for the maximum compensation available, and you will pay nothing unless you win. You can review examples of our work by checking out our case results. We’re also ready to answer any questions about your claim with a risk-free consultation.

What do We Charge for Car Accident Claims?

We’ll receive a percentage of your final compensation if we successfully resolve your auto accident claim for you. This is what is known as a contingency fee structure. Our fee structure means that you will pay nothing unless you receive a favorable outcome in your case. 

This means that your interests and your attorney’s interests are perfectly aligned: we don’t get paid unless you do. This is a big difference from hourly-fee law firms, who get paid whether you win or lose.

Our experienced and hardworking personal injury attorneys have achieved compensation for thousands of seriously injured accident victims. 

What Kind of Car Accident Claims do We Handle?

The injuries, at-fault party, and remedies can vary depending on the type of car accident. While you can avoid some car accidents by driving carefully, you cannot prevent others because of another driver’s dangerous actions, such as driving while intoxicated or distracted.

Your Austin car accident lawyer can help after a:

Rear-End Collision

Rear-end accidents occur when a car crashes into the back of the vehicle in front of it. These accidents can happen due to speeding, unexpected traffic speed changes, brake checking, or loss of control of the car through hydroplaning or brake malfunctions, among other causes.

We can even help with rear-end accidents involving autonomous (self-driving) vehicles.

Side-Swipe Accident

Side-swipe crashes occur when two automobiles traveling in the same direction collide, scraping their sides against each other. We see these collisions when one car leaves the proper lane, drifting or inattentively trying to merge. These accidents also occur in parking lots.

Head-On Collision

Head-on accidents occur when two cars moving in opposite directions collide directly. These accidents can cause severe damage and injury to the occupants of both vehicles. Our team often sees these accidents when one motorist goes the wrong way down a road in Travis County.

Rollover Accident

Rollovers occur when a vehicle rolls onto its side or its roof. A “tripped” rollover is caused by an external object, such as a curb, or colliding with another car.

In contrast, an “untripped” rollover involves no additional objects and usually occurs due to sharp steering, causing the vehicle to tip over. These accidents are severe and can cause significant injury.

T-Bone Crash

T-bone (or side-impact) accidents occur when the front of one car crashes into the side of another vehicle, creating a T-shape. These crashes can be especially severe because there is no front or back bumper to cushion the impact when a car collides into the side of your vehicle.

Multi-Vehicle Pileup

Multi-vehicle accidents occur when more than two cars are involved in an accident that causes a chain of rear endings.

These accidents are severe and deadly because a car can be impacted multiple times by multiple vehicles, making exiting from the car difficult; being outside the car can also be fatal because of the other vehicles involved in the pileup.

Some pileups have involved over a hundred vehicles. Your car accident attorney in Austin, TX, can focus on the specifics of your unique case.

Can a Lawyer Help After a Fatal Car Crash?

We know that some car accidents have deadly results. Your family can secure professional help from an Austin wrongful death lawyer in this situation. We’ll provide you with the compassionate guidance you need after a fatal crash and find the liable party. 

Our team will support your family and discuss your legal options. We understand that a legal claim cannot bring back your loved one, but it can provide a sense of closure and help you secure funds to ease the financial pressures on your family. 

Additionally, legal action can hold the at-fault driver responsible after a fatal crash, potentially preventing them from harming someone else in the future. Contact our law office to discuss your situation and a wrongful death claim in more detail with a concerned member of our team. 

What Causes Car Accidents?

When pursuing a personal injury claim for a car accident, it is necessary to argue why the defendant party is at fault for the crash and, thus, the victim’s injuries. Generally, the claim in a car accident is negligence, which means that the at-fault driver did not use proper care when driving.

Negligent driving can take many forms, from driving under the influence to failing to pay attention to the road. Some of the most common causes of car accidents are:

• Driving while intoxicated
• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Inclement weather
• Fatigue
• Ignoring road signs and traffic signals

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to prevent all car accidents. Still, it’s essential to educate yourself before you are involved in a crash so that even in that stressful situation, you know your rights and what you should do to preserve your claim.

Our legal team can immediately investigate the cause of your motor vehicle accident. We thoroughly review what happened, allowing us to find the responsible party and pursue them for compensation in Travis County. 

How do We Investigate Car Accidents?

We use a number of techniques to investigate negligent drivers. Depending on your situation, we may: 

• Visit the accident scene to assess hazards that led to the crash
• Find and interview all eyewitnesses 
• Get copies of the police accident report
• Look for photos or videos of the collision 
• Get photographs of each vehicle involved in the collision
• Work with car accident experts 

We also collect your medical records, medical bills, and additional documentation to show the full extent of your losses and property damage. We can use this information to fight for a fair accident settlement. 

Do You Have to File a Lawsuit After a Car Accident?

Some drivers file a personal injury lawsuit with help from a legal team after a car crash. However, you do not always have to go to court. In fact, our team often negotiates settlements with the insurance company outside of the court system. 

We have the experience and resources to stand up to insurance companies, preventing them from pushing you around after collisions caused by driver inattention, reckless driving, and other forms of negligence, striving to secure a fair settlement.

However, even with the help of a personal injury lawyer, the insurance company may sometimes refuse to negotiate an accident settlement before a formal lawsuit is filed. In this situation, our legal team can help you file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. We’ll represent you in court, present your case, and stand with you to help you get the best outcome available until the legal process is resolved. 

What Should You Do After a Car Accident?

We understand the challenges associated with a car accident claim. We’re ready to help you walk through each step of your case. We recommend that you:

Prioritize Your Safety

The most important thing after a car accident is safety. If you or another car occupant is injured, call 911 immediately and follow the emergency operator’s instructions. Then, exit your vehicle if you are able, and ensure you are safe and away from any ongoing traffic.

Call the Police

Even if no one is injured, you should still call the police at the accident scene. A police report is a valuable tool in determining the circumstances of a traffic accident after the fact. Your personal injury law firm will need a copy of this report to strengthen your claim. 

Exchange Information with Other Drivers

Exchange insurance information with the other individual who was involved in the accident. If you can, try to get contact information from witnesses at the scene. This can make it possible for an experienced attorney to collect their statements and possibly even others’ dashboard camera (dashcam) video to back up your claim. 

Take Pictures

In addition, you should document the scene around you, such as with pictures of both cars and any damage sustained, as well as the conditions of the road, signs or signals on the roadway, or anything else relevant to the accident.

Stay Calm and Alert

Emotions may be running high after a car accident. However, do not lose your temper or speak angrily with the other party involved—that won’t help the situation and may escalate things.

Do not admit blame in the accident or discuss the circumstances at length because anything you say could be used later or even misconstrued to place you at fault—and make sure not to sign anything given to you except a police report. If you see something on the police report that you believe is incorrect, please tell the officer and ask if it can be corrected so that you are signing a report you believe to be fully accurate.

Visit a Medical Provider

You should go to the doctor soon after your accident. Even if you don’t seem to feel anything wrong immediately, remember that some injuries may only present themselves in the days after an accident, such as whiplash or concussion. Even though they may start to hurt or worsen some time after the accident, they could be very serious and require immediate or ongoing medical treatment.

In addition, the sooner you receive a diagnosis after an accident, the more apparent it will be that your car accident caused the injury. Conversely, suppose you do not receive a diagnosis for a long time after your accident.

In that case, the opposing party can argue that some other incident in the intervening time between the accident and your diagnosis was the actual cause of your injury and not the car accident.

What Injuries Are Common in Car Accidents?

Car accidents can cause many injuries. Some can be apparent immediately, while others can become apparent only after time has passed.

Receiving medical attention after a car accident is critical to avoid the long-lasting consequences of even a minor injury. Common injuries caused by car accidents include:

• Broken bones
• Whiplash
• Bruises and contusions
• Concussion
• Sprained muscles
• Burns
• Paralysis
• Scrapes and cuts

Your Austin car accident lawyer will review your specific injuries and the medical care you require to recover, allowing our team to focus on your losses as we discuss your legal options. 

Do Lawyers Have to Prove Negligence After a Crash?

Typically, the injured party in a car accident can only secure compensation if a lawyer demonstrates that someone else caused the crash through an act of negligence. Your attorney may need to show that:

• Another party owed you a duty of care
• The at-fault party failed to uphold their duty
• The other party’s actions directly caused your physical injuries and financial losses

We can begin our investigation right away to establish fault. We have a track record of successfully helping clients like you. We will handle your claim with integrity and honesty as we push to bring you maximum compensation for a traffic collision. 

What’s Modified Comparative Negligence?

In a negligence case, the plaintiff must demonstrate that his injuries result from the defendant’s actions; in a car accident claim, the plaintiff must argue that the defendant caused the car accident by not acting with the appropriate amount of care.

However, it is possible the court will not find that an accident is entirely one party’s fault—for example, if one party was speeding, but the other party was driving distracted. In some states, damages are awarded proportionally based on fault—if an individual is determined to be 30% responsible, he owes 30% of the damages.

Texas is a comparative negligence state, which means that if the court finds that a plaintiff was more than 50% responsible for an accident, they cannot recover anything from the defendant, even if the defendant was 49% liable. Learn more about this rule with your car accident lawyer in Austin.

What Happens if an Uninsured Driver Hits You?

Texas requires all motorists to have car insurance before they drive. However, some individuals ignore this rule. You may still have a chance to secure compensation after an accident with an uninsured driver, typically if you have an underinsured/uninsured motorist policy through your own insurance company. 

You can discuss uninsured motorist coverage and legal options to secure damages in this situation with a law firm. 

How Long do You Have to File a Car Accident Claim?

The statute of limitations for a car accident claim in Texas is two years. Therefore, you usually only have two years to begin your case from the date that the accident occurred. However, if you wait too long to contact an Austin car accident lawyer, the court may dismiss your claim without awarding you any compensation.

We recommend reaching out to a personal injury law firm immediately to discuss the time limits associated with your case. We track all deadlines as part of the legal services we offer clients like you, increasing your peace of mind after a crash. 

How Long does It Take to Get a Settlement from a Car Accident?

However, you can expect the overall negotiation process to take several months. In addition, filing a lawsuit may make your claim take longer, as the case can only move forward at the pace that the court sets. Discuss both these options today with your car accident lawyer in Austin, TX.

Once a case has been settled, or a court or jury has awarded you a monetary judgment, the money will go to your lawyer to satisfy any outstanding payments (such as medical liens, tax liens, or child support liens) before you receive it. This process can usually be completed within weeks.

Work with a Car Accident Lawyer in Austin, TX

Injuries from a car accident can bring emotional, physical, and financial distress. Hiring an experienced personal injury lawyer allows you to be able to focus on recovery without worrying about the status of your personal injury claim.

At Zinda Law Group, our lawyers will use their expertise to pursue your interests to the fullest extent possible, and you will pay nothing unless you win your case. So contact an Austin car accident lawyer today for a free case consultation and pursue the compensation you deserve.

You can call or complete our online contact form to learn more about us and start the legal process with our experienced team in Travis County.