Auto Accident Injury in Houston, TX

Have you suffered an injury due to a car accident in Houston? If so, your life may never be the same again. Injuries from a car accident can interfere with your ability both to work and to enjoy everyday activities. They can also be incredibly painful. As such, you need an auto accident attorney who understands the laws in and around Houston, TX that will fight for your legal rights and help you receive the financial compensation you deserve.

Auto Accident Injury Statistics in Houston, Texas

According to the National Safety Council, in 2019 about 4.4 million people suffered serious injuries in motor vehicle accidents and an estimated 38,000 were killed. In Harris County, home to Houston, Texas, there were 113,525 automobile accidents in 2019. The Texas Department of Transportation notes that these accidents included nearly 2,000 serious crashes, which resulted in almost 2,300 injuries.

Sadly, 418 individuals died in 395 fatal car accidents on Houston-area roadways in 2019. That year, the mayor of Houston signed a Vision Zero executive order. This order aims to use engineering, education, enforcement and other means to eliminate both traffic fatalities and serious injuries in the city by 2030.

What to Do After an Auto Accident

It’s important to be prepared in the event you are a victim of a car accident. Below are the steps to remember immediately after your crash.

Receive Immediate Medical Attention

What is the most important step that you need to take after an auto accident? You need to receive immediate and proper medical treatment. You may believe that the injuries sustained after an auto accident are minor. Proper medical treatment helps ensure that you have not sustained any internal injuries that you may not be aware of.

File a Police Report

Even if no one sustained injuries, you still need to call 911 and request law enforcement assistance. When officers arrive, jot down each one’s name and badge number. Answer their questions honestly, but don’t volunteer any unasked for information, especially your thoughts on exactly what happened or who caused the car accident. Be sure to ask the officers for the number of their police report.

Section 601.004 of the Texas Transportation Code requires you to report a car accident to the Texas Department of Transportation if any of the following are true:

• The accident causes someone’s injury
• The accident causes someone’s death
• The accident causes more than $1,000 in property damage
• No member of law enforcement investigates the crash

If one or more of the above applies, you may also report the accident to the Houston Police Department by completing an online report form. After you file your report, you may obtain a copy of it through the same online portal. The cost of an official crash report is $8.

Gather the Appropriate Documentation

While waiting for officers to arrive after a car accident, collect information from all other drivers involved in the accident, including the following:

• Full name, address, phone number and email address
• Driver’s license state and number
• Auto insurance company name, policy number and phone number

Use your cell phone to take pictures of each driver’s license, auto insurance card, your vehicle and each additional vehicle involved in the car accident. Don’t rely on verbal communication. Having as much information as possible will only help you and your case later on. Try to keep this exchange as civil and friendly as possible. However, do not apologize for causing the accident or indicate in any way that you think you may have caused it. 

Recovering Damages After an Auto Accident Injury

After surviving a car accident, the emotional and economic toll it takes can be staggering. You are not only dealing with the mental anguish that comes with being involved in a crash, but you may also be experiencing severe physical harm as well.

Common injuries associated with motor vehicle accidents include:

• Burn injuries
• Back and neck injuries, such as whiplash
• Brain and head injuries
• Broken bones
• Spinal injuries
• Soft tissue injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated the economic toll of serious car accidents in all of Texas to have been $5.7 billion in 2018. Of the approximately 3,300 individuals who died on Lone Star State roadways that year, Houston’s Harris County was responsible for roughly 400. This means Houston’s share of economic damages was about $691 million in 2018 alone.

Hiring a car accident lawyer ensures you have the financial ability to cover any losses that have occurred as a result of a crash. An auto accident attorney will also help you handle the paperwork that you will have to complete from insurance companies. This boosts your odds of receiving the insurance compensation you deserve.

Auto Accident Laws in Texas

Liability Laws for Houston

When car accidents happen, it is essential to determine who bears responsibility for the resulting damage and medical bills. Determining fault impacts everything from your insurance claim and level of liability to the amount of confusion you may endure during the claims process.

Because Texas is a fault-based jurisdiction for purposes of compensating car accident victims, the responsible driver or their insurance provider pays for crash-related damages. If you want to file a successful personal injury lawsuit, though, Texas’s modified comparative negligence statute requires you to be less than 51% responsible for the crash.

Statute of Limitations in Houston

Each state has its own tort laws that determine the statute of limitations on a claim. In some states, this gives you just one year to file a claim in court, while some others may give you up to six years. In Texas, the statute of limitations for most car accident claims is just two years from the date of the accident.

This is why it is important to consult with an attorney immediately after your car crash. Don’t wait and risk losing out on any compensation they can recover.

Work With an Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer Near Houston, TX

After a car accident, you have enough to worry about. We can help you find an auto accident attorney for your unique case. Get the financial restitution that you deserve if you’re the victim of someone else’s conduct.

Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in Texas!