San Antonio Auto Accident Attorney
The feelings that often follow a San Antonio auto accident involve a combination of terror, shock, numbness, pain, anger, and loss. The experience of dealing with an insurance company after a car wreck often serves to deepen the crisis for victims of auto accidents and car wrecks. The injuries suffered from auto accidents can range from death and incapacitation to spinal damage that does not manifest itself for days after the collision. The injury, pain, destruction, and devastation of a car wreck means that victims should immediately contact an aggressive and experienced car accident attorney to fight for them.
The Law Offices of George Salinas has represented many car accident victims facing recovery from a wide range of injuries. One thing that many car crash victims have in common is that they are unsure where to turn or what to do next. Please do not hesitate to call our law office to discuss how we may be able to help you.
San Antonio Car Accidents can Change Your Life in an Instant
Even if you practice safe driving behaviors, are always alert, and are defensive behind the wheel, you still cannot control the actions of other drivers to prevent a crash. One moment you may be driving along as usual and the next, your car may be mangled and you may be in shock. Many car accident victims experience such shock and as a result, may not realize the extent of their injuries or that they were injured at all. For this reason, it is always important to have an emergency medical technician evaluate your condition and do not fight it if they want to transport you in an ambulance.
If you do not require emergency transport, the scene of a car accident can be chaotic. Police officers may arrive and begin questioning parties involved and witnesses. You should always make sure the police have your side of the story to put in their report. Clean-up of the scene may begin relatively quickly - especially if the crash was blocking a road - and you should take as many pictures of the scene with your phone as you can before authorities begin clearing the vehicles.
After things begin to settle down, you may simply feel like going home and resting. However, it is wise to go to the emergency department or to your doctor as soon as possible for a medical evaluation. Many accidents victims think they are merely “sore” or “stiff” as you may expect to be after a collision when in reality, they have suffered injuries that will only worsen without proper treatment.
Medical professionals can diagnose less identifiable injuries such as concussions, whiplash, and soft tissue injuries. Other injuries may be more apparent, such as broken bones or severe traumatic brain injuries (which usually cause unconsciousness), and these injuries require immediate stabilization. In any case, it is critical that you not only receive the treatment you need but also have an accurate diagnosis of your injuries in your medical records.
Finally, after your injuries have been addressed, you will likely want to take time away from dealing with the accident. However, soon you will be watching medical bills pile up as you lose income from taking time off work to heal. These losses can cause significant financial stress and in many cases, car accident victims have the right to seek compensation for all of their losses. It is important that you call an attorney as soon as possible so that you can identify your legal rights and begin working toward your financial recovery.
Recovering for Your Car Accident Losses
The first step when you call an attorney is for them to evaluate what happened and what caused the accident. This is essential as you can only hold other parties liable for your losses if you can demonstrate that they were at fault for the accident due to negligence. In some cases, negligence may be quite obvious - such as when a driver stumbles out of their car clearly intoxicated after the crash. Other times, however, our legal team will need to investigate further into the cause of the crash to identify any possible liable parties. Some examples of negligence in car accident cases involve:
- Driving while intoxicated
- Using a smartphone or other forms of distracted driving
- Aggressive driving or road rage
- Running stop signs or red lights
- Not yielding or merging properly
- Dangerous lane changes
- Departing from a lane
- Falling asleep at the wheel and fatigued driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
In Texas, you can file a claim with an at-fault party’s insurance company, seeking compensation for your losses, which can include:
- Medical expenses
- Estimated costs of medical treatment needed in the future
- Wages lost from missing work
- Future lost earning power
- Permanent disabilities caused by your injuries
- Pain and suffering
The insurance claim process can be complex and every communication with insurance adjusters can count for or against your case. Our firm will handle your entire claim, including filing the claim with the necessary supporting documents, communicating with adjusters, and reviewing any settlement offers to ensure you do not accept an inadequate amount. If an initial settlement offer is too low - as is all too common - we will make arguments and present evidence to negotiate the offer you truly deserve.
San Antonio Auto Accident Attorney
Sometimes, insurers will not agree to an adequate settlement or a policy will simply not cover the losses stemming from serious injuries. We can identify when further action needs to be taken and we can prepare and file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. Car accident litigation involves many rules and requirements and we can handle every stage of your claim, always fighting for the full amount of damages in your case.
Whether you suffered a sprained wrist or a life-changing spinal cord or brain injury, our firm will be on your side and will advise you of all of your legal options and rights. We provide personalized representation and take on the stress of your legal case so that you can focus on recovering from your injuries and the trauma of your car accident.
Who Bears Responsibility for Car Accident Injuries?
Every case involving a car accident presents a new set of facts from which the lawyers at the Law Offices of George Salinas aim to figure out who might be held responsible. Generally speaking, our most common car accident representations involve clients whose loved one was killed in a car accident, and clients who suffered injuries in a car accident, as a result of the wrongful actions or negligence of third parties.
For example, we may represent a client whose family member died as a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone who was speeding or intoxicated. We may represent an accident victim who lost control of her car because of a defect in the car caused by the manufacturer. Or, we may represent a driver who crashed because a road department did not maintain the road surface properly.
We view it as a priority to identify all of the parties who may be responsible for our clients’ injuries and suffering. We have years of practice finding those parties and then crafting legal strategies to give our clients the best chance possible to recover the compensation, and receive the justice, they so dearly deserve.