Over 38,000 people lose their lives in car accidents each year in the United States. The damage, of course, goes far beyond that, ruining the lives of the friends and family the deceased leave behind.
With that in mind, a further 4.4 million sustain injuries in automobile accidents yearly, further illustrating the consequences of negligent driving. These injuries vary wildly, and some may have an effect on your quality of life even decades after the fact. Of equal concern are the financial implications medical bills, loss of earnings, property damage, and other factors can pose in the aftermath.
If you’re the victim of a car accident caused by someone else, you could be entitled to compensation that addresses every way your life’s been affected as a result. An experienced Wharton car accident lawyer can be vital to helping you find a path forward and in facing any hurdles along the way.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Texas?
The Texas Department of Transportation published information confirming the state currently has the highest rate of vehicular fatalities per annum. As a statistic, this is horrifying enough, but the number of families this touches on is staggering. For each fatality, a family is stricken by the loss of a loved one, and the suffering inflicted can’t be quantified nearly as clinically.
In addition, over 14,000 people suffer serious injuries resulting from car accidents. The severity of these injuries can have short-term and long-term effects on survivors, including financial hardship, emotional anguish, disfigurement, and lifelong physical impairment.
What to Do First After a Car Accident
An investigation begins shortly after a car accident is reported by local police. A client’s attorney will also conduct their own investigation to establish the events surrounding the accident. By doing so, the attorney will use witness testimony and on-scene evidence to determine where fault lies and how the accident could have been avoided.
Establishing who’s to blame for the accident is key to moving ahead with a claim. Many factors can constitute fault, such as inebriation, texting, reckless driving, or speeding. An experienced attorney will recognize potential indications of fault and the evidence to support your claim for compensation.
What to Expect in a Car Accident Settlement
Compensation in a car accident settlement depends on many different factors. Your lawyer will consider the events that took place, the amount of blame that can be apportioned to the other party, the severity of injuries you’ve suffered, and another hardship caused by the accident to quantify the value of your claim.
Injury constitutes far more than the physical aspect. Loss of earnings, medical expenses, property damage, anxiety, and psychological trauma are all considered forms of damage and are therefore all taken into account when calculating your claim.
You may be eligible to seek punitive damages if the opposing party is considered having acted in a willfully negligent or malicious manner. Eligibility for punitive damages is difficult to ascertain under Texas law, but depending on your circumstances, punitive damages are a possibility.
Finding the Right Car Accident Lawyer in Wharton, Texas
The right attorney is there to help you along on the difficult path to justice. By reviewing evidence and calculating the maximum settlement you can hope to be awarded, your lawyer can play a role in mitigating some of the many burdens that pile up following a car accident.
If you’re the victim of a car accident caused by another party, you deserve and need adequate compensation to fund your recovery. Get in touch with an experienced Wharton car accident lawyer at Estes Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers and let us help you decide how best to pursue your case. Schedule your free consultation by dialing 281-238-5400 or via our contact form on this page for any guidance you may need.