Focused on Helping You Pursue Full and Fair Compensation after a Crash
We’ve been traveling in motor vehicles on the American roadways for nearly 150 years. Unfortunately, many of us still haven’t learned how to stay focused on the road, how to minimize the risk of a collision. Just look at the statistics—the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports approximately 7 million motor vehicle wrecks every year across the United States…and those are just the ones that get reported. Think about that…every single minute, there are nearly 15 accidents somewhere in the United States.
Have you been hurt in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s carelessness? Are you uncertain how to go about getting the compensation you need for all your losses? The experienced personal injury attorneys at Bailey & Galyen can help.
At Bailey & Galyen, we have consistently obtained positive results for personal injury victims throughout Texas for more than 40 years, including people hurt in car wrecks. Over the past four decades, we have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in judgments and settlements for our personal injury clients. We built our practice and our reputation on a commitment to listen closely and leave no stone unturned to get the outcome you want. We’ll make certain you always know the status of your case, as well as your options and prospects for success, so that you can make good decisions about how you want to proceed. We understand how important it can be to get timely and accurate information from your lawyer and will stive to be available and accessible at all times.
To schedule a meeting with an experienced San Antonio car accident attorney, contact Bailey & Galyen online or call our offices at 844-402-2992. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation.
What Must You Prove in Texas to Successfully Recover Damages after a Car Accident?
As a general rule, most personal injury claims in Texas, including automobile accident lawsuits, are based on allegations of negligence. To establish negligence and recover damages (financial compensation) for all your losses, you must demonstrate to the jury that the defendant (person from whom you seek compensation), at the time of the accident, failed to act as a reasonable person would. The defendant’s unreasonable behavior may have taken the form of speeding, failing to stop at a red light, or carelessly turning into the path of your car. If you can successfully show that the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care, you must then show that the careless act caused you to suffer actual losses.
What Are the Most Frequent Causes of Car Accidents in San Antonio, Texas?
The careless or negligent acts of motorists that most often lead to motor vehicle collisions in San Antonio include
- The violation of traffic laws, including speeding, reckless driving, failure to use appropriate caution, illegal lane changes, failure to maintain proper distance, or failure to stop at a traffic signal or sign
- Driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while impaired (DWI)—Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Distracted driving—Using handheld devices while behind the wheel, grooming while driving, adjusting the stereo, looking at other passengers in the vehicle or focusing on roadside attractions rather the road in front of you
- Aggressive driving—Weaving in and out of traffic, making rolling stops, excessive lane changes and tailgating
- Failing to get adequate rest before getting behind the wheel or driving too long without a sufficient break
- Failing to take rain, ice, sleet or snow or other inclement weather into account while driving
Motor vehicle accidents may also be caused by factors unrelated to either driver, such as:
- Mechanical problems—Dangerous or defective vehicles or vehicle parts, such as tires or brakes, or failure to properly maintain a vehicle
- Roadway issues, such as missing, broken or hidden signs, or potholes, uneven lanes, loose gravel or dirt on the road
What Are the Most Common Kinds of San Antonio Collisions?
Most automobile accidents in the Lone Star State are:
- Rear-end collisions, typically caused by tailgating, aggressive driving, or failing to pay attention to the road
- T-bones, where a motorist runs a traffic sign or red light, or fails to yield to the right of way of another vehicle, causing the front of one vehicle to collide with the side of the other vehicle
- Head-on collisions, which happen most often when a vehicle is making a left turn, but can also be the result of driver fatigue
- Side swipes resulting from improper lane changes or aggressive driving
How Can You Best Protect Your Rights after an Automobile Accident?
After any type of accident, including a car wreck, your first priority should be your health and safety. If you can do so without further risk of injury, it’s best to stay right where you are until emergency medical personnel arrive. Let them assess you and determine what’s in your best interests. Defer to their knowledge and expertise—they typically have extensive training and will know exactly what to do to maximize your safety and health. If they believe that you need to go to the hospital in an ambulance, do it.
Even if your injuries are relatively minor and you are able to walk away from the accident, it’s in your best interests to seek medical attention as soon as possible, whether at a hospital ER, an urgent care facility or from your primary care physician. Failing to do so can jeopardize both your health and your legal rights.
When getting medical care, be thorough when telling doctors and nurses about what happened. Don’t focus on the obvious injuries, such as broken bones, cuts or bruises, and neglect to mention other sources of pain or discomfort, such as a stiff neck or back. Often, the most debilitating injuries will be the ones that don’t fully appear for days or even weeks.
How Soon Must I File a Lawsuit for Damages after a San Antonio Car Accident?
The deadline for filing a personal injury claim in Texas, also known as the “statute of limitations,” is two years. The time period customarily runs from the date of the accident but may be extended for injuries that are not reasonably “discoverable” for some period of time.
Should You Try to Gather Evidence at the Scene of the Crash?
There are many ways you can help your lawyer put together the strongest case for your full recovery. If possible, get contact information from everyone involved in the accident, including the person who caused the crash, as well as any bystanders who may have been witnesses. Take pictures of anything that may be relevant to the collision, including the damage to all vehicles, any injuries you suffered, the weather conditions at the time of the crash, and any irregularities or defects on the road.
What Damages Are Available in a Texas Auto Accident Lawsuit?
In a car accident lawsuit, as with any personal injury claim, you have the right to pursue full and fair compensation for all your injuries and losses, including:
- Unearned wages and income
- Unreimbursed medical expenses
- Any physical or mental pain and suffering resulting from the accident
- The loss of companionship or consortium with family members
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage or loss
How Can You Expect Your Auto Insurance Company to Respond to Your Claim?
In most instances, you can expect delays, denials or attempts to get you to take far less than your policy provides. Remember that insurance companies are for-profit entities with an obligation to maximize their earnings to shareholders. The less they pay to settle a claim, the more they can pay in dividends.
What does that mean? First, don’t accept their initial offer—chances are it will be for far less than you are entitled to under your policy. More importantly, don’t make your first call to the insurance company—hire an experienced personal injury attorney first. You’ll then have a knowledgeable advocate on your side, someone who can be your intermediary with the insurance company.
What Type of Insurance Settlement Can You Expect after an Automobile Wreck?
Auto insurance policies typically provide, at a minimum, coverage for vehicle damage or loss. It’s common for them to include some coverage for injuries to other motorists, and for payment of any medical bills that you and/or your passengers incur. If you paid extra for uninsured and underinsured motorists coverage, you may also be able to get benefits if the other driver had little or no insurance.
How Can Bailey & Galyen Help You after a Car Accident?
In the aftermath of a motor vehicle accident, you may be uncertain exactly what you need to do to fully protect your rights. The experienced lawyers at Bailey & Galyen will
- Fully investigate the details of your accident
- Quickly assess the merits of your case and help you decide whether it’s in your best interests to try to negotiate a settlement or whether you should take your case to trial
- Determine the need for expert witnesses, and prepare those experts, so that they will provide the compelling arguments for your full financial recovery
- Draft and file all documents required throughout the litigation process in a timely manner
- Be your advocate in all meetings, hearings and proceedings, including depositions, motion hearings and trial
Contact Our San Antonio Car Accident Lawyers Today for a Free Initial Consultation
At the law offices of Bailey and Galyen, with offices throughout Texas, we proudly offer our 100% promise, working hard to ensure your total satisfaction with our services. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged upon request and we can travel for an appointment, upon request.
We provide a free initial consultation to anyone who has been injured in a car accident. To set up an appointment, call our offices at 1-844-402-2992 or contact us by e-mail. We handle all car accident claims on a contingency basis. We will only charge attorney fees if we recover compensation for your losses.
