Car Accident Attorneys in Corpus Christi, TX

Start with a Free Case Consultation, Call (361) 238-2789

Bandas Law Firm is a trusted personal injury law firm in Corpus Christi that is prepared to fully investigate the circumstances of your car accident. Our car accident attorneys in Corpus Christi strive to present the strongest claims for our clients.

When To Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

As a general guideline, it’s best to contact a lawyer after a car accident as soon as you can for guidance. There are a couple reasons for this, the first being the statute of limitations, which is a law which is implemented on a state by state basis which limits how long an injury victim has to file a claim before they run out of time to do so. According to the Texas Civil Practice Remedies Code section 16.003 the state of Texas has a two-year timeline. This means you have two years from the date of your accident to file a claim or you will lost your legal right to file a claim along with your right to pursue compensation. It’s important to note that there are some exceptions to this law where the filing time may change, including:

• If the injury victim is a minor at the time of the accident or under a legal disability
• The negligent party left the state before a claim could be filed

Beyond the statute of limitations, car accident injuries are different than other injuries covered by personal injury law in that they are most usually soft tissue injuries. These types of injuries are injuries that affect the tendons, ligaments and muscles, such as whiplash, a common car accident injury. Like whiplash, these types of injuries typically progressively get worse over a few days or even weeks after the injury occurred.

Without knowing this, many injury victims sign a compensation agreement with an insurance company before talking to a lawyer only to discover later that their injuries are worse than they initially believed but are not able to recover any additional compensation. If you have suffered injuries at the hands of a negligent driver, talk to our car accident attorney for help today!

Injuries Caused By Car Accidents

There are numerous injuries that can be caused by car accidents, but there are a few common types. Auto accidents can result in severe and permanent disabilities, such as:

• Burns
• Head Trauma
• Paralysis
• Death

Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle

Car wrecks never happen at a convenient time because there’s never a convenient time to be in an accident. However, when the moment strikes, you’ll want an attorney capable of handling your circumstance. We handle all types of car accident cases, including those that involve:

• Speeding and other reckless forms of driving
• Distracted/texting drivers
• Drunk and drugged drivers
• Defective auto parts and vehicle design
• Dangerous and defective roadways
• Uber Lyft drivers

Is Texas a No-Fault State?

No, Texas is not a no-fault state for car accident claims. Texas follows a fault-based or “tort” system when it comes to car accident liability. In a fault-based system, the driver who is determined to be at fault for causing an accident is responsible for covering the damages and injuries resulting from the accident. This typically involves the at-fault driver’s insurance company paying for the losses suffered by the other parties involved in the accident.

In contrast, no-fault insurance systems, which are in place in some states, require each driver’s insurance company to cover their policyholder’s medical expenses and related costs, regardless of who is at fault in the accident.

In Texas, drivers are required to carry liability insurance to cover the costs of accidents they cause. The minimum liability insurance requirements in Texas include coverage for bodily injury and property damage. If you are involved in an accident in Texas, the at-fault driver’s insurance is generally responsible for paying for the damages and medical expenses of the other parties involved in the accident.

It’s crucial to have a clear understanding of your state’s insurance regulations if you live in Texas or plan to drive in the state to ensure that you are in compliance with the law and adequately protected in the event of an accident.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents in Corpus Christi, TX?

• Driver Negligence: is the most common cause of car accidents in the United States, often resulting from distracted, impaired, or reckless driving.
• Defective Car Parts
• Unsafe Road Conditions

Statistics show that distracted drivers cause 25-50% of all motor vehicle accidents in the United States.

We Can Investigate Third-Party Negligence

We can determine if any third-party negligence or product design issues, such as:

• Defective airbags
• Vehicle instability
• Faulty fuel systems
• Compromised roof strength
• Defective tires
• Compromised the safety of your vehicle

Get Maximum Compensation for Your Injuries

Car accidents can cause injuries of varying degrees depending on the force and location of impact, the size of the vehicles involved, the crash worthiness of the vehicles, and many other factors. If you were injured in an auto accident of any kind in Texas, our legal team at Bandas Law Firm wants to hear from you.

Many of these severe injuries can prevent the affected person from returning to work for a period of time, or even permanently, which can result in significant financial difficulties for the victim and his or her loved ones. The emotional toll that severe car accidents can take on victims and their families may also have life-altering consequences.

How is Negligence Determined After an Accident?

Determining who is at fault for a car accident is a critical step in recovering compensation. Typically, if one driver was negligent, which means he or she did not use reasonable care or caution while driving, that person will be at fault for the accident and may be held accountable for the injured victim’s injuries and medical expenses.

Comparative Fault Laws

In cases where both drivers are found to share fault for the accident, Texas follows a comparative negligence rule. Comparative negligence calculates the percentage of fault that each party shares for the accident and subtracts that percentage from the total recovery amount. For example, if the plaintiff in a car accident case was to be awarded $100,000 but found to share 10% fault for the accident, their final recovery amount would be reduced to $90,000. However, if a plaintiff is found to share more than 50% fault for the accident, they will not be awarded any compensation.

Accidents Involving Non-Occupants Multiple Vehicles

A car accident may involve another vehicle or a non-occupant, such as a pedestrian or bicyclist. Cases involving multiple vehicles can also bring about complexities that can only be resolved by thoroughly investigating the cause of the collision in order to determine who is responsible. With our experience in this field and access to accident reconstruction specialists and other experts, our car accident attorneys in Corpus Christi have the ability to deliver the results you need.

Watch Out for These Insurance Tactics

The insurance adjuster for the other driver may contact you even before you are released from the hospital. The goal of the adjuster is to settle your claim as quickly as possible for the least amount of money.

To accomplish this goal, the adjuster may use one or more insurance tactics.

• “I am your friend and I work for you.”

The adjuster may try to convince you that he/she is on your side and is there to help you. Do not be fooled by this insurance tactic. The adjuster represents the insurance company and does not represent your best interests.

The insurance company has a team of professionals, including adjusters, investigators, and attorneys, protecting its best interests. You deserve to have your own team of legal professionals working diligently to ensure that you are treated fairly. Our car accident attorneys in Corpus Christi aggressively fight for car accident victims just like you to protect their right to recover full compensation for all damages. Let us fight for you too!

• “I need a statement to begin processing your claim.”

Another tactic the adjuster may utilize is requesting statements and releases before you have the chance to consult an attorney. We do not advise providing written or recorded statements or signing any releases without first speaking with one of our car accident attorneys in Corpus Christi. The insurance representative may tell you that you need to provide a written or recorded statement before your claim can be processed. The purpose of a statement is to gain information the company can use to deny or undervalue your claim. Even an innocent comment could jeopardize your case.

For instance, the adjuster may try to get you to admit that you were distracted by your children in the back seat or you were running late. The company may use this information to argue you were partly at fault for the crash because you were distracted or speeding. Alleging you contributed to the cause of the crash can result in receiving much less money than you deserve for your claim.

• “I need your medical records before I can pay your claim.”

Again, this is another tactic to gain information the company can use to decrease the value of your accident claim. In some cases, an insurance company will use past accidents, injuries, or illnesses to argue that your injuries did not result from the crash or that the accident only aggravated a prior condition. To obtain this information, the company needs to research your medical history.

Therefore, the adjuster may ask you to sign a medical release form. What he/she may not tell you is that you are signing a form that allows access to your entire medical history instead of the records from the accident. When you retain legal counsel, your attorney will arrange to send the necessary records to the insurance company at the appropriate time. You need to notify your attorney of any prior injuries or accidents because those may need to be disclosed to the insurance provider. However, your attorney should handle this matter to ensure that you are not being taken advantage of unfairly.

Call Bandas at (361) 238-2789 for a Free Consultation

Insurance companies and adjusters are not always deliberately unfair or dishonest. However, they do protect their best interests and will use tactics to accomplish this goal. It is always in your best interest to speak with a car accident attorneys in Corpus Christi to learn about your legal rights and options for recovering money for your injuries, damages, and losses. We offer free consultations so you can get help and legal advice without worrying about how to pay for an attorney to review your case.

Car accidents can change your life forever. If you or a loved one has suffered from a serious injury caused by a motor vehicle accident in Texas, we at Bandas Law Firm may be able to help. You may have grounds to file an injury lawsuit against the negligent party in order to seek financial compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.