After being injured in a car accident, you may be able to seek a car accident settlement that can help cover your medical expenses. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured in Texas car accidents each year—in 2014, that number hit nearly 238,000 total injuries. While many of these injuries were minor in nature, more than 17,000 of them (seven percent) were classified as serious injuries.
Serious injuries often lead to serious medical bills, but you may be able to make a Texas car accident settlement claim that can help with these expenses.
The average car accident settlement in Texas amounted to about $15,440 in 2013, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA).
Car insurance rules vary by state. Texas is what’s known as a “fault” car insurance state, meaning that a person can file an insurance settlement claim or lawsuit against a driver at fault in an accident. After an accident, one essential thing is making sure you have taken photographic evidence of the situation and other evidence that will help back up your claim that you were not at fault in the incident. Eye witness statements, such as the statement of a fellow passenger, are also considered evidence.
There are a number of contributing factors to determine how much an average car accident settlement in Texas can be. For each claim, people bring different injuries, type of insurance coverage, disfiguration, culpability in the accident itself, lost wages, medical expenses, and evidence that can make their settlement amounts greater or lesser than somebody else’s. It’s important to consider these factors when determining about how much you might receive from an average car accident settlement in Texas.
Evaluating these factors can give you some sense of the kind of settlement claim you can make, but the best way to get an idea of how much you can receive in a settlement is by consulting a Texas car accident attorney.
The state of Texas requires that drivers carry at least these specific types of insurance at these minimum amounts:
- $30,000 per injured person
- $60,000 per accident (for injuries)
- $25,000 per accident (for property damage)
If you’ve been in a car accident in Texas, you should wait to have your car repairs done until after your claim has been processed, if possible. This is because your insurance company may need to inspect the damage or even require you to go to one of their approved repair places.
If you cannot come to a claim agreement with your insurance company, you may still be able to file a car accident lawsuit within two years from the date of the accident itself, over personal injury or property damage (or both). Once you’ve submitted your claim, your insurance company will respond within 15 days.
Working with a personal injury attorney can help make sure that your insurance company is treating the situation fairly and that you are getting the most out of your situation.
A car accident settlement may help compensate for medical treatment, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. Contact the attorneys at McDonald Worley for a FREE case evaluation today.