{"id":34198,"date":"2020-12-23T19:30:37","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T19:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mcdonaldworley.com\/?post_type=faq&p=34198"},"modified":"2023-01-30T10:48:30","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T15:48:30","slug":"demand-punitive-damages-houston-auto-accident-case","status":"publish","type":"faq-article","link":"https:\/\/mcdonaldworley.com\/es\/faq\/demand-punitive-damages-houston-auto-accident-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Demand Punitive Damages in Your Houston Auto Accident Case?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are really only two reasons why somebody would call a\u00a0<\/span>Houston auto accident lawyer.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Either they want compensation for their injuries, or they want justice. These are not necessarily the same thing. Nobody should have to shoulder the burden of medical bills if they didn’t cause their car accident. At the same time, accident victims want someone to stand up and hold the other person responsible. One way to do that is to file a lawsuit against the other driver and their insurance company.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the first questions car accident victims ask their lawyer is \u2013 how much is my case worth? It wouldn’t be fair for any Houston auto accident lawyer to give you an exact figure the first time they meet you. It certainly wouldn’t make sense to do that over the phone. There’s no way to know what sort of damages you’re entitled to until your lawyer has thoroughly reviewed your case.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you go to your free, initial consultation, your attorney will try to answer all of your questions. But they won’t have a good grasp on your case until they’ve time to look into it. They need to see what sort of evidence you have to support your claim. They also need to see what the defendant is saying. After they’ve had a chance to do this, they can give you a better idea of what your case is worth. They can also let you know if you have a shot at getting punitive damages.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are Punitive Damages?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most of the time, car accident victims sue the defendant for compensatory damages. In other words, they want someone to take care of their medical bills and out of pocket expenses. In other cases, the plaintiff can also demand something called punitive damages. These are damages intended to punish the defendant for their behavior. Typically, you can’t demand this sort of damages in a car accident lawsuit. In order to make this kind of demand, your Houston auto accident lawyer is going to have to show one of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n