Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyer

Houston sees many kinds of motor vehicles sharing the road. You may pass passenger cars, company trucks, big rigs, 18-wheelers, motorcycles, bicycles, and others. If you are in a collision with any vehicle, the type of motor vehicle can affect the severity of your injuries and the claims process. Being hit by a company truck is very different from being in a collision with a motorcycle, both in terms of risk and the process for financial recovery.

No matter what kind of motor vehicle accident you have been injured in, you may wish to consult with an experienced Houston motor vehicle accident lawyer. An attorney can tell you whether you have a claim, how much your claim may be worth, and what options you have for compensation. Before you make any decisions about your case, you may wish to contact Johnson Garcia for a free consultation.

What Are Some Common Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVAs)?

Motor vehicles of all types can be in collisions, and understanding the differences is important, because different crashes may result in different injuries and may require a different legal process to secure financial recovery for you. Common MVAs can include:

• Car accidents. Passenger cars are a leading cause of fatalities and injuries across the country, leading to over 4.4 million serious injuries each year. Car accidents can include sideswipes, side-impact collisions, head-on crashes, and rear-end shunt accidents. All can lead to serious injuries.
• 18-wheeler accidents. 18-wheelers are large trucks responsible for carrying cargo across our state and country. While these trucks are important for the economy, driver shortages and intense pressure on the industry have meant that these vehicles are often in accidents due to driver fatigue, insufficient driver training, driver distraction, poor truck maintenance, and other preventable causes.
• Commercial truck accidents. Commercial vehicles are owned by a company to transport goods or employees. They often have the company logo on them, so they can act as a marketing tool, too. If you’re in a collision with a commercial truck, there may be multiple liable parties in your case, including the driver of the truck and the company that owns the vehicle. The process for making a claim will be different, too, since the truck is likely covered under a commercial liability insurance policy instead of the car insurance policy more typical for a passenger car.   
• Motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists have fewer layers of protection when compared with occupants of trucks or cars, so in a crash, they are more likely to be thrown from the vehicle and may be more likely to suffer serious injuries.
• Bus accidents. Buses, including chartered buses, school buses, private shuttles, and public transit, all require experienced and highly trained drivers because these vehicles take longer to stop and have many blind spots. Bus accidents can cause serious injuries, because there are many occupants inside the vehicle and in some cases buses do not have seatbelts, meaning passengers can be thrown in a crash. Any objects inside the bus can also become projectiles in a collision, leading to additional potential injuries.
• Pedestrian accidents. Some of the most vulnerable road users are pedestrians because they have no layers of protection against the size and force of a truck or car. Pedestrians are especially vulnerable in crosswalks and intersections, but they can also be hit in parking lots or even on sidewalks if a driver loses control.

No matter what kind of MVA you have been injured in, you may wish to consult with a Houston motor vehicle accident attorney. Even if you are covered by car insurance, insurers often want to resolve claims inexpensively. Lawyers in Houston for car accidents and truck accidents, on the other hand, have a duty to work in your best interest and their goal is to maximize your financial recovery.

How Do Motor Vehicle Accidents Commonly Impact Those in The Accidents?

One of the most devastating impacts of MVAs are the injuries they cause. Each year, there are close to 40,000 fatalities caused by motor vehicle accidents across the country. In addition to fatalities, many drivers and passengers walk away with serious injuries, such as:

• Amputation. In a car or vehicle accident, amputation may occur if a limb or part of a limb is severed by the impact of the collision. Amputations can also occur if a passenger is trapped in the car and emergency responders need to get the passenger out of the vehicle quickly. In some cases, amputation does not occur right away, but rather a limb is so injured by the crash that surgeons later must remove all or part of the affected area to save a patient’s life. In all these situations, amputations are life-altering injuries.
• Back and spinal cord injuries. Back injuries can include chronic back pain and mobility issues or numbness in parts of the body. Serious spinal cord injuries can result in paraplegia or quadriplegia, which can paralyze a person either from the waist down or can paralyze all four limbs.
• Burns. In some vehicle accidents, especially motorcycle accidents, the fuel tank can become ruptured and may explode or catch on fire, putting anyone nearby at risk of burn injuries. Burns may cause severe pain and scarring and in some cases can lead to mobility issues.

In addition to the physical impact of an injury, MVAs also cause property damage and resulting financial loss. A car may be severely damaged in an accident, for example, requiring extensive repairs or replacement. Any objects inside the car, including mobile devices or computer equipment, can also be damaged and require replacement.

What Kinds of Costs Are Associated with Motor Vehicle Accidents?

The costs of a motor vehicle accident can be high, ranging from five figures to potentially millions of dollars. Injured passengers and pedestrians may need to pay for medical costs, including hospital stays, medication, medical devices, visits to specialists, medical treatment, imaging, and more. There may be ongoing medical costs, sometimes lasting years or a lifetime for a permanent injury. In addition, the costs of property damage can add up to tens of thousands of dollars or more, especially if a car needs to be replaced.

When considering costs associated with an accident, it is also important to consider incidental costs, which can be easily overlooked. The cost of a car rental while a car is being repaired, the expense of installing a ramp if your injury requires a wheelchair, the costs of adding a grab bar in the bathroom, and other expenses can all add up. Many individuals do not consider these additional losses, which is why consulting with a Houston motor vehicle accident lawyer can be useful to discuss the true total costs of your injury.

What Kind of Legal Recovery May Be Available?

If your MVA injury was caused by someone’s negligence, you may be able to seek compensation by making a legal claim. You may be able to seek financial recovery for lost wages, pain and suffering, current and expected future medical bills, and other losses related to your injury. If you think you may have a claim, consult with a Houston motor vehicle accident attorney to find out if you are eligible and to start the process. The claims process itself can involve:

• Filing paperwork to let all defendants know of the lawsuit
• The discovery process, which allows all parties to gather and share evidence related to the case
• Negotiations and mediations to try to reach an agreement on financial recovery
• A trial, where a jury and judge will decide on financial recovery if no agreement can be reached before the trial date

A Houston motor vehicle accident attorney can help with all these steps and can negotiate for the best recovery for you. He or she can remove the burden of the financial process so you can focus on your physical healing and can keep you up to date about your case. Working with an attorney also means a legal professional with experience in trial litigation and in negotiations is working to secure fair compensation in your case.

How Can Johnson Garcia Help?

If you need a motor vehicle accident attorney Houston has many options, but there are several reasons why you may wish to contact Johnson Garcia. Johnson Garcia has more than 30 years of combined experience and we have recovered over $100 million on behalf of our injured clients. Our legal team was founded by experienced attorneys who left successful careers representing large corporations because they wanted to make a difference by helping those who needed assistance.

Johnson Garcia is client-focused. Our goal is to help clients secure fair compensation for their injuries and to do that we offer a friendly and supportive office atmosphere, 24/7 support, bilingual English and Spanish communications, Saturday and evening appointment times, and more. We also offer contingency billing and free initial consultation, so you don’t have to worry about costs upfront if you have a case. You don’t pay anything unless we are able to recover money for you!