What to Expect After Your Accident

Suffering serious injuries in a vehicle collision or other accident can be a harrowing experience. In an instant, your life is turned upside down and you are left to deal with an extremely stressful set of circumstances. If you are like most people, you feel unsettled and are unsure about how to handle the situation appropriately to ensure you receive full compensation for your medical bills and other losses.

At Morrow & Sheppard L.L.P., we represent clients in and around Houston who have suffered injuries in accidents caused by other people’s negligence. If you have been injured in an accident, we strongly recommend that you hire an experienced lawyer to represent you. The insurance companies only look out for themselves and you need someone who can level the playing field. With experience on your side, the guesswork falls out of the equation and you can feel confident that your claim is receiving the attention it deserves. Here is what you can expect once you hire a lawyer to represent you:

Gathering Information and Going to the Doctor

The first and most important thing to do after any type of accident is to seek medical attention for your injuries. In these situations, your health should always be your top priority. However, seeing a doctor is also important to your claim for damages. Seeking medical attention and following medical recommendations will help show both (i) the severity of your injuries and (ii) that you are doing everything you can to get better and minimize the impact of the accident.

Along with going to the doctor, you should be sure to obtain copies of all of your medical records. In addition, your lawyer will need the police report, any photographs you have from the accident, repair bills and any other records you have that relate to your injuries or other losses.

Settling Your Claim with the Insurance Company

All of this information will help your lawyer prepare your case for settlement. The vast majority of accident cases are resolved through settlement with the responsible party’s insurance company. The more information your lawyer has, the better able he or she will be to present a strong argument for a high-dollar settlement.

We begin preparing our clients’ cases immediately and our goal is to get you maximum compensation as quickly as possible. Settlements can come at any time during the claims process. If the insurance company makes an offer, you – as the client – get to decide if the offer is acceptable. Our role is to help you understand your options and the likelihood of obtaining more (or less) compensation later in the process or at trial.

Fighting for Maximum Compensation at Trial

If the insurance company refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer, your case will go to trial. Trial involves presenting witnesses and other evidence in court to convince the judge or jury that you are entitled to financial compensation for your losses.

Prior to trial, however, lawyers on both sides will request information in the other party’s possession that is relevant to the case. This is known as “discovery.” The lawyers will also file various pleadings and motions with the court and attend conferences and hearings as scheduled by the judge. All of this is intended to give the parties enough information to reach a settlement or, if they cannot agree to settle, enough information to be fully prepared to present the best possible case at trial.

Once the trial is over, the judge or jury will decide whether the other side was at fault for causing the accident. If the evidence is in your favor, you will be awarded damages to compensate for your injuries.

Contact Morrow & Sheppard L.L.P. for a Free Consultation

A Houston accident lawyer with Morrow & Sheppard L.L.P. can provide compassionate and experienced representation for accident victims in Houston, Texas. If you’ve been injured and believe someone else might be to blame, contact us to schedule a free, confidential consultation.