Car crashes are extremely common in Texas and take place every single day. If you have been involved in a car wreck, you may want to talk with a lawyer to begin a lawsuit, especially if you suffered serious injuries and your vehicle was damaged. It is crucial to understand how fault is determined in your state in order to successfully pursue a personal injury claim.
Required Minimum Insurance Coverage in Texas
Texas is one of many states that require all drivers to carry auto insurance. In most cases, the minimum coverage that a Texas driver must carry is $30,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage. If the minimum coverage is not enough to compensate for the damages of the injured party, he or she is able to sue for the difference.
Texas’ Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents
In every state, there is a statute of limitations for pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. In Texas, this period of time is set at two years from the time of the car accident. If the injured party does not file a lawsuit within that span of time, they will be unable to pursue a case or recover compensation for their injuries and vehicle damage.
The State’s Comparative Negligence Laws
It is important to know about comparative negligence in order to prove fault in a Texas car accident. Usually, it is fairly obvious who is liable for the accident; the injured party is able to claim compensation for their medical expenses, car repair, lost income, and other damages directly through the insurance provider of the at-fault party.
However, if it is found that the plaintiff was partially responsible for the crash, it can limit and even prevent their ability to receive compensation.
Texas has a model of “modified comparative fault,” meaning that both parties can share fault for the accident. In most cases, liability is determined by how much each party contributed to the accident.
For instance, if the crash occurred where the defendant ran a stop sign but the plaintiff was traveling over the speed limit, the latter may be found 10% at fault. Essentially, if the plaintiff was claiming $10,000 in damages, they would be able to recover $9,000 to make up for their 10% liability for the crash.
Also, if the injured party is found to be more than 50% at fault for the accident, they would be barred from recovering any compensation. This is also true for cases where the plaintiff tries to go through the insurance provider.
To see if you are entitled to compensation, you should contact a skilled Houston personal injury attorney at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD to discuss your case.
Car Wreck Lawyers in Houston
Someone is killed in a car crash in the state of Texas nearly every two hours. Car crashes are the leading cause of death and serious injury in the state, and injured parties are often overwhelmed by significant damages in the aftermath of a collision and need the help of a qualified Houston personal injury lawyer to pursue a claim.
The legal team at West Loop Law and the Law Office of Nhan Nguyen, MD, JD can help you recover after being unfairly injured by a reckless driver. Nhan Nguyen, Nader A. Rabie, and the rest of our team of experienced attorneys has over 14 years of combined experience, and we have the resources to pursue all possible avenues of compensation. Give us a call today at 713-840-7200 to discuss your case and see what we can do for you.
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