Who Pays When Three or More Drivers Are Partially at Fault in a Texas Crash?
Quick Answer When three or more drivers share fault for a Texas crash, each liable driver generally pays the percentage of damages equal to that driver’s responsibility. Your recovery is first reduced by your own percentage of fault, and you recover nothing if you are more than 50% responsible. A defendant found more than 50% […]
Who Is Liable for a U-Haul or Rental Truck Accident in Texas?
Quick Answer The negligent driver is usually the first person liable after a U-Haul or rental truck accident in Texas. Depending on the facts, responsibility may also reach the renter, an employer, another motorist, a loading or repair company, or the rental company for its own negligence. The federal Graves Amendment generally blocks liability based […]
Should I Call the Police for a Minor Fender Bender in Texas?
Quick Answer Usually, yes. You should at least contact law enforcement after a minor fender bender, although Texas law does not require a 911 call for every collision. Under Texas Transportation Code § 550.026, immediate police notice is required when someone is injured or killed, or when a vehicle cannot be normally and safely driven. For […]
Can the Other Driver’s Lawyer Use My Social Media Posts Against Me in Texas?
Quick Answer Yes. In a Texas personal injury case, the other driver’s lawyer may seek relevant posts, photos, videos, comments, messages, check-ins, tags, and other account data. Properly authenticated content may be used during a deposition, mediation, motion hearing, or trial. Stop posting, preserve what already exists, and let your lawyer evaluate any social media […]
Why Is the First Settlement Offer Often Too Low After a Texas Car Accident?
Quick Answer An insurer’s first settlement offer after a Texas car accident is often low because it may be made before the full medical, wage-loss, liability, insurance-coverage, and lien picture is documented. Accepting the offer usually requires a release, and the Texas Department of Insurance warns that this release promises that you will not bring […]
What Happens When Multiple Insurance Companies Are Calling After a Wreck in Texas?
Quick Answer Multiple insurance companies may call after a Texas wreck because different policies could cover different parts of the loss. The callers may represent the other driver, the vehicle owner, an employer, your own collision or PIP coverage, or a possible UM/UIM claim. Do not give every adjuster an immediate, unscripted statement. Identify the […]
The Insurance Company Said My Injuries Are “Pre-Existing”: Now What?
Quick Answer An insurance company’s claim that your injuries are “pre-existing” does not automatically defeat your Texas personal injury claim. You may still recover damages if an accident caused a new injury, aggravated an existing condition, or made a previously asymptomatic condition painful. The next step is to document your medical condition before and after […]
3 Insurance Company Delay Tactics After a Texas Car Accident and How to Fight Back
Quick Answer The three common insurance company delay tactics after a Texas car accident are silence or adjuster reassignment, repeated document requests, and an investigation that never reaches a decision. Fight back with a dated paper trail, an indexed evidence package, written requests identifying what remains missing, and a firm calendar for Texas’s two-year lawsuit […]
What Is a Recorded Statement and Should I Give One After a Texas Car Accident?
Quick Answer A recorded statement is an audio-recorded interview in which an insurance adjuster asks about a crash, fault, injuries, treatment, and damages. You generally should not give a broad recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before getting legal advice. Your own insurer is different because your policy may require cooperation, but you can […]
Why the Insurance Adjuster Is Not on Your Side After a Texas Car Accident
Quick Answer The insurance adjuster is not on your side because the adjuster works for the insurance company and evaluates what, if anything, the company should pay. The Texas Office of Public Insurance Counsel expressly warns that, in a third-party claim, the other driver’s insurance company is on its driver’s side. You can report the claim […]