Houston Injury and Accident Lawyer & Attorney : Vujasinovic & Beckcom Law Firm : Workplace Injuries, Car Accidents, Insurance Claims : Harris County, Texas

Most people involved in truck accidents in Texas believe they can negotiate with the insurance companies on their own. This is one of the major mistakes we see when handling Texas truck accident cases.

The insurance companies have declared war on injured people. They write letters to injured people trying to convince them not to hire an attorney. They claim that the injured person will not get as much money if they hire an attorney. But the insurance company for the trucking company always hires a team of lawyers. Isn't it suspicious that they hire a bunch of lawyers but don't want the injured person to hire his or her own lawyer?

Why do the trucking companies, and their insurance companies, need a team of adjusters and lawyers but don't think an injured person needs their own lawyer?

Simple.  Because they know that if an injured person is not represented, they are almost certainly going to be able to settle the case for an unfairly low amount.

Trucking companies and their insurance companies also have spent millions and millions of dollars trying to lower the amount of verdicts in truck accident cases. This propaganda has had an enormous effect on jury verdicts in Texas truck accident cases.

As a result of these developments, people injured in Texas truck accident should strongly consider hiring an experienced and aggressive lawyer so they can level the playing field and have a better chance of getting a full and fair settlement.

Simply put, you are almost certain to get an inadequate settlement without an experienced Texas truck accident attorney because the trucking company and insurance company know they can take advantage of an injured person much more easily if they do not have to deal with an experienced, aggressive attorney.

Why? Because an experienced Texas truck accident attorney will know what cases like your have settled for in the past, or what juries have given in the past when truck accident cases have gone to Court.

And the experienced truck accident attorney will be ready, willing, and able to take the negligent truck company to Court if the trucking company or its insurance company doesn't make a fair and adequate settlement offer.

Finally, an experienced accident attorney will be know the tricks that the trucking companies commonly use and will be prepared to deal with those tricks.

Level the playing field.  Strongly consider hiring an experienced and independent truck accident lawyer before trying to settle a serious truck accident injury or wrongful death case.

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After an accident involving serious injury, or even wrongful death, especially in truck or car accidents, you can expect the insurance companies to be pounding on your door (not literally, of course!) and calling you all the time for a "statement." 

Be very careful about what you tell the insurance adjuster.    Especially if you don't have your own lawyer yet.

In fact, it is a good idea many times not to give a recorded statement at all.  Why?  Because the insurance adjuster may be asking you "trick" questions that will hurt your case later on. 

Even though the insurance adjuster may tell you he or she is just trying to "gather up some information" or "get enough information to settle your case," the reality is that most insurance adjusters in serious accident claims are there to try to "trick" you into saying things that will hurt your case.

One purpose of written, recorded, and sworn statements is to keep someone from "changing the story" later on.  The other purpose, of course, is to allow the insurance adjuster to twist your words into something you did not mean to be used against you at a later time. 

When an insurance company comes to you looking for a statement, a big reason is to try to trick you into saying things that will hurt your case.  The insurance adjuster are professionals at this sort of thing and have extensive training in taking statements from injured people. 

Do you want to know if the insurance company is trying to trick you? 

If you want to know if the insurance company is trying to trick you, ask them these questions and see what they say:

1.  Before you take my statements, will you admit liability and put it in writing, and have the insurance company sign the letter?

2.  Before you take my statement, will you promise to pay for all my medical care until I am 100% recovered, and will you put that promise in writing too?

3.  Before you take my statement, may I see a copy of your investigation file for this case?

4.  Before you take my statement, can I take a recorded or written statement from the person who hit my car?

5.  Before you take my statement, will you promise to settle my claim and send the settlement check within 30 days?

Most insurance adjuster will not answer these questions or follow-thru with the commitments in the questions.  That's because they are not really trying to help you or settle your case quickly or determine what's wrong with you so they can pay your claim.  They are trying to minimize what they owe you.

Don't fall victim to the insurance company traps. 

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According to reports, a worker for New Port Building and Construction obtained a $1.47 million dollar settlement after he was paralyzed while working at the company president's personal residence.

The insurance company discovered after the accident that the injured worker had not filled out the proper insurance forms before the accident.

One of the most important things consumers must remember when purchasing insurance is to be honest and forthright on the application and to fill it out completely.  Do not fail to list information you think may increase your premium slightly or leave out requested information.  If you do, you run the risk of losing coverage for a later accident or covered claim.

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If negligent or reckless person or company caused you serious injury or caused a loved one to suffer wrongful death, you may have a "personal injury" or "wrongful death" case.

However, there are some serious mistakes that people make in these situations that can put such a case in serious risk.

Here are some examples of serious mistakes that may put your injury case at serious risk:

1.  Giving a recorded statement to the insurance company without having your own lawyer present;

2.  Not getting appropriate and timely medical care;

3.  Failing to gather witness information from the scene of the accident;

4.  Not calling the police immediately;

5.  Hiring a lawyer who has never handled a serious injury or death case because "a friend recommended the lawyer;"

These are just a few of the examples of some things that can put a personal injury case in serious jeopardy. 

Before you hire a lawyer, and before you talk to the insurance company, do your own research.  Go to our main website, www.vbattorneys.com, and get free information.  Look on the Internet.  Talk to people who know good lawyers.  Interview more than one law firm to make sure you are comfortable with your lawyers.

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