Car Accident Settlements in Texas

What Is The Average Settlement for a Car Accident?

The specific details of your case determine your settlement amount. Texas is an at-fault state, so the at-fault motorist and their insurance company are usually liable for your damages. Depending on their severity, these damages could warrant a settlement ranging from the thousands to the millions. Consequently, it may be accurate to claim that Texas has no average auto accident settlement.

However, insurance companies may try to exploit consumers by giving them significantly less compensation than what they are legally entitled to. Thankfully, you don’t have to accept the insurance company’s initial offer. You can reject their offer and negotiate for a better one with the assistance of an accomplished lawyer. An experienced car accident lawyer can also help you accurately assess your damages to ensure you receive fair compensation.

Texas Auto Insurance Policy Limits

Drivers in Texas are required to have a minimum amount of liability insurance to cover claims for property damage and personal injury. The Texas Department of Insurance requires drivers to have a minimum of $30,000 per injured person and a maximum of $60,000 per accident, regardless of the number of people involved. Texas drivers must also have a minimum of $25,000 for property damage.

When more than one party submits a claim with the negligent driver’s insurance company for a single collision, the insurance company may make lowball settlement offers. In some situations, the minimums in a Texas auto accident settlement may not be enough to cover everyone’s losses, and injured plaintiffs may need to file a lawsuit to receive total compensation.

How Are Car Accident Settlements Calculated?

Because each case is unique, it is hard to gauge the value of a claim out of context. Accident victims must thoroughly analyze all of their losses from the accident. These losses make up your compensatory damages and will factor into your car accident claim value.

Your compensatory damages are made up of economic and non-economic damages. When you are pursuing damages, you are attempting to recoup all of your losses, so you should expect your losses to be covered by your settlement.

To make up for monetary losses, a successful car accident claim will award you economic damages. 

The most common losses covered by economic damages include the following:

• Urgent medical attention
• Ongoing medical care
• Lost pay
• Prescription medications
• Diminished earning potential
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Property damage

Non-economic damages are awarded to cover Intangible losses or losses that do not have a concrete monetary value. 

Non-economic damages typically cover the following:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium

Since these losses lack a definite monetary value, your non-economic damages must be demonstrated with a reasonable level of certainty. To make sure that your claim is not devalued, your attorney may use a combination of documentation, testimony, and even expert witnesses to validate the compensation you are pursuing.

Punitive damages may also be available in some car accidents. If the at-fault party was egregiously negligent, such as in the case of drunk drivers, you could be awarded punitive damages. However, punitive damages are awarded by a court to penalize the at-fault driver, so they can only be given out at trial and not as part of an insurance settlement.

What a Lawyer Can Do to Maximize Your Claim

You will be in the greatest possible position to obtain the compensation you are due if you have a lawyer on your side. Your attorney can look into the accident, create a compelling argument the insurance company can’t ignore, represent you in negotiations, and, if necessary, take your case to civil court.

Avoid allowing insurance firms to exploit you. Car accident attorneys with experience can negotiate with insurance adjusters and fight for you to receive the highest settlement.

Discuss Your Potential Settlement Value with a Tenacious Car Accident Attorney from Hilliard Law

Car accidents can involve various factors that cause them to vary case by case, making them complicated to resolve without years of experience handling car accident claims. Every car accident can result in the victims suffering a different, unique set of losses, but all require an in-depth knowledge of personal injury law and car accidents. An experienced personal injury lawyer can aid you in determining what your case is worth.

Texas residents who are considering retaining legal counsel for their car accident case should contact Hilliard Law. Since 1985, Hilliard Law has successfully defended numerous clients and will have likely addressed cases with similar circumstances to yours. Our experienced team of lawyers is relentless in their quest for the best possible settlements for their clients. 

Contact us at (361) 882-1612 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation. If we take your case, we will work on a contingent fee basis, which means you don’t pay us unless we win.