Help! I’ve Been Crashed Into! What to Do When You Have Been Injured in a Car Accident
Knowing your rights and when to contact an attorney can make all the difference when you’ve been injured in a car accident that’s not your fault. Insurance companies can take advantage of people who aren’t sure what to do.
San Antonio-based attorney Desi Martinez sees insurance companies behaving this way every day. His law firm, Martinez & Associates PLLC Personal Injury Law Firm, was voted Best Law Firm in San Antonio by the residents of San Antonio two years in a row in MYSA. Desi’s law firm made its name by looking out for his community —“the folks” as Desi calls them—taking on big insurance companies, government agencies, and corporations. Known as “the people’s lawyer,” Desi practices law in the community of South San Antonio, where he was the first to start a personal injury law firm, knowing that was a place where he could really make a difference.
Being aware of when and why to call a law firm like Desi’s team of expert personal injury attorneys is a crucial step in knowing your rights. According to Martinez & Associates PLLC, here are the most important things you need to know when someone’s crashed into you.
1. Always call a lawyer regardless of an accident’s severity.
First, there are no “minor” accidents. Regardless of whether it’s a fender bender or your car is totaled, you should call a personal injury lawyer right away. A personal injury lawyer protects any future case that may need to be brought to ensure that you are adequately compensated for any potential medical costs, loss of income, or pain and suffering. Most times a person involved in an accident can’t determine the severity of the accident or injuries at that time. It’s always best to consult with a firm who has a winning record and experience to win like Martinez & Associates PLLC.
Second, the last thing you ever want to say to an insurance company is, “I’m okay.” Insurance companies record these calls and if you say “I’m okay” immediately following an accident, not only will they have you saying you aren’t injured on record and possibly use it against you later, you also don’t know right after an accident how injured you may be. Following an accident, your body is surging with adrenaline. The pain comes later. Never make a statement about your physical state to the insurance company until you’ve seen a doctor and spoken with an attorney.
2. Knowing when to settle is crucial, but don’t make that decision alone.
If you don’t hire a personal injury lawyer after you’ve been involved in a no-fault accident, you may not be fairly compensated for your injury by the insurance company. The insurance company’s main goal is to minimize its costs while managing its risks. It will focus on doing everything possible to resolve the claim before it is brought to court while offering the lowest settlement possible that may convince you to not take the case to court. Don’t negotiate with insurance companies. Having a personal injury lawyer by your side advocating for you and who knows the law will be helping you make the decision whether to accept an insurance company’s offer is a crucial advantage that no injured party should ever make without professional advice.
3. Suing after an accident means you take action against the insurance company, not the person who hit you.
Texas requires all drivers to carry liability insurance. This is an important distinction, because it means that when you defend your rights as a victim in an auto collision, you’re not going after the driver who hit you. You’re holding insurance companies to account, which is exactly why insurance companies exist: to protect the assets of those carrying the insurance and fairly compensate the injured for damages caused by the policy holder.
These important tips about your rights as a victim of an at-fault accident extend beyond car accidents, as do the scope of services of The Best Law Firm in San Antonio, Martinez & Associates PLLC. Desi continues to represent cases other attorneys won’t, whether they be auto- or motorcycle-related, or the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, defamation, or any other harm done. If someone else is at fault, then there’s something Desi can do about it.
Desi believes that the true measure of a law firm is how much it helps people. His person-first, authentic, engaging style has earned him the “Best Lawyer” distinction by Scene in San Antonio magazine every year since 2009. His firm, Martinez & Associates PLLC, remains a tight-knit law firm, built on competence, communication, and caring—the “three Cs,” as Desi calls them.
Acknowledging that biggest isn’t best, Desi and his firm have one goal: putting the “personal” in personal injury law. One only has to consider Desi’s countless awards and tireless community work in homeless shelters, Catholic Church and little league teams to see the kind of person he is. Despite being told he could never succeed in South San Antonio, Martinez & Associates PLLC are now considered the best law firm in San Antonio, thanks to the wonderful support of their clients and the citizens of San Antonio.
If you’re interested in starting your case with Martinez & Associates, contact the firm today for a 100 percent free consultation, at 210-337-1111.