A San Angelo car accident can turn a normal day into a stressful blur of medical bills, insurance calls, and missed work. At this stage, you need an advocate who can step in to handle the legal work so you can focus on healing. For anyone searching for San Angelo car accident lawyers, the Law Offices of David M. White can review what happened, explain your legal options, and help address the insurance and personal injury issues connected to the collision.
Our San Angelo office is located at 4112 College Hills Blvd., Ste. 202, San Angelo, TX 76904.
We also serve clients from our Abilene headquarters at 1500 Industrial Blvd., Ste. 303, Abilene, TX 79602, giving our team a presence in both communities.
Call us at 325-437-3311 to talk through what happened.
What Can Our Car Accident Lawyers Do for You?
Our San Angelo car accident lawyers can help address the legal and insurance issues that may follow a collision. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve reviewing accident evidence, assessing injuries and financial losses, communicating with insurance companies, and pursuing a personal injury claim when appropriate.
Our firm deals with both criminal defense and personal injury matters, with Attorney David M. White leading both practice areas. You can ask at your first call who will handle your file and who you will speak with as the case moves, and we will answer plainly.
At the Law Offices of David M. White, we prepare personal injury cases with a trial in mind. We gather evidence of your injuries, medical treatment, financial losses, and other damages so that any settlement discussions are based on the losses supported by your case.
We do not promise a particular result because every collision presents different facts, injuries, insurance coverage, and legal issues. Instead, we focus on providing a clear assessment of the circumstances and the legal options that may be available.
One deadline shapes every Texas car accident claim. Section 16.003 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code sets a two-year limitations period, meaning the window in which a lawsuit must be filed, for most personal injury actions. Evidence often becomes harder to gather well before that window closes. To speak with us about a San Angelo car accident, call 325-437-3311.
What Causes Most Car Accidents in San Angelo?
Car accidents can result from many different circumstances, and identifying what caused a particular collision requires looking at the available evidence. A driver may be distracted, fail to yield, follow too closely, or make another unsafe decision, while roadway conditions, vehicle problems, or multiple factors may also contribute to a crash.
Common causes and contributing factors include:
- Distracted driving: Looking at a cellphone, adjusting controls, eating, or engaging in another activity can take a driver's attention away from the road.
- Failure to yield: A driver who enters an intersection, changes lanes, or turns without yielding can collide with a vehicle that has the right of way.
- Unsafe lane changes: Moving between lanes without checking surrounding traffic can lead to sideswipes or worse.
- Speeding: Traveling too fast can reduce a driver's ability to adjust to changing traffic conditions and increase the force of a collision.
- Following too closely: Insufficient following distance leaves little time to stop when traffic slows or a vehicle stops suddenly.
- Impaired driving: Alcohol, drugs, or certain medications can leave a driver unable to operate a vehicle safely.
- Driver fatigue: A tired driver may react more slowly and have difficulty maintaining attention.
- Disregarding traffic signals: Failing to obey a stop sign or light creates a serious risk of an intersection collision.
- Roadway or weather conditions: Rain, standing water, poor visibility, or debris can affect how safely vehicles can be operated.
- Vehicle defects or maintenance problems: Brake failures, tire problems, or inadequate maintenance may contribute to a crash and raise additional questions about responsibility.
Determining the cause is only part of evaluating a car accident claim. Crash reports, photographs, vehicle damage, witness accounts, medical records, and other available evidence may help establish how the collision occurred and whether another party may be legally responsible for the resulting losses.
How We Handle Injury Claims in San Angelo
We approach personal injury claims in San Angelo by examining the collision, the injuries involved, the available insurance coverage, and the losses connected to the crash. A San Angelo personal injury claim can help seek compensation for losses caused by another person's conduct.
Every claim moves through a similar process, though the details shift with each case. Here is what to expect.
Reviewing the Circumstances of the Crash
The facts surrounding a collision can influence how an injury claim is evaluated. Available evidence may include the crash report, photographs, vehicle damage, witness information, medical records, insurance documents, and other records connected to the accident.
The Texas Department of Transportation sells the peace officer's crash report through its crash records system, currently $6 for a regular copy and $8 for a certified copy. Release is governed by Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065, which limits unredacted copies, meaning versions with nothing blacked out, to people with a proper interest, including those involved in the crash and their insurers.
Documenting Injuries and Losses
Medical documentation can show the nature of an injury and the treatment that followed. Other records may help document missed work, vehicle repairs, rental transportation, out-of-pocket expenses, and other financial effects of the crash.
The full effect of an accident may not be apparent immediately. A person who initially expects a short recovery may later face additional treatment or restrictions that affect work and daily activities.
Reviewing Insurance Coverage
Texas auto insurance policies can involve several types of coverage, and the numbers are set by state minimums. The Texas Department of Insurance reports that Texas drivers must carry at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
Two coverages matter more than most people realize. TDI notes that all Texas auto policies include personal injury protection unless the driver rejected it in writing, and that insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which "pays if you're hit by someone who didn't have insurance or didn't have enough." Policies also carry limits, exclusions, and deductibles that affect a claim.
Communicating With Insurers
Insurance companies have their own claim procedures and may request accident records, medical information, photographs, estimates, or other documentation. The Texas Department of Insurance recommends keeping records of communications with an insurer and retaining copies of documents associated with the claim.
When representation is appropriate, we can handle communications related to the legal claim and help organize the information needed to present the case.
Related Accident Types We Handle
A car accident claim is not the only kind of case we take on. Each type of case carries its own rules, deadlines, and insurance challenges.
Truck Accidents
Our personal injury practice includes truck accidents, allowing us to address serious motor vehicle claims involving commercial vehicles. The evidence may include vehicle records, photographs, crash reports, medical documentation, and other information relevant to the collision.
Drunk Driving Accidents
We also handle impaired driving cases, which can raise both criminal and civil issues. A criminal case concerns potential penalties imposed by the state, while a civil claim may concern compensation for injuries and other losses.
The two proceedings are separate, although information from one proceeding may sometimes be relevant to the other. Each situation requires a review of its specific facts.
Motorcycle Accidents
A motorcycle collision can produce a larger claim than a comparable car crash because the losses tend to run longer. The circumstances of the crash, the evidence available, and the injuries involved can all affect a potential personal injury claim.
Wrongful Death After a Collision
Some car accidents result in fatal injuries. Section 71.004 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code provides that a wrongful death action "is for the exclusive benefit of the surviving spouse, children, and parents of the deceased," and that any of them "may bring the action or one or more of those individuals may bring the action for the benefit of all."
That list is narrower than many families expect, which is one reason these claims are worth reviewing early. If your family has lost someone in a collision caused by another party, reach out to discuss the circumstances with our team.
Our Reviews
How Do Serious Injuries Affect a Car Accident Claim?
Serious injuries can make a car accident claim more involved because treatment, recovery, employment, and daily life may be affected for an extended period. Catastrophic injuries are severe injuries that can cause substantial or lasting effects on physical function or quality of life.
Traumatic Brain Injury Claims
A traumatic brain injury claim usually turns on documentation rather than on the crash itself. Records establishing how long the limitations last, and what they cost in work and daily activity, carry the weight. These claims often require evidence of future costs as well as past ones.
Spinal Cord Injury Claims
A spinal cord injury claim frequently carries the largest future-cost component of any car accident case. Medical documentation and employment records establish the scope. Where limitations are permanent, lost earning capacity can exceed the costs already incurred.
Long-Term Medical Care
Some serious injuries require continuing care after the initial emergency treatment. Future medical needs may therefore be relevant when evaluating the full scope of a claim. A serious injury claim also has to account for lost future income and the effect on daily life.
If you were seriously hurt in a San Angelo collision, our San Angelo car accident lawyers can review the claim with you.
FAQs: San Angelo Car Accident Lawyers
The answers below address questions that commonly arise after a San Angelo collision.
Should I accept an insurance settlement after a San Angelo car accident?
An insurance settlement should be considered in light of the injuries, losses, available coverage, and terms of the proposed agreement. A settlement may also involve a release that affects the ability to pursue additional compensation, so it helps to have your case reviewed before signing any offer.
What if the other driver says the accident was my fault?
A driver's statement does not by itself determine responsibility for a collision. You can prove your position with evidence such as photographs, crash reports, witness accounts, vehicle damage, and other available records that help show what occurred.
What happens if my car is considered a total loss?
When an insurer determines that a vehicle should be totaled, the claim may involve payment based on the vehicle's value rather than the cost of repairs. The Texas Department of Insurance explains that the insurer pays "your car's value minus depreciation," meaning the value of a used vehicle of the same age rather than a new replacement.
Can I pursue a claim if the other driver left the scene?
A hit-and-run collision can create additional challenges because identifying the responsible driver may be difficult. Texas Department of Insurance guidance states that people involved in a hit-and-run should report the incident to police, and uninsured motorist coverage may be relevant in some circumstances.
Do I need a lawyer if the insurance company has already offered money?
You can discuss an insurance offer with a lawyer before deciding whether to accept it. The amount offered should be considered alongside your medical treatment, property damage, lost income, insurance coverage, and any other losses connected to the collision.
Talk With San Angelo Car Accident Lawyers About Your Case
After a San Angelo car accident, understanding the insurance coverage and legal issues involved can give you a clearer picture of the options available. At Law Offices of David M. White, criminal defense and personal injury work make up the core of our practice.
We handle the back-and-forth with insurance companies, gather the evidence your claim needs, and explain your options in plain language. Call us at 325-437-3311 to talk about your case.