What Types of Damages Can You Seek After Being Injured in a Texas Car Accident?

If you’ve been a victim of a Texas car accident, you may have a lot of expenses piling up. You may be facing steep medical bills and repair costs for your vehicle. You may also be out of work for a while as you recover from your injuries.

Seeking compensation from the at-fault party can help you cover some or all of these expenses. Read on to learn more about the different types of injury damages after a Texas car accident.

Types of Damages

When you file a car accident lawsuit against an at-fault driver, you can request two types of damages: compensatory and punitive.

Compensatory Damages

Compensatory damages are the costs you have incurred from the vehicle accident. These damages can encompass a wide range of expenses and effectively compensate you for the losses related to your accident.

There are two types of compensatory damages: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages relate to the specific expenses you now face because of the accident. These can include:

Medical payments: Hospital bills, prescription medications, physical therapy, mental therapy, exams, x-rays, etc.
Repair costs: Costs to repair vehicle damage and replace the contents within your vehicle
Lost wages: Money you lost from your inability to work

Meanwhile, non-economic damages cover the intangible losses associated with the accident. These may include:

Pain and suffering
Loss of companionship
Mental anguish
Loss of enjoyment
Permanent disfigurement

A qualified car accident attorney can help you add up all of your accident’s economic and non-economic expenses to determine how much to request through your lawsuit.

Punitive Damages

You can also seek punitive damages following a car accident. These damages serve as a punishment for especially reckless or egregious behavior. For example, if a drunk driver caused your accident, you may want to seek punitive damages as well.

However, in most car accident cases, punitive damages are not necessary. Our team can help you determine the right damages to seek in your car accident case.

How to Claim Compensation in a Car Accident

Filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver is not the only way to receive compensation in a car accident. Here are a few ways to claim injury damages after a Texas car accident.

At-Fault Driver’s Insurance

Your first step following an accident should be to submit a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. The insurer will review the details of the accident and offer a payout amount based on what it thinks your accident is worth.

However, insurance payouts are often insufficient to cover all of the expenses in an accident. If the initial insurance offer is too low, you can work with an attorney to negotiate with the insurer.

Your Insurance

If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, you may be able to receive a payout from your own insurance company. However, you cannot receive compensation from your insurer and the at-fault driver’s insurer.

Lawsuit

Finally, a lawsuit can help ensure that you receive adequate compensation from the at-fault driver. If the insurance company does not offer sufficient funds, you can take legal action to request additional compensation. Additionally, you can consider suing the at-fault driver for damages outside of what their insurance company provides.

How to Seek Damages in a Car Accident

If you’re ready to seek injury damages after a Texas car accident, we can help. At Haines Law, P.C., we have helped numerous clients throughout Texas seek compensation for their injuries and other damages.

We can provide legal advice and guidance, help you gather evidence, communicate with the insurer on your behalf, and represent you in court. Contact our team today at 281-361-3191 to schedule your free consultation.

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