Do you need an expert car accident lawyer in San Antonio? Steinger, Greene & Feiner is equipped to take on your case and secure the compensation you deserve. Take a look at the services we provide and why we’re the name you can trust to fight for your rights.
Why You Need a San Antonio Car Accident Lawyer
Handling a car accident case on your own is a pain. It requires time, resources, and expertise that you simply don’t have. That’s why hiring an experienced attorney to handle your case for you is key to achieving a successful outcome. Here’s a breakdown of the top three complexities of car accident cases and why a lawyer is the best person to navigate them.
1. Determining Liability
Determining liability in a car accident case is complicated. To prove that another driver’s negligence caused the accident, you must prove three things:
- The at-fault driver owed a duty of care to the victim
- The defendant breached that duty of care
- The breach directly caused the victim’s injuries
Car accident attorneys have the legal expertise it takes to successfully prove negligence. They know how to do things like gather sufficient evidence and represent clients in court.
2. Calculating Damages
Calculating damages caused by a car accident is another tricky task. While some damages have a clear cost—like medical bills and car repairs—other damages—like disfigurement and mental anguish—can’t be assigned a specific dollar amount.
A car accident lawyer will gather all accident-related evidence to total the economic damages and make a strong case for the non-economic damages you suffered.
3. Negotiating With Insurers
Insurance policies, coverage limits, and legal requirements are complex. Your insurance company may lowball you in negotiations or even try to claim that you caused the accident.
An experienced attorney will fight back to get the money you need to pay for damages, whether it’s from your insurer or the liable party’s insurer. When it comes to financial compensation, you shouldn’t have to settle for less than what you deserve.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident in San Antonio
No one wants to navigate the aftermath of a car accident alone. That’s why Steinger, Greene & Feiner is here to help. If you don’t know what to do after getting in a car accident in San Antonio, follow our tried and true, ten-step process. It covers all the necessary bases.
1. Ensure Safety
Car accidents—no matter how minor—can cause various injuries, both external and internal. The first thing you should do after a car accident is check yourself for any visible injuries. If you’re injured, stay put until medical help arrives. If you didn’t sustain injuries, check on the other drivers and passengers involved in the accident to see if they need medical attention.
2. Call for Help
If anyone involved in the accident needs immediate medical attention, call 9-1-1. Paramedics will arrive at the scene as soon as possible to help those in need.
3. Move Your Vehicle
If your accident occurs in the middle of traffic, staying there can be hazardous. It leaves you and your vehicle susceptible to oncoming traffic and slows down the regular flow of traffic. If you can safely move your car to a different location, whether it’s the highway shoulder or a nearby parking lot, we highly recommend doing so.
4. Call the Police
The next thing you should do is notify the police about the accident. Officers may respond, depending on the severity of the accident. If they do, they will gather witness statements from those involved in the crash as well as any bystanders. They will also complete an official police report. Be sure to request a copy of the report, as your attorney and insurance company will need it to assess the damages and determine fault.
If officers don’t arrive at the scene, you will need to gather witness statements on your own and file an accident report through your local DMV. A copy of the accident report can be used in lieu of the official police report during the claims process.
5. Exchange Information
Don’t leave the scene of the crash without gathering personal information from the other drivers involved. Gathering sufficient evidence to support your car accident claim against another driver is absolutely essential to prove fault and collect damages. Share this information with your insurance provider and accident attorney, as they may need to contact the individuals for further questioning.
Here’s the information you need to gather and provide:
- Personal information: name, phone number, email address, home address
- Vehicle information: car make, model, year, license plate number, VIN
- Insurance information: insurance company name, policy type, policy number
6. Gather Evidence
In addition to gathering witness statements and securing a copy of either the police report or accident report, you should take photos and videos of the crash scene. Be thorough, ensuring that you capture every angle, and retake any photos or videos that aren’t clear. Provide your insurance company and legal counsel with this evidence for further review.
7. Seek Medical Attention
Even if you didn’t sustain visible injuries, it’s still in your best interest to receive a thorough medical exam to rule out any injuries that you may have missed. You can visit a nearby urgent care clinic or make a walk-in appointment with your primary care doctor.
The most important thing is that you seek professional medical care on the day of the accident. If you wish to seek damages from the at-fault driver for injuries you sustained in the accident, you need proof that the accident is what caused your injuries. Once you’ve received medical attention, ask for a copy of any scans taken as well as a copy of your itemized statement.
8. Contact a Car Accident Attorney
If you want justice and compensation for your San Antonio car accident, you need to hire a trusted car accident lawyer in the San Antonio area. While handling the claims process on your own is technically possible, it’s extremely difficult, especially for someone with zero experience.
An experienced car accident attorney will help you navigate the complexities of your case, the claims process, and any negotiations and litigation that may follow. This legal expert will have the resources and expertise to fight for your rights and secure the financial compensation you deserve.
9. Notify Your Insurance Company
After contacting a car accident lawyer, notify your insurance provider about the accident. Besides the fact that most insurers require their policyholders to report accidents of any severity, doing so also increases your chances of securing compensation. Why? Because your insurer knows what accident-related costs you’re bearing from things like medical care, car repairs, and lost wages. With this information, they can properly document your losses and advocate for maximum compensation to cover them.
While on the topic of insurance, did you know that Texas requires in-state drivers to have minimum liability coverage? This type of auto policy is the minimum amount of insurance a driver must hold to cover damages that may result from a car accident. Minimum liability coverage benefits both the at-fault and injured driver. Here’s how:
- It ensures that the victim receives financial compensation to cover accident-related costs up to the policy limit. This protects them from being financially responsible for damages resulting from the negligent or reckless acts of another driver.
- It prevents the victim from suing the at-fault party for damages because the at-fault party’s insurance policy covers those costs.
The minimum liability coverage for Texas drivers is $30,000 per person for personal injury—totaling up to $60,000 per accident—and $25,000 for property damage. This is also known as 30/60/25 coverage.
10. Speak With an Adjuster
The last step after getting in a car accident in San Antonio is to speak with an insurance adjuster, who will contact you to gather additional information. This individual is responsible for investigating insurance claims through claimant and witness interviews, police and hospital record consultations, and property damage assessments. These steps help the adjuster determine your insurer’s level of liability for accident-related costs.
What an Auto Accident Lawyer Can Do for You
The point of hiring a San Antonio car accident lawyer is to let them handle the hard stuff for you. That’s just what Steinger, Greene & Feiner is here to do. When you hire one of our trusted attorneys, you can expect them to:
- Represent you in court
- Pursue justice
- Maximize your financial compensation
- Prevent insurers from lowballing you in negotiations
- File paperwork
- Know your case inside and out
- Gather evidence
- File motions
- Oversee all communication
- Negotiate a fair settlement
Your lawyer will help you secure financial compensation for all accident-related expenses. Here are several examples of costs we’ve helped clients cover in the past.
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Medical bills
- Ongoing care
- Car repairs and other property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional trauma
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Choosing the Right Car Accident Lawyer in San Antonio
Choosing any car accident attorney won’t guarantee a successful outcome for your case. Hiring the right car accident attorney will help you achieve the results you want. Here are the top three factors you should consider when hiring a car accident lawyer to represent your case.
Area of Expertise
Personal injury attorneys specialize in a range of case types. While any personal injury attorney could represent your car accident case, it’s best to choose one who specializes in car accidents. At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our lawyers have decades of combined experience representing car accident victims. Our expertise and wealth of resources will significantly increase your chances of having a successful claim.
Success Rate
An attorney’s success rate for previous cases is the primary indication of how successful they will be when representing your case. If you hire a lawyer with a low success rate, don’t expect your claim to be successful. If you hire a reputable car accident attorney at Steinger, Greene & Feiner, you can expect to get the case results you want.
Reputation
When it comes to pursuing justice and compensation for your car accident case, you need an attorney you can trust to get the job done right. That’s where recommendations from previous clients can come in handy. While some reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, most help paint a picture of what you can expect throughout the claims process. Take a look at what three of our previous clients said about working with us.
See What Our Clients Have to Say
“You have a phenomenal and trustworthy team. I would highly recommend your firm to anyone who needs highly qualified lawyers. Thank you for your hard work and determination.”
– Anthony Grady
“Gavin did exactly what he said he was going to do, he communicated with me like a professional, called me even after hours to speak with me, and kept me informed all the way through the case. It was a big difference from my previous attorney. Once I got Gavin on the case, he got this settled in less than 6 months and I got a great settlement, much more than I was expecting. I couldn’t be happier with my decision.”
– Dan D.
“Steinger, Greene & Feiner was the first Law Firm I ever worked with, and they were absolutely incredible. Garrett was my attorney for a case where I just felt helpless, not knowing what to do, and feeling like I wasn’t going to get any compensation for a car accident that truly and negatively affected my life. The first time I spoke with Garrett, he was so patient in explaining how these things work while genuinely sympathizing with me and my situation, talking me through the process, and immediately connecting me with the medical staff necessary to help in the healing process. Garrett took my case which was practically nothing and turned it into a case where I got the compensation I needed for my car accident.”
– Steven Honaker
Contact Steinger, Greene & Feiner Today
Don’t wait to get the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact Steinger, Greene & Feiner to discuss the details of your case with a trusted car accident lawyer. Get started today with a free case evaluation.