Car Accident Lawyer in Harlingen

Car Accident Lawyer in Harlingen

Harlingen is located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley and is one of the larger cities in South Texas. Harlingen developed as an industrial and distribution center because it is situated at the crossroads of Interstate 69 East and Interstate 2 in Cameron County. It is also a popular destination for Winter Texans who flee the colder climates of northern states each fall and boost Harlingenā€™s population part of the year by spending several months in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Free Trade Bridge, located about 10 miles from Harlingen, is an international bridge with a U.S. Customs inspection facility that can accommodate 75 trucks at the same time. The bridge connects to a four-lane highway in Northern Mexico, providing a route to Matamoros and Reynosa. It is considered one of the most time-efficient border crossings in the Rio Grande Valley.

Harlingenā€™s population growth in the last decade has meant more car and truck traffic, and unfortunately, more accidents. If you or your family member has been harmed by another driverā€™s carelessness or disregard for safety in Cameron County, speak with a Harlingen car accident attorney.

Let our experienced personal injury attorneys review the facts surrounding your accident and explain your legal options. Call us at 956-630-9797.

Common Claims in Harlingen, Texas

car accident lawyers rio grande valleyThe attorneys of Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., handle many car accident claims, representing people in Texas who have been injured by another driverā€™s negligence. A driver may cause a car accident by speeding, following too closely, driving too fast for road conditions, driving drunk, or failing to yield the right of way. If you have been injured in a crash in which another driver was cited by police for causing the accident, you should talk with a Harlingen car accident lawyer about your legal rights to seek compensation.

As a popular hub for shipping and distribution, Harlingen has numerous tractor trailers and large commercial trucks. Crashes involving large trucks and cars are a concern in Harlingen and throughout Cameron County. According to a Texas Department of Transportation report, Cameron County had nearly 250 collisions involving commercial trucks in 2014, including nearly 100 with possible injuries and 3 with incapacitating injuries.

Make no mistake: the stakes are higher in crashes involving large trucks. The size and weight of large trucks increase the likelihood that people in other vehicles involved in a collision with a truck will sustain serious and sometimes incapacitating injuries. Commercial trucks are required by law to carry higher amounts of liability insurance because of the injury risk they pose in any crash. When an accident involving a commercial truck occurs in Harlingen, you can be sure that the trucking company will have lawyers representing its interests. You should have a lawyer fighting for your interests if you have been injured in a crash caused by a large truck.

Car Accident Lawyers Rio Grande Valley

If you are involved in an accident, it is important to be evaluated by a doctor. Some injuries caused by collisions, such as head injuries, may not be obvious. Inform the doctor that you have been involved in a car accident or other type of accident.

Harlingen has several medical facilities that provide emergency treatment, including:

  • Harlingen Medical Center
    5501 South Expressway 77
    Harlingen, TX
    (956) 365-1000
  • Valley Baptist Medical Centerā€”Harlingen
    2101 Pease Street
    Harlingen, TX
    (956) 389-1100
  • Harlingen Emergency Center
    1725 N. Ed Carey Dr.
    Harlingen, TX
    (956) 412-5900

A doctorā€™s assessment of your injuries related to an accident may provide important supporting evidence in making an injury claim.

How A Car Accident Attorney Can Help You in Harlingen, TX

We understand that you are going through a stressful time if you or your loved one has been seriously injured. We can meet with you at our office in Corpus Christi or McAllen or at a location more convenient to you. If your injuries make it difficult for you to travel to a lawyerā€™s office, one of our personal injury lawyers serving Harlingen can arrange to visit you at your home, hospital room or other location that you prefer.

Our attorneys are ready to investigate your injury, identify the at-fault parties and their sources of insurance coverage and negotiate with the insurance companies on your behalf for a settlement that covers your medical bills, pain and suffering and other losses. We often work with traffic reconstruction experts to identify precisely how an accident occurred. If your injuries are expected to cause a lasting disability, we will consult with financial planners to estimate the lifetime costs of your injury and include those costs as part of the claim. If the insurance companies are unwilling to offer a just settlement, we will be prepared to seek justice through the court system. Our law firmā€™s reputation as skilled personal injury attorneys in Texas means that insurance companies are often willing to settle a case to avoid prolonged litigation in court.

We would be glad to send you a free copy of our guide providing reliable general information about dealing with insurance adjusters, the insurance claims process and the legal process after a car crash in Harlingen. Get your free copy of ā€œ7 Fatal Mistakes That Will Ruin Your Texas Auto Accident Caseā€ authored by personal injury attorney Gregory Herrman.

Our firm has offices in the following locations: San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi South Side, Brownsville, McAllen, Houston, and Ft. Worth, TX

Questions & Answers

Personal Injury

Do personal injury lawyers handle insurance companies?

If you have been injured in an accident such as a fall at a store or at another personā€™s property in South Texas, you may be entitled to seek compensation from the property ownerā€™s insurance company. Our attorneys investigate your accident and compile evidence showing the property owner was at fault. We negotiate with the property ownerā€™s insurance company for a settlement that fully reflects the extent of your injuries and other damages such as lost income from missed work. We handle the paperwork and dealings with the insurance company.

I have medical bills and I am missing work in order to recover. How can I afford to hire an attorney to handle my personal injury case?

At Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., we understand that if you are seeking a lawyerā€™s help after a serious personal injury, you are going through a difficult period and may be struggling financially as well. You do not need extra expenses. We represent clients in personal injury cases such as premises liability cases and injuries from defective products on a contingency fee basis. You do not have any upfront fees to pay. We also have the resources to loan you money to help you cover living expenses while pursuing your personal injury case.

What are the fees to hire a personal injury attorney?

There are no upfront legal fees for hiring Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., to represent you in a personal injury case in South Texas. You pay a lawyerā€™s fee only if we are successful in obtaining money for you through a negotiated insurance settlement of your claim or a jury award if the case goes to trial. If we are successful on your behalf, we receive an agreed upon percentage of the settlement or award. You owe us nothing unless we secure compensation for you from the insurance company or other responsible parties.

Is there a time limit on filing a personal injury lawsuit?

If you have been injured in a personal injury accident such as a slip and fall or an accident involving a faulty product in Texas, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. This time limit for filing a personal injury claim is known as the statute of limitations. If you do not file a claim within the time limit, you lose your right to make a claim.

How does a personal injury claim work?

After you contact Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., our personal injury lawyers analyze the circumstances surrounding your accident to determine whether the specific facts support a claim that another person or businessā€™s negligence caused your injuries. After you sign an agreement hiring us to represent you, we gather evidence to support your claim and identify all the potentially responsible parties and their insurance providers. We then contact the insurance providers and attempt to negotiate a settlement without filing a lawsuit.

How does a third-party claim work?

In some instances, you may file a third-party liability lawsuit after a work-related accident and collect workersā€™ compensation. A third-party claim can increase the compensation you receive after a work-related accident. But itā€™s not always obvious to an injured worker what actions may constitute a third-party claim.

Injured workers who received workersā€™ compensation benefits generally cannot sue their employer. But multiple subcontractors may be working at a job site. If you are an employee of a subcontractor at a work site and the general contractorā€™s lack of attention to safety contributed to a workplace accident, then you may file a lawsuit against the general contractor who is a ā€œthird partyā€ in the accident. If an employee of another subcontractor is negligent and his negligence injures you, then you may seek compensation from the other subcontractorā€™s insurance company through a third party claim. If a piece of defective machinery or equipment contributed to your injury, you may bring a third-party claim against the manufacturer of the equipment in addition to receiving workersā€™ compensation from your employer.

How Can I Pay for Medical Treatment if I Cannot Work Due to an Injury?

If an injury has left you unable to work for an extended time, we understand that money may be tight for your family. If we handle your personal injury claim, we may be able to loan you money to help you pay your expenses. We are dedicated to helping make sure that our clients receive the medical treatment needed to recover from a serious accident. If someone elseā€™s negligence caused your injuries, you may have a legal right to seek compensation for your medical bills through a personal injury claim. As your attorney, we can reach out to the health care providers and inform them that you are making a personal injury claim. Many health care providers will delay collection efforts if they understand that litigation is underway and they may be paid eventually.

Is it possible for medical bills to be over my personal injury settlement? If yes, what are my options to fund my treatment?

With the current landscape in Texas surrounding personal injury laws and the limits of liability, it is entirely possible that an injured partyā€™s medical bills exceed the personal injury settlement award. In Texas automobile insurance, the minimum limits of injury liability coverage needed are $30,000.00 per person and $60,000.00 per accident. This means that if a driver carries $30,000.00 in coverage per person, $60,000.00 per accident, the driver is in good standing with the state. Unfortunately, though, vehicles are very dangerous and often-times cause more damage than the minimum limits of liability will cover. If this is the case, the injured party can mitigate damages by carrying Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Underinsured Motorist (UM) coverages. These portions of an automobile policy are optional and can cover deficits. I always suggest to my clients and anyone that I meet to carry these additional options of PIP and UM just in case the additional coverage is needed. Another great way to help mitigate your damages in this scenario is to hire a personal injury lawyer. If an injured party has no health insurance, no primary care physician, and cannot afford treatment, a law firm can get treatment set up under a letter of protection (LOP). The LOP will protect the incurred bill(s), oftentimes with no upfront payment required. Once the case is settled, the lawyer will pay the LOP medical bills back. Oftentimes, if the medical bills are very high compared to the settlement, the LOP provider(s) will make reductions/concessions to their bill(s) in order to help with the settlement. The personal injury lawyer will fight to reduce LOP and non-LOP medical bills and liens related to the injured partyā€™s case in an effort to maximize the settlement for the injured party. Also, in some circumstances, an Emergency Room or non-LOP provider will accept a payment program and often times will reduce the bill significantly to help.

It is important to understand that you do have valid options to receive medical care even if you are unable to earn wages due to a serious injury. Contact an experienced and reliable attorney at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C., today to learn how we can assist you. Call (956) 630-9797 now.