How to Avoid Financial Loss after a Car Wreck

A new car, anymore, can run you $30,000 and up.  It’s not a purchase that many people can enter into without some planning, finding a lender, and then shopping for the best deal around.  It’s pretty easy to see that a car wreck that destroys a new, or even new-ish, vehicle can be expensive.  But have you considered the hidden costs of a car wreck?

There’s a whole lot more than meets the eye when you’re involved in a car crash.  If you were the victim, and you sustained injuries, those hidden costs increase dramatically.  Let’s take a look at what the Car Crash Captain has to say about the hidden costs of a car wreck.

Understanding What Hidden Costs Actually Are

Hidden costs are those that we tend to overlook at first.  The fact that it will cost $30,000 to replace your vehicle isn’t exactly hidden, because we know how much a replacement vehicle costs.  The hidden costs are those that insurance companies hope you overlook, so that you accept a settlement offer that is lower and they don’t have to pay out as much.

Costs of Filing New Paperwork

Have you bought a vehicle from the dealer, and when you sat down to sign all the paperwork, they hit you with a line like this, “This price does not include the mandatory, and un-waivable, dealership paperwork fee of $550…”?  It’s a sneaky way to grab a little extra cash right at the end, and most people don’t account for it when determining how much it will cost to replace a wrecked car.

Add on the costs of going down to the motor vehicle department, registering, titling, and everything else that it takes to get a vehicle transferred to your name, and those hidden costs can soar into the thousands of dollars.

Costs of Going to Court

Many car accident cases are settled out of court.  But there are those that end up going to court where you will have to be present if you want the full settlement.

How much will that cost in missed work, childcare, and not to mention the emotional toll?  Even if you were merely a witness to someone else’s wreck, you could be called in and incur costs.

Costs of Replacing Broken or Lost Items

Most broken or missing items can be replaced.  If you were driving around with a car full of crystal vases, all of which shattered in the crash, those can be accounted for.

Now consider if they were antique and irreplaceable vases.  Or maybe it was family photos from 100 years ago, and the vehicle caught fire.  Or perhaps your pet was with you and they didn’t survive the wreck.  What is the cost to “replace” those items?

Costs of Rehabilitation

The human body has an amazing ability to regenerate and heal itself.  Imagine if your vehicle was wrapped in a surface that when scratched it scabbed over and repaired itself the same way our skin does?

Minor injuries, like scrapes, don’t require a lot of attention.  But major ones can take years of physical therapy and rehab to restore motor functions of everyday life.  How much time will it take to get there?  Will the insurance company be generous, or try to negate the PT that it’s going to take?

Costs of Mental Healthcare

You don’t have to go to war to suffer from PTSD.  Any traumatic experience can come back and cause mental health issues; even long after that event has passed.

Other mental healthcare necessary after a major car wreck can include anxiety when driving, depression, and more.  These effects can carry into other areas of life if they’re not addressed.

Costs of Unfulfilled Goals and Dreams

Take the life of an avid outdoors man or woman.  They run, hike, climb mountains, paraglide through wild and exotic locations.  Suppose a dream is to summit every state high point in the next few years.  And then they’re paralyzed in a wreck.

What is the cost of those dreams and goals that can never be attained now?  How can those be accounted for?

Herbert Law Group Helps Reduce the Burden of a Car Wreck

After a major car wreck, the hidden costs are always going to be there.  Many people feel that finding a car wreck lawyer will delay their settlement, or even diminish the amount they receive.

A great attorney, like Herbert Law Group serving the as car wreck lawyers for the Dallas area, understands all the costs, what it will take to recover, and how to argue for you so that you can focus on healing.

Let’s chat about what happened and see how the Car Crash Captain can help.  Call the office at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll be in touch for your free initial consultation.

How to Use Self-Care to Heal Quickly

Self-care is a hot topic these days.  We talk about taking days off work for mental health and self-care.  We know the importance and know that we should be scheduling this into our lives.

What we often don’t realize, however, is that self-care doesn’t stop when you’re outside of your routine.  We see it as a way to take a break from what’s going on, and reset ourselves so we can get back at it.  When you’ve been injured in a car wreck, often one of the first things to head out the window are those self-care activities.

Let’s take a look at how the Car Crash Captain says we should ensure that we are taken care of, outside of what the doctors are recommending.

How to do Self-Care After a Car Wreck

This is not to be taken in place of what the doctors tell you to do.  If it comes down to a self-care tip, or follow the doctor recommendations, absolutely do what the doc says.  Our goal here isn’t to cover the stuff you know you need to do: go to your doctor, do your physical therapy, be open and honest with your personal injury lawyer, and the like.

Get Some Rest

The body heals when it rests.  Far more than any supplement, medication, or diet change, your body needs to rest so that it can heal properly.  Too many people, however, try to push this one to the back.

Our culture today says, “Go! Go! Go!”  And if you’re not busy, then you’re lazy and doing it wrong.  There’s nothing wrong with getting a lot done and experiencing that productivity you crave.  But right now, healing is the productivity you need.  That comes from resting, and letting the body do what the body does.

Go Get a Massage

After a wreck, your body can get disheveled.  Joints might be out of place, and a visit to the chiropractor is in order.  But there’s a bit more that’s going on here.

If your joints are out, and you have them moved back into place, you might experience a bit of pain.  The body’s reaction is to tense up, and the muscles can actually pull your joints back out of place.  That massage will relax and loosen you up so that the muscles won’t be undoing any chiro work you have done.

Take a Look at your Diet

One of the biggest things holding us back, is the way we eat.  In all aspects of our health, even for those who have never been injured in a car wreck, small changes in the diet can dramatically change the way we feel and perform.

So, what needs changed?  There is largely one thing packed into what we eat that is creating problems: sugar.  That’s especially true with anything that’s processed.  Sugar tastes good, we enjoy it, but it dramatically slows down how our body is able to heal.  Eating more whole foods, and incorporating spices like turmeric (a natural anti-inflammatory) can help you feel better and heal faster.

Monitor your Fluid Intake

Our bodies are made up of 60% water.  We function best, and heal best, when we have all that water replaced on a regular basis.  Most people are actually chronically dehydrated, simply because we don’t bring in enough fluids.

But there’s a catch to that.  Not all fluids are equal.  We know that sugar is holding us back from our ultimate healing goals, but coffee (and other caffeinated beverages) and alcohol dry us out even more.  Take care of yourself, especially as you heal from a car crash related injury, and ditch the sodas and alcohol so your body can make the most of the fluids you take in.

Keep Getting Rest

Yep, it’s on there twice because it’s really that important.  If your body needs another week to rest and heal, take another week off of work.

During this time your only focus should be to heal.  That’s why you have Herbert Law Group on your side; let us focus on the other stuff.

Get Help with the Legal Stuff from Herbert Law Group

Whether you were injured, or a family member lost their life, Herbert Law Group is here to take the stress away.  You shouldn’t have to worry about that wreck and what’s going to happen in the next few weeks or months.  And you don’t have to!

Let’s start it off with a conversation.  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll chat about what happened, and determine how we can help.

Drunk Driving has Decreased, but it’s Still a Problem

In 2021, the latest year statistics were available, there were over 25,000 drunk driving crashes in Texas.  Those wrecks resulted in 1,029 fatalities; about 3 every day.

Even though fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers are on the decline, it is still a huge problem in Texas and around the rest of the country.  Despite rideshare availability, people make poor judgements when driving, and that can end up costing someone their life.

If you’re hit by a drunk driver, do you know what to do?  Do you know what to expect?  Would you even be able to handle the stress of everything while you’re injured and trying to recover from those injuries?  Let’s take a look at what the Car Crash Captain has to say about being hit by a drunk driver in Texas.

Make Sure the Police Show Up

If you’re in a minor fender bender, you don’t have to have the police come.  In fact, it’s often best to just exchange information, get agreement on what happened, and let insurance fix the vehicle.

But if you’ve been hit by a drunk driver, a serious crime has been committed.  We’re not talking about a fender bender anymore; we’re talking about a criminal that needs to be dealt with.  When the police come, they can create an official report.  That report is essential in helping to prove your case when you’re seeking compensation for damages, because you may need to seek compensation from more than the insurance company.

Get Medical Attention Right Away

Immediately following a wreck, you might not feel that much pain.  Your body has a way of overriding those pain indicators so that you can find safety.  Then, when you’re in a safe place the body calms down and you realize that you’re pretty badly hurt.

Seeking medical attention allows you to start that paper trail that shows you did indeed get the advice from a medical professional.  Then, even if aches and pains start to pop up, or you have major internal injuries that only come to light later, it will be harder for an insurance company to deny your claim.

File a Report with the Insurance Companies

You will want to work with a professional car wreck lawyer, like Herbert Law Group, you also need to start the claim process with the insurance companies.  But you will also want them to know that you’re not giving out any information, and that all questions should go through your personal injury lawyer to ensure that they can’t twist around your information and deny the claim.

Understand the Legal Issues Going On

Being injured in a wreck has a lot of complications.  Being injured in a wreck caused by a drunk driver is quite different.

As we indicated above, the other driver has committed a crime.  This means that not only were you injured due to their negligence, but also while they were engaged in criminal activity.  But they might not be the only party to blame; there are issues that stem from if they were served the alcohol, and why they were allowed to drive.

You Might have to File a Civil Suit

In a drunk driving case, there is more going on than a negligent driver.  The very fact that the other motorist was drunk makes him or her negligent (that’s one reason you need that police report, it will indicate their blood alcohol level; driving over the legal limit means acting negligently), but compensation can go into the punitive range as well.

A civil suit against the other driver, or even against the bar or establishment that served them beyond the point of intoxication could come up.  It can get difficult, complicated, and cumbersome.  Especially if you’re severely injured and unable to put all the energy into dealing with courts, insurance companies, hospitals, and more.

Herbert Law Group Helps with the Tough Stuff

The good news: you don’t have to worry about any of that.  When you enlist the help of Herbert Law Group, we take over and make sure all the legal stuff and insurance stuff is handled.  We keep you informed throughout the entire process so you know exactly what is going on and how close we are to finding a settlement that will award you the compensation that you need and deserve.

To get things started, we have to get to know you!  If you were injured in a wreck with a drunk driver, or a loved one was killed in a wreck with a drunk driver, let’s talk about what happened and see how we can help.  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll reach out to you.

Rideshare is Popular; but can be Confusing

In 2009, Uber surged onto the scene as an affordable alternative to hailing a cab.  They have, to put it lightly, shaken up the ride-for-hire scene.  A few years later a handful of competitors joined the transportation revolution, with only Lyft remaining as another viable option.

Throughout the US, there are over 2 million drivers for Uber alone with the number of Lyft drivers following close behind.  That means there are a bunch of amateur “cab” drivers out there, carting people around for a small fee.

It also means that if you’re in a wreck, there’s a good chance that the wreck involves someone driving for these rideshare companies.

What Happens if I’m in an Accident with a Rideshare Vehicle?

We’re going to focus on the times when you are the victim.  If you’re the negligent party, then that’s a whole other situation.

Today, we’re looking at who is the liable party, what you need to focus on if you’re injured, and what sort of insurance these drivers have to maintain.

What if an Uber or Lyft Driver Hits me?

If you’re struck by a negligent driver, that individual’s insurance is liable for the damages: whether they are to your vehicle, your body, or your mental health.  As we know, vehicle damages – and even some bodily injury – are easy damages to calculate.  The emotional or mental health damages are harder, and that’s when a Texas personal injury lawyer steps in.

The biggest determining factor here, however, is whether or not the negligent driver was working at the time.  If they had passengers, were going to pick up a passenger, or otherwise had the app running, they are operating in a commercial capacity; they need a policy that reflects this.  But if they’re driving their Uber or Lyft vehicle for their own benefit, then they have a personal auto insurance policy that will cover the damages.

If you’re in a wreck with a rideshare driver, make sure to get the information for all of their insurance policies, as that makes a big difference when seeking restitution.

What if I’m the Passenger in an Uber or Lyft?

Now, what if you’ve hired one of these drivers, and as you’re riding, you’re injured?  Who is responsible then?

If the other vehicle, not the one you are riding in, is the negligent party, then their insurance should kick in to cover your medical expenses (as well as cover any damage to your personal property that may have been inside the vehicle).

If your driver was the negligent party, then their commercial insurance policy should have a provision that covers passengers in case one of them is injured or killed during the ride.

What if I’m Attacked in my Rideshare Vehicle?

There is a third instance that could come into play.  All rideshares have struggled with this, and it has largely been taken care of.  However, there are instances where passengers are assaulted while they are being driven to their destination.

If a driver attacks you after you have hired them for a ride, then you may have recourse with that driver’s commercial policy, but also with the rideshare company itself.  If the company was negligent and didn’t perform adequate background checks, even though the driver isn’t technically an employee, they could be held liable.

Come to see Herbert Law Group about your Settlement

The more parties involved in a wreck, the more difficult it becomes when someone is injured and needs compensation to help them heal.

When a rideshare company, like Uber or Lyft, are involved, then you need a personal injury lawyer on your side that can help you figure out the legal implications, and which insurance company is responsible for the costs you incur.

Don’t try to go it alone, it’s complicated and causes a lot of stress!  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll have a chat about what happened, and the options going forward.

Will You be Cited for Driving while Wearing Headphones?

There are a lot of rumors out there regarding what is legal while driving, and what is not legal.  For example, a lot of people believe that it’s illegal to drive barefoot.  But there are no laws in any state that specifically say that you must be wearing shoes while driving.

Likewise, many people believe that it’s illegal to drive while wearing headphones.  The truth is, however, that it all depends on where you are driving.  If you’re cruising the streets or highways in Texas, you can certainly wear headphones.  But if you cross the border into Louisiana, you need to ditch them.

Let’s tune in to see what the Car Crash Captain has to say about headphones and driving.

Can I use my Cell Phone While Driving in Texas?

Every city has a different ordinance on whether or not you can talk on the phone while driving.  Some areas will allow it, and others will expressly forbid it.  For the most part, you can use a hands-free device to talk no matter where you are, but texting while driving is not legal anywhere in the state.

But just because it is legal, doesn’t mean it’s recommended.  In fact, statistically speaking, no matter how good of a driver you are, your abilities are diminished any time you are using the phone; even when using one hands free.

Why Should I Reconsider Using Headphones While Driving?

Despite the fact that you can pop in your AirPods or throw on some Beats while you drive, it might not be a good idea.  Sure, headphones help deliver the music right to your ear, and effectively let you listen without the distracting noises of the road.  But some of those distracting noises will keep you alive.

There have been many instances where car crashes occurred because one driver couldn’t hear the other driver.  In fact, there have been instances where drivers were hit by ambulances and other emergency vehicles, because they had their music turned up too loudly, and couldn’t hear the sirens.

If you have headphones in, it will be harder to hear what’s going on around you.  Whether that’s an emergency vehicle approaching, the sound of tires squealing nearby, or anything else that might alert you to something about to go terribly wrong.

Can you drive while using headphones?  You certainly can.  Should you drive while using headphones?  It’s not recommended.

What about Using a Bluetooth Device?

That begs the question, however, about Bluetooth devices that allow for communication.  Not just those that receive the audio from your phone, but what about those that allow for hands-free communication?

The difference here is that these usually only occupy one ear.  In other words, they’re not full headsets that completely block out all noises.  In fact, they are sometimes preferred when listening to turn-by-turn directions from a GPS; you can hear the instructions more clearly.

If you get a phone call, a quick tap to the ear lets you answer the phone instead of picking up your device and fiddling around to find the accept button.

The Best Texas Car Crash Attorney

Even when you’re following the laws and driving safely, you can’t control the actions of other motorists out there.

If you have been injured in a car crash due to someone else’s negligence (in other words, you weren’t at fault), then you need a car crash attorney on your side to make sure the insurance company pays out a fair settlement.

That’s where Herbert Law Group helps.  We know how to deal with crashes, we know what a fair settlement is, and we can help you reduce the financial stress that comes with the wreck.  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll get started with a free conversation.

Who is Liable when Multiple Vehicles are Involved?

Car crashes run the gamut of involvement.  From single-car wrecks to those involving dozens.  Multi-car pileup accidents are common enough that we should address how these cases are handled.

Keep in mind that because the more vehicles involved, the more complicated the case becomes, the more likely you will want to have a car crash lawyer on your side.  That’s why the Car Crash Captain serves the people of Texas: to ensure that injured victims receive the compensation they need to heal.

How do Multi-Car Pileups Happen?

Whenever three, or more, vehicles are involved in a wreck it is considered to be a multi-vehicle collision.  Most often when we talk about a multi-car pileup we are talking about a massive wreck that involves a lot of vehicles.  Let’s talk about how they happen, and then we’ll look at figuring out who is liable.

Snow and Ice – One of the biggest culprits of these massive wrecks is the fact that snow and ice make it difficult to maintain control of your vehicle.  Every winter, around the US, there are reports of huge wrecks that involve dozens of vehicles.  One loses control, and many more are quick to follow; especially when visibility is reduced and speeds are too high.

Impaired Driver – A single driver that’s impaired (we’re lumping in distracted here as well) can end up causing mayhem as well.  If there’s a line of vehicles stopped and an impaired or distracted driver doesn’t see them, the result can be a lot of vehicles involved in the multi-car pileup accident.

Road Hazards – Similar to weather related conditions, road hazards can throw off the average driver.  Debris, potholes, or anything else that happens to be in the lane can result in a vehicle swerving to miss the item, but smashing into other vehicles.

Careless, or Reckless, Driving – Lumping the rest together into a catch-all of just bad driving.  Speeding, taking risks, road-raging, and more can be a recipe for losing control of the vehicle and damaging other peoples’ property.

There are many causes of multi-car pileup accidents.  They’re often the same as wrecks involving just one or two vehicles, but there just happens to be more traffic on the road at the time.

Who is at Fault in a Multi-Car Pileup Accident?

There are two ways that parties can be at fault during these big wrecks involving numerous vehicles.

Every driver might be at fault.  In the case of a big pile up of vehicles sliding on ice and snow, it is likely that every one of them was driving too fast for conditions.  Yes, there are exceptions, but in many instances slowing down could have avoided a wreck.

The first vehicle might be at fault.  If a vehicle swerves to avoid a pothole, and sideswipes a dozen cars before coming to a stop, the person that swerved would likely be found at fault.

The only way to determine who is at fault is to take into account all of the evidence.  Which is what Herbert Law Group specializes in.

Find Justice with Herbert Law Group

If you were the victim of a crash, whether it involved two vehicles or twenty vehicles, you deserve to receive compensation that covers your property loss and helps you heal from your injuries.  Most of the time the insurance companies will not offer a settlement that adequately does so.

Herbert Law Group provides legal services for those in Texas who have been injured in car crashes; no matter how many cars were involved.  Let us help you push back against low-ball insurance offers.  Call 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site and we’ll have a free chat to see how we can help.

After a Car Wreck in Texas an Insurance Tracking Device Might Hurt

We all love a good discount, so why not install an insurance tracking device to help monitor your driving behavior?  It could mean as much as 25% off your rates, which adds up over the years.

Those devices, however, might be monitoring a whole lot more than you expect.  And if you’re involved in a wreck, they could have a negative effect on your car accident claim.  Take a look at how the Car Crash Captain explains these devices and what could happen.

What does a Tracking Device Claim to Track?

These telematics devices are designed to collect data on how safe of a driver you are.  Many of them plug into your vehicle, but there are some that connect through Bluetooth on your phone.  They look at driving habits such as:

• Speed
• Braking habits
• Time of driving
• Miles driven
• Location
• Phone use

Using their algorithms, they determine your discount based on how many dings you get.  For example, if you speed up too quickly, that’s a ding and can lower your discount.  If you brake hard, that’s a ding and can lower your discount.  Driving in the wee hours of the morning, driving in “bad” neighborhoods, and excessive phone use could all have negative effects on your potential discount.

The insurance company wants you to believe the goal is to reward you for being a safe driver and lower the risk of them paying a claim.

In reality, however, there’s likely a whole lot more going on.

What does a Tracking Device Actually Track?

Hidden in your terms and conditions the company outlines all the information that they will actually collect with these tracking devices.  They are certainly recording all that GPS data, but there are some that can be collecting records of your phone calls, text messages, and anything else they can monitor through Bluetooth.

There are not very many reports on how secure your data is, whether they sell it to a third party, or even what it’s all used for (outside of the readily disclosed discount opportunity).  There is, however, one looming issue with these insurance tracking devices.

Why Should I Care about an Insurance Tracking Device?

Every time you’re in the vehicle, the insurance company is recording your data.  They know where you are, how fast you’re going, when you stop and for how long.  That means it’s acting like a black box device.

Let’s suppose you’re driving five miles per hour over the speed limit.  You cruise through an intersection where you have a green light.  Another vehicle isn’t paying attention, and they run the red light slamming into the side of you.

Using the data on your tracking device, the insurance company can claim that if you were following the speed limit, you wouldn’t have been in the intersection when the other vehicle ran the light.  They can then deny your claim based on the idea that you put yourself in harm’s way.

Fortunately, the legal team at Herbert Law Group knows how to handle situations like this.

Herbert Law Group Handles Tough Car Wreck Situations

The bottom line is that you were injured due to someone else’s negligence.  When that happens, you shouldn’t have to worry about any financial impact that it may have on you.

When this happens, you need the guidance of Herbert Law Group.  Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll get things figured out so that you can focus on healing from your injuries.

Your Accident Injuries Could Progress if you don’t Seek Attention

Your body has natural defenses against trauma.  Adrenaline kicks in, pain receptors seemingly “turn off”, and while you might be shaken, you otherwise feel fine.  Accident injuries, however, still happen even if you “feel fine.”

Today we look at how injuries can be seemingly hidden.  We look at what to do after a wreck so these injuries don’t progress and become life-threatening.

In order to be fully compensated, you need the Car Crash Captain on your side.

Two Major Accident Injuries that can be Hidden

When we say “hidden” injuries, we mean those that are not immediately recognizable as an injury.  While a broken leg might be hidden to the view, it’s immediately recognizable as the victim will be able to tell right away that there’s something wrong.

Traumatic Brain Injury can Remain Hidden

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, encompasses a wide range of injuries to the head.  Our body does a great job of protecting the brain, but this delicate organ is highly susceptible to damage; especially during a car accident.

Concussions are one of the most common injuries that have symptoms that persist and show up later.  When the brain moves inside your head, it can “bounce” off the skull.  The harder the bounce, the more serious the injury.

But when your adrenaline is flowing, your body can mask the symptoms allowing you to escape danger.  Then, when things have calmed down, do you realize that you’re injured.  It’s a primal instinct that has kept us alive as a species for a long time.  But if you feel faint, dizzy, confused, have a headache, or have trouble recalling memories, you have signs of a brain injury.

The sooner you catch the injury, the sooner treatment can start, and the likelihood of long-term damage decreases.

Organ Damage can Remain Hidden

Similar to your brain, your internal organs can suffer damage as they rattle around inside your rib cage.

If you’re traveling at 70mph, and your vehicle suddenly stops, you are pushed forward as your body continues to travel at 70mph.  Now consider yourself the vehicle, and your organs as the body.  Your body stops suddenly, but those internal organs keep moving forward until they’re restrained by your ribs, connective tissues, and overall just pressing against each other.

If these organs are bruised, or tears occur, you can start to bleed internally.  That internal bleeding might start out as minor discomfort, but progress into a major problem.

With internal organ damage, your first symptoms often show up when the damage has reached a critical point; one that might be too late to correct.

Even if you don’t feel like anything is bruised inside, a medical professional needs to look you over so that you can be treated before the situation gets worse.

Talk with Herbert Law Group after a Wreck

The longer you wait to seek medical treatment for accident injuries, the harder it’s going to be on your physical and financial recovery.

Physically, the damage will have set in and take more to correct it.  Financially, it gets harder to prove that you were injured in the wreck, and not due to another situation.

That’s why you need to get treated by a doctor, and talk to Herbert Law Group right away.  We have seen a lot of car accident claims.  We know what to look for, how much it’s going to cost to “fix” you, and how to handle the entire process.  Let us do the hard work, you focus on healing.

Call 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site.  We’ll have a conversation and figure out the best course of action.