An accident lawyer is a legal professional that helps clients that have suffered injury as a result of negligence on the part of another person or entity. Although an accident lawyer in Houston may focus his or her attention on one particular type of accident the majority of lawyers who deal in this area of law handle accidents involving vehicles, construction, medical malpractice as well as defective products.
In the event of an accident the lawyer will attempt to meet with the injured party soon after the accident happened. An early preliminary investigation is usually in order; the lawyer will read the accident reports and any witness statements. Once the lawyer has gathered this preliminary information and had an opportunity to speak with the victim the lawyer can determine if the event constitutes a viable claim.
The accident lawyer will begin a much more detailed investigation once he or she has agreed to take the case. The police report and witness statements are examined in more detail, if it is thought to be necessary the lawyer will arrange to re-interview the witnesses. At this time the negligent party will be contacted, a number of questions will be asked and a request is given for a written response. Once this type of information is gathered the lawyer can retrace the events in an attempt to determine the sequence of events that led up to the accident.
If necessary the accident lawyer in Houston will hire an expert in accident reconstruction. The expert will visit the site of the incident; take any measurements that are needed as well as photographs. With this information and the witness statements the expert can retrace the accident and determine the cause.
The accident attorney and the attorney that represents the insurance company will meet and discuss the extent of the injuries and damage with a view towards settling the matter out of court. The majority of accident cases are settled this way but a seasoned accident lawyer in Houston will not hesitate to take the case to court if it is felt to be in the best interest of the client.
The majority of accident lawyers work on a contingency basis. When a lawyer accepts a case on contingency this simply means that he or she receives a negotiated percentage of the eventual award, in the unlikely event there is no recovery the lawyer will receive nothing for the efforts he put into the case.
If you are looking for an accident lawyer in Houston that is well known, trusted and results oriented then you are invited to contact The Stephens Law Firm.
