How long does a car accident case take to settle in Texas?

It varies with severity and whether the case is litigated. In my experience, a claim involving non-severe, non-complicated injuries usually resolves in roughly six to nine months when settled before a lawsuit is filed. A case that requires filing suit, and especially one that goes all the way to trial, can take two to three years, occasionally longer, from the date of the crash.

Do most car accident cases in Texas go to trial?

No. The large majority of personal injury claims settle before trial, once a properly documented demand is presented and negotiated. Cases that do proceed to a filed lawsuit still mostly resolve during the litigation process itself, well before trial. Only a small fraction of my overall caseload ends up being tried in front of a jury.

What should I do right away after a crash in Fort Worth?

Get medical attention right away, even if the injury doesn't feel severe at first, since some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, aren't obvious in the first hours after a crash. Document the scene with photos. Get contact details from witnesses. Avoid recorded statements to any insurer, including your own, until you understand how those statements can be used to shape what your claim is worth.

How much does it cost to hire a car accident attorney in Fort Worth?

Personal injury attorneys, including my firm's Fort Worth personal injury team, usually work on a contingency-fee basis. That means an injured person pays nothing upfront, and my fee is only collected as a percentage of the amount recovered. If there's no recovery, there's no fee owed.

What if I was partly at fault for the accident?

Being partly at fault doesn't automatically bar a Texas claim. Under the state's modified comparative-negligence rule, covered in Chapter 9, a recovery is still available as long as the injured person is found 50 percent or less at fault, though the recovery is reduced in proportion to that percentage. Being found 51 percent or more at fault, however, bars recovery entirely.

What kinds of cases does 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys handle?

My firm represents injured clients in car accidents, commercial truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, rideshare accidents, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, slip and fall claims, traumatic brain injury cases, and wrongful death claims throughout Fort Worth, Euless, Houston, and the surrounding Texas communities I serve.

Why do insurance adjusters ask me to give a recorded statement right after a crash?

An early recorded statement is usually taken before you fully understand the extent of your own injuries. Adjusters are trained to use that statement, and any inconsistencies in it, to limit what your claim is worth later. I tell clients to speak with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to any insurer, since that protects against unintentionally undercutting a claim before it has even been evaluated.

Can I still file a claim if the at-fault driver didn't have insurance?

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, if you carry it on your own policy, is designed for exactly this situation. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage does the same job when the at-fault driver's policy is too small to cover the full harm. Without UM/UIM coverage, recovery options against an uninsured driver directly are usually far more limited.

Do settlement amounts get made public anywhere?

Some firms, including my own, 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys, publish a selection of past case results as a matter of transparency. Read them for what they are. The value of any individual claim depends on that claim's own facts. You cannot predict it from a different case's outcome, however similar that case looks on the surface.

What is a demand letter and why does it matter?

A demand letter is the formal document I send to an insurer laying out the injured person's damages, liability argument, and the amount being sought to resolve the claim. A demand letter backed by complete medical documentation is what resets an insurance adjuster's low opening number, per Chapter 10, and a poorly supported demand letter can undercut a claim's value before negotiation even begins.

Can I switch lawyers partway through my crash case?

Usually yes, an injured person can change representation during a case, though doing so can affect timing and, depending on the fee agreement, how fees are ultimately divided between the prior and new attorney. It is worth raising concerns with a current attorney directly before deciding to switch, since many issues can be resolved without starting over.

Does 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys charge for an initial consultation?

No. Consultations are free and come with no obligation to hire my firm, which is consistent with the contingency-fee structure described throughout this book: I'm not paid unless and until I recover money for the client.

Contents

Back matter

Frequently Asked Questions

4 min read3 pages

How long does a car accident case take to settle in Texas?: It varies with severity and whether the case is litigated. In my experience, a claim involving non-severe, non-complicated injuries usually resolves in roughly six to nine months when settled before a lawsuit is filed. A case that requires filing suit, and especially one that goes all the way to trial, can take two to three years, occasionally longer, from the date of the crash.
Do most car accident cases in Texas go to trial?: No. The large majority of personal injury claims settle before trial, once a properly documented demand is presented and negotiated. Cases that do proceed to a filed lawsuit still mostly resolve during the litigation process itself, well before trial. Only a small fraction of my overall caseload ends up being tried in front of a jury.
What should I do right away after a crash in Fort Worth?: Get medical attention right away, even if the injury doesn't feel severe at first, since some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, aren't obvious in the first hours after a crash. Document the scene with photos. Get contact details from witnesses. Avoid recorded statements to any insurer, including your own, until you understand how those statements can be used to shape what your claim is worth.
How much does it cost to hire a car accident attorney in Fort Worth?: Personal injury attorneys, including my firm's Fort Worth personal injury team, usually work on a contingency-fee basis. That means an injured person pays nothing upfront, and my fee is only collected as a percentage of the amount recovered. If there's no recovery, there's no fee owed.
What if I was partly at fault for the accident?: Being partly at fault doesn't automatically bar a Texas claim. Under the state's modified comparative-negligence rule, covered in Chapter 9, a recovery is still available as long as the injured person is found 50 percent or less at fault, though the recovery is reduced in proportion to that percentage. Being found 51 percent or more at fault, however, bars recovery entirely.
What kinds of cases does 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys handle?: My firm represents injured clients in car accidents, commercial truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, rideshare accidents, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, slip and fall claims, traumatic brain injury cases, and wrongful death claims throughout Fort Worth, Euless, Houston, and the surrounding Texas communities I serve.
Why do insurance adjusters ask me to give a recorded statement right after a crash?: An early recorded statement is usually taken before you fully understand the extent of your own injuries. Adjusters are trained to use that statement, and any inconsistencies in it, to limit what your claim is worth later. I tell clients to speak with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to any insurer, since that protects against unintentionally undercutting a claim before it has even been evaluated.
Can I still file a claim if the at-fault driver didn't have insurance?: Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, if you carry it on your own policy, is designed for exactly this situation. Underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage does the same job when the at-fault driver's policy is too small to cover the full harm. Without UM/UIM coverage, recovery options against an uninsured driver directly are usually far more limited.
Do settlement amounts get made public anywhere?: Some firms, including my own, 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys, publish a selection of past case results as a matter of transparency. Read them for what they are. The value of any individual claim depends on that claim's own facts. You cannot predict it from a different case's outcome, however similar that case looks on the surface.
What is a demand letter and why does it matter?: A demand letter is the formal document I send to an insurer laying out the injured person's damages, liability argument, and the amount being sought to resolve the claim. A demand letter backed by complete medical documentation is what resets an insurance adjuster's low opening number, per Chapter 10, and a poorly supported demand letter can undercut a claim's value before negotiation even begins.
Can I switch lawyers partway through my crash case?: Usually yes, an injured person can change representation during a case, though doing so can affect timing and, depending on the fee agreement, how fees are ultimately divided between the prior and new attorney. It is worth raising concerns with a current attorney directly before deciding to switch, since many issues can be resolved without starting over.
Does 1-800 The Wolf Accident Attorneys charge for an initial consultation?: No. Consultations are free and come with no obligation to hire my firm, which is consistent with the contingency-fee structure described throughout this book: I'm not paid unless and until I recover money for the client.

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