Car & Motorcycle Accidents

Houston Car Accident and Motorcycle Accident Attorney

Attorney Sgt. Pike Will Fight for Your Wellbeing

The Greater Houston Area is one of the deadliest places to drive in all of the United States. Whether you’re clipped by an 18-wheeler making its way down I-10 or you’re sideswiped by a crossover that forgot to stop at a red light, car accidents can do much more than simply ruin your day. In fact, even a so-called “minor impact” wreck can have long-term consequences for your health.

Just like accidents that involve commercial trucks, insurance companies employ a team of lawyers and adjusters whose sole mission is to avoid paying you for your pain and suffering. They’ll do their best to skip out on even minor injury treatment costs. And if you’re seriously injured and have to be hospitalized, they’ll pull out every dirty trick in the book to blame you for the accident.

Why Hire an Automobile Lawyer in Houston?

Insurance companies treat car accidents as a game where the goal for them is to keep as much money in their pockets as possible. It’s important to remember that insurance companies make money by collecting premiums and then by either avoiding paying out loss claims entirely by blaming you for the accident or by paying loss claims far below what is fair by saying that you are not really hurt.  While it may appear that the insurance company is “on your side” at first, at the end of the day, they do their job by minimizing payouts. It’s enough to make you wonder why you spend years paying premiums only to have an insurance company take advantage of you and treat you unfairly once a claim is made.

If you are injured in a car or motorcycle collision, it’s essential that you retain an accident attorney immediately so you can fight back. You need someone who can fight the insurance company deceptions and level the playing field for you. Attorney Sgt. Pike says “Remember with an insurance company, you are not in good hands, they are not on your side, they won’t cover anything and there is nothing funny about a car accident.” Don’t think for one minute the insurance company will treat you fairly.

How Do I Know if I Have a Case?

You don’t always need a lawyer to help you sort out a car accident. But if you were injured in an accident, even if the injuries were minor, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible.

If you attempt to take on the Big Insurance alone, you’re putting yourself completely at their mercy. Big Insurance spends every waking moment thinking of ways to game the system. As a result, you may only end up with a meager settlement that amounts to a few hundred bucks — if you end up with anything at all.

How Much Does an Automobile Lawyer Cost?

Attorney Sgt. Pike believes that the most important thing you need to focus on after an accident is your recovery. That’s why he works strictly on contingency. In short, if you don’t get paid, Sgt. Pike doesn’t get paid. All of your attorney-recommended medical care, attorney’s fees, court filing costs, etc. comes out of your settlement only if you receive compensation. This means there’s no risk to you of  upfront costs, but it also means that Sgt. Pike has skin in the game in every case. Just as he has risked his life for his country, he will risk his own financial wellbeing so you that have a vested interest as a team in achieving victory.

Common Causes for Automobile Accidents in Houston

According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the three most common causes of car accidents in Texas are failure to control speed, driver inattention, and running a red light or stop sign. But while these descriptions might seem straightforward and easy to understand, they leave out the many unsafe driving practices that cause these conditions.

Houston roads are a dangerous and deadly place. Every day on the road, you will encounter people who are tired, distracted, or under the influence. Half of the fatalities on Texas roads are caused by either texting and driving or driving under the influence of alcohol. When drivers are impaired or distracted in these ways, they can cause catastrophic car accidents and injuries.

Types of Automobile Accidents in Houston

Single Car Accident

Single car accidents occur with only one vehicle being harmed by a collision. A single car could collide with fallen debris or wildlife, or they could run off the road, roll over, and collide with buildings or guardrails. However, just because only one vehicle was in the accident doesn’t mean that only one vehicle was involved. You could have been run off the road by another driver’s unsafe driving, or collided with debris or wildlife because you weren’t allowed to move over.

Multiple Vehicle Collision

Multiple vehicle accidents occur when more than one car or truck collide on the road or in a parking lot. Types of multiple vehicle collisions include a rear-end collision, a side-impact or t-bone collision, or a head-on collision.

Vehicle Rollover

Vehicle rollover accidents occur when a car or truck is tossed or flipped over in an accident. These car wrecks are complex and violent in nature. More than any other type of crash, rollovers are caused by a combination of factors, such as the actions of the driver, road conditions, type of vehicle, and environmental factors like the weather.

Common Injuries Encountered in an Automobile Accident

Cuts, Bruises, and Scrapes

The most common injuries suffered in a car accident are cuts, bruises, and scrapes. While many can be minor injuries resulting from being banged around inside your car, even seemingly minor cuts and bruises could be indicators of more serious internal injuries. Even if you think you feel fine, it’s still wise to seek medical evaluation and treatment to make sure you are okay.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a common name for muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries that happen when your car suddenly stops, like in a car accident. When your car comes to a sudden stop, your body is jerked by the impact in ways that it never would move on its own. The sudden strain on your muscles and connective tissue can cause painful soreness and even tearing.

Head Trauma

Car accidents can cause concussions and other traumatic brain injuries that, if not treated properly, could cause long-term damage to your brain functions. Common signs that you may have a brain injury include headaches, migraines, difficulty sleeping, and disorientation. Brain injuries are sometimes difficult to diagnose, and once they are discovered can take a long time to treat effectively. If you believe that you have suffered a concussion or other brain injury, you must seek treatment as soon as possible to avoid long-term effects.

Broken Bones

Broken legs, hips, arms, ribs, and shoulders are very common in Houston car accidents. When unnatural force is suddenly placed on your body from a collision, it can be too much for your bones to keep up. Oftentimes, collar bones are broken by your seat belt as it restrains you from flying through your windshield. Even light or moderate impact can cause your ribs to break.

Knee Injuries

The sudden impact of your knees with your dashboard can cause painful bruising on your knees, and in the worst cases can even break bones or cause ligament tears. Knee injuries take time to heal and often force victims to be confined to wheelchairs, crutches, or braces for months on end.

Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding can be incredibly dangerous if not treated quickly after your car crash. It’s important to seek medical attention immediately for anything but the most minor accidents. If there’s any chance that you may have suffered internal bleeding, it’s crucial to find critical care to make sure that you don’t have life-threatening injuries.

Pain and Suffering

As too many Army Green Berets can attest, not all injuries are physical. If you were in a serious car accident, even if you weren’t injured physically, you may suffer mental and emotional distress that are the early signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Common signs of PTSD are intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, and unreasonable fear of the road. If left untreated, even routine tasks could become impossible to get through without breaking down. Just like physical injuries, PTSD and other psychological traumas as a result of car accidents require careful treatment to avoid long-term effects.

Can I Sue an Insurance Company Without Hiring a Lawyer?

The State of Texas, like anywhere else in America, grants you the right to sue any party who has caused you injury, and just because it’s common practice to hire a car accident attorney in Houston, you are under no obligation to do so. However, there is a common phrase when it comes to suing insurance companies without an experienced Houston car accident attorney by your side: the man who represents himself has a fool for a client.

To be blunt, if you try to go up against Big Insurance on your own, you will fail. Their team of high-priced lawyers will pull out every dirty trick in the book to deny your claim. They will leave you in the dirt with a growing pile of medical expenses and unable to work due to your injuries. To Big Insurance, it’s just a game. After they deny you compensation, they’ll meet up for happy hour at their favorite watering hole to laugh and toast to a job well-done.

Without an attorney of your own to fight back, this will be your story.

Sgt. Pike’s Car Accident Response Team

Just like his trucking accident A-Team, Sgt. Pike has assembled an elite team of experts that can be activated at a moment’s notice. The Car Accident Response Team (C.A.R.T.™) specializes in getting to the truth of your car or motorcycle accident. The team will preserve and protect the vital evidence you need to win your case. It will help guide the evaluation of your injuries so you can have an accurate understanding of how you have been hurt. And while you focus on getting well, C.A.R.T.™ will focus on seeing that you receive justice for the harm that’s been done to you.

For more than 25 years, Sgt. Pike has represented thousands of car accident and motorcycle accident victims. Just as he answered the call of duty to fight for his country, he and his C.A.R.T.™ team will stand up to Big Insurance and get you the justice you deserve.