In San Antonio, car accidents happen every day. They can leave people injured, out of work, facing medical bills they never planned for, and in the worst cases, grieving a family member. For over three decades, Troy Brookover, a seasoned car accident lawyer in San Antonio, has represented crash victims across the city and surrounding areas, handling thousands of these cases.
Were you or someone you love hurt in a San Antonio car accident? Are the medical bills already piling up? Not sure what to do next? The motor vehicle accident lawyers at Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover are ready to help.
With over 30 years in practice, Troy has the skill and knowledge to handle every part of your car accident claim. He spent the early years of his career representing insurance companies, so he knows how adjusters and defense firms build a case against you. Troy is Board-Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only a small fraction of Texas attorneys.
Whatever the circumstances of your crash, our lawyers are here to help. From mounting medical costs and lost income to property damage and emotional distress, we work to make sure you are fully compensated for what you lost. Call us at (210) 226-2000 or complete our online form for a free case review.
Reasons to Hire Our Car Accident Lawyers at Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover
With our San Antonio car wreck lawyers handling the legal side, you can focus on your recovery. Our attorneys are prepared to:
Investigate the crash thoroughly to determine what caused it and who is responsible.
Preserve the evidence your claim depends on before it disappears.
Guide you after the accident so you don’t damage your own claim, including avoiding recorded statements to insurance companies and routing their calls to us instead.
Review every applicable insurance policy to find all the coverage available to you.
Help you get the medical treatment you need after the crash.
Calculate the full extent of your damages, including costs you have not incurred yet.
Push hard for the full car accident compensation you are owed.
Advise you on whether to file a lawsuit if the insurance company’s settlement offer falls short.
Answer your questions at every stage of the claim.
Find a Car Accident Lawyer Near You
When you bring your case to our firm, you get San Antonio auto accident attorneys who know Texas personal injury law and, specifically, how car accident claims work in this state.
Our office is at 14100 San Pedro Avenue, Suite 550, in north San Antonio, just off US-281 and a few minutes from Loop 1604. We represent clients throughout Bexar County and across Central and South Texas.
Stop by, or call and we can come to you. If your injuries make travel difficult, we also hold free consultations by phone and video. Se habla español.
What Our Clients Say About Our Car Accident Attorneys
Real people, real results. Discover how we’ve helped others like you achieve justice and financial recovery.
Was in a bad rear-end accident and Law Offices of Troy Brookover and his legal staff helped settle my case with great results. I highly recommend them for legal purposes.
Amazing law firm! Mr. Brookover has covered 3 cases for me. His staff is very professional and empathizes with your needs. Mr. Brookover is always honest and upfront about expectations and your case proceedings. Great customer service! You will never find another law firm that is great.
I would highly recommend Troy and his wonderful team! Troy, Phyllis, and Ray always made the time to answer any questions I had and explained every step of the process in terms I could understand.
If you have significant injuries and another motorist is at fault, then you need to seek the guidance of an experienced car accident attorney. There are several benefits why you might need our San Antonio car accident lawyers after a motor vehicle accident, including:
Legal experience: An auto accident lawyer can provide guidance and insight as you navigate the complex laws and regulations surrounding motor vehicle accidents in Texas. An attorney can help you understand your rights under Texas law and advise you on the best course of action.
Negotiating with insurance companies: Most car accident injury cases involve insurance claims. When you file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, the insurer often tries to minimize its financial liability or denies your claim altogether. An attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to demand fair compensation.
Gathering evidence: Our car accident law firm can gather evidence to support your case, such as police reports, witness statements, and medical records. The attorney can work with accident reconstruction specialists and other experts to develop your case.
Representation in court: If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, an attorney can present your case in court and ask the court to compel the insurer to compensate you for your losses.
When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in San Antonio, TX
It’s best to consult with an attorney as soon as possible after a car accident. A lawyer can help you understand your legal options and handle any issues that arise. Some reasons to get a car accident lawyer after an accident include the following:
Time-sensitive evidence: Evidence related to the accident, such as surveillance footage, skid marks, or debris on the road, can deteriorate or disappear quickly. Business security footage is often overwritten within weeks. The memories of eyewitnesses can fade if too much time passes. Our car accident law firm can help preserve evidence before it is lost.
Statute of limitations:Texas law imposes a two-year time limit on personal injury claims, which means you have a limited window to file a lawsuit after you get hurt in a car accident. An attorney can help you file your case by the appropriate deadline.
Insurance issues: Insurance companies often take advantage of unrepresented individuals by offering low settlements or denying claims altogether. An attorney can negotiate with the insurance company and demand fair compensation on your behalf.
Peace of mind: Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be stressful and overwhelming, especially when you are trying to recover from serious injuries. An attorney can ease your stress by handling all the details of your injury claim.
Steps to Follow After a Car Accident
What you do in the hours and days after a crash can shape your entire claim. These steps protect both your health and your legal rights:
Call 911. Reporting the crash is required by law in most cases, and the police response creates the official record your claim will rest on. This matters even more if anyone is injured or you suspect the other driver was impaired.
Don’t give statements right away. Avoid giving written or recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company. Talk to a lawyer first.
Collect everyone’s information. Get names and contact details for the other drivers, their passengers, and anyone who saw what happened. Witnesses are often the difference in a disputed claim, and they are hard to track down later.
Write down the details while they are fresh. Note the date, time, how the crash unfolded, the direction each vehicle was traveling, any signs the other driver was impaired, and the names and badge numbers of the responding officers.
Photograph everything. Take pictures of the damage to every vehicle, the road signs and signals, skid marks, debris, and the weather and lighting conditions.
Sketch the scene. A simple diagram showing where each vehicle was before, during, and after the collision is often clearer than a written description.
Note any existing vehicle problems. Bald tires, a broken taillight, or other pre-existing defects on either vehicle can matter when liability is contested.
See a doctor, even if you feel fine. Some injuries take days to show symptoms. Getting checked out protects your health and creates the medical record linking your injuries to the crash.
Write down any admission of fault. If the other driver says the crash was their fault at the scene, note exactly what they said and who else heard it.
Get the police report. Request a copy as soon as it is available and check it for errors. Mistakes in a crash report can be corrected, but only if someone catches them.
What Should You Never Do After a Car Accident?
There are a few things you shouldn’t do after a car accident because they can potentially harm your case. Generally, you should avoid doing the following:
Don’t admit fault, apologize, or say anything that might be construed as an admission of fault
Don’t discuss the crash online or post any comments about the crash or your injuries on social media
Don’t give any statements to insurance companies without first speaking to a lawyer
Don’t minimize or exaggerate your injuries
Don’t discard any receipts, bills, and invoices from your crash-related expenses
Don’t accept a quick settlement offer before you know the full extent of your injuries
Don’t repair or sell your vehicle before it has been photographed and inspected
When the police arrive at the scene, they’ll see if anyone needs emergency medical attention. Then, they will interview all the drivers in the crash, any passengers in the cars, and any eyewitnesses to figure out how the crash happened. The police might look at surveillance footage, security cameras, or other evidence during their investigation.
Which agency responds depends on where the crash happened. San Antonio Police handle collisions inside city limits, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office covers unincorporated areas, and the Texas Department of Public Safety works crashes on state highways and interstates. Suburban cities like Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, Olmos Park, and Terrell Hills have their own police departments. Your crash report stays with whichever agency worked the scene.
Once the police have completed their investigation, they will file an accident report with the Texas Department of Transportation. You can search the state’s online crash database to find your crash report and include it with your insurance claim. Many insurance companies require a police report when you file a claim. The police crash report gives the insurer a neutral account of what happened.
How Much Does a Car Accident Attorney Charge?
A car accident attorney’s fee can vary depending on the attorney and whether the case settles out of court or goes to trial. Most personal injury attorneys in Texas work on a contingency fee basis. With a contingency arrangement, the injury lawyer only receives a legal fee if he or she obtains a settlement or court award for the client.
It’s important to note that additional costs may be associated with your case, such as court fees, expert witness fees, and other expenses. These costs typically are advanced by the attorney, and then deducted from the settlement or court award. It’s a good idea to speak frankly about your finances so your lawyer can help you understand what to expect.
Compensation You Might Be Entitled to in a Car Accident Claim
Every car accident claim is different. It’s impossible to say exactly how much any particular claim is worth. Many factors affect the potential value of your claim, such as:
The severity of your injuries
The cost and intrusiveness of the medical treatment you receive
The insurance coverage available
The other driver’s degree of liability
Whether you were partially negligent in causing the car accident
Additionally, the damages you incur also heavily influence the potential value of your car accident claim. You may be entitled to compensation for losses you experienced, such as:
Medical bills
Lost wages
Reduced earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Mental anguish
Costs to repair or replace your vehicle
Permanent disability
Future medical costs
Disfigurement
Impairment
The most effective way to gauge the potential worth of your claim is to consult with our seasoned car accident attorneys in San Antonio.
What If the Insurance Company Says You Were Partly at Fault?
Being partly responsible for a crash does not necessarily end your claim. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule, sometimes called proportionate responsibility. If you are found 50 percent or less at fault, you can still recover damages, though your award is reduced by your share of the blame. If you are found 51 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing.
That threshold is why insurance adjusters work so hard to shift blame onto injured people. Moving a claimant from 50 percent to 51 percent doesn’t just reduce what the insurer pays. It wipes it out entirely. An adjuster telling you the crash was partly your fault is a negotiating position, not a final answer.
Time Limit for Filing a Car Accident Lawsuit in Texas
Typically, you have two years from the date of the collision to file your lawsuit. At first glance that might seem like plenty of time. It usually isn’t. Your attorney needs time to investigate the crash thoroughly, establish who is accountable, and negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf.
Your attorney will also move quickly to preserve the evidence your case depends on before it is lost or destroyed. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, vehicles get repaired or sold, and witnesses become harder to reach as time passes. Contacting our car accident attorneys soon after the crash is the best way to protect your right to compensation.
Shorter deadlines apply in some situations. If a city, county, or state vehicle was involved in your crash, written notice of your claim may be due within months rather than years, and some Texas cities set even tighter deadlines through their own charters.
Who is Liable in a Car Accident?
Texas is an at-fault insurance state, meaning that the at-fault driver’s liability insurance policy is responsible for paying for the damages their driver caused to others. Before you can recover any compensation for the car crash, you will have to prove the other driver negligently caused it.
An experienced San Antonio car accident lawyer knows how to obtain convincing evidence to support your claim, such as:
Accident reports
Eyewitness testimony
Photos and videos of the accident
Physical damage to the vehicles and nearby property
Skid marks, tire treads, and other physical signs of the car crash
Testimony from accident reconstruction experts
Body camera footage
Dash camera footage
Liability is not always limited to the other driver. Depending on the circumstances, an employer may be responsible for a driver on the job, a bar or restaurant may face a dram shop claim for overserving an intoxicated driver, a vehicle or parts manufacturer may be liable for a defect, or a government entity may be responsible for a dangerous road design. Identifying every liable party matters, because each one may carry separate insurance coverage.
What If the Other Driver Had No Insurance?
You may still have a path to compensation. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy is built for this situation, and Texas insurers are required to offer it in writing, which means you may have it even if you don’t remember choosing it. Personal injury protection coverage can also help with medical bills and lost income regardless of who caused the crash. We review every policy that might apply to your case, not just the at-fault driver’s.
Car Accident FAQs: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t hesitate to contact an attorney if you are hospitalized. Most auto accident lawyers will meet with you at a hospital or location convenient to you if you cannot make an office visit. If a lawyer insists you come to them after a crash and won’t find a way to accommodate you, speak to a different attorney.
Assigning a value to your pain and suffering can be challenging because it is an intangible loss. Often, the insurance company or the court will add up your economic losses, such as medical bills and lost income, and multiply that sum by a number between one and five, depending on the severity of your harm. A car accident lawyer can provide more information on how you could be compensated for pain and suffering.
While eyewitness accounts can help, you don’t have to have eyewitnesses to have a valid claim. An experienced car accident lawyer can use crash scene photos, traffic camera footage, police accident reports, and other evidence to prove your case and help you seek compensation for your injuries.
If you are involved in a car crash, and there are no witnesses nearby, take plenty of photos at the crash scene. Take pictures of vehicle damage, your visible injuries, traffic signs, debris or skid marks on the road, and weather conditions. You should also write down what happened and provide as much detail as you can remember.
If the insurance company says your car is totaled, that means it would cost more to repair the car than it’s worth. If you have collision coverage, the insurance company will pay to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident. How much money you receive depends on your policy and your car’s value.
Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is an add-on to your auto insurance policy that pays for your medical bills after a crash with an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver. Most auto insurance policies sold in Texas include uninsured motorist coverage. Essentially, your UM coverage protects you if are in an accident and the at-fault driver has no insurance, or the driver flees the accident scene without stopping. Your collision coverage pays for damage to your car.
If the other driver does not have insurance, you can file a claim with your insurance coverage. All auto policies in Texas include personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which pays your medical bills, lost income, and other costs if you are involved in a crash, regardless of who is at fault. You should have PIP coverage unless you declined the coverage in writing. Insurance companies must also offer uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which is optional. This pays your medical and car repair bills if the other driver is uninsured.
A car accident lawyer can evaluate whether it’s worth pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against an uninsured driver.
Generally, the following factors will determine the value of your case:
The severity of your injuries – More severe injuries require lengthier and costlier medical treatment, which can increase the value of a claim.
The strength of the evidence – An attorney can gather evidence to prove who is liable for your injuries and other losses. The stronger the evidence in your case, the more likely an experienced personal injury attorney can obtain a positive outcome for you.
The experience of your lawyer – A personal injury attorney with extensive experience in car accident cases can use their knowledge and resources to build a robust case in your favor and identify all possible sources of compensation for you.
Every car accident is different, so it’s hard to say the average settlement value of a car accident case in San Antonio. With help of a knowledgeable car accident lawyer, you may claim compensation for certain types of accident losses and expenses, including the following:
Your medical expenses related to the accident, including doctor’s appointments, prescription drugs, hospital stays, physical therapy, and medical equipment
Your lost income if you cannot work while you heal from your injuries
Your reduced future earnings due to a disability or injury
Your physical pain and suffering
Your emotional distress
Your reduced quality of life due to an injury or disability
Your damaged personal property
If you file a car accident claim in Texas, you do not necessarily have to go to court. Most car accident claims settle outside of court through negotiations with the insurance company or other parties involved in the accident. However, if a case does not settle, it may be necessary to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation. An attorney can review your case and explain your options after an accident.
If an insurance claims adjuster contacts you after an accident. be careful what you say. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Don’t admit fault – It’s important to avoid admitting fault or apologizing for the accident. This can be used against you when determining fault. This rule also applies any time you speak to the other driver.
Don’t agree to a recorded statement – The insurance adjuster might ask for a recorded statement. It’s best to avoid consenting to this until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
Stick to the facts – Only provide the adjuster with factual information about the accident. Do not make estimates or guesses if you don’t know the answer to a question. It’s better to have your attorney handle communications with the insurance company.
Don’t settle quickly – Don’t settle too soon with the insurance company. Work with a knowledgeable lawyer who can evaluate settlement offers and provide dependable guidance on whether an offer is reasonable based on the specific facts of your case.
After a car accident in Texas, there are several pieces of evidence you should collect, including the following:
Contact information – Get the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of all parties involved in the accident, including any witnesses.
Insurance information – Locate the insurance information of all drivers involved in the accident, including policy numbers and insurance company names.
Police report – Contact the local police department to get a copy of the accident report. The report will provide details about the accident, including the date, time, location, and the names of the drivers and witnesses involved.
Photographs and videos – Take photos of the accident scene, the damage to all vehicles involved, and the injuries you sustained. Document any relevant road or weather conditions that contributed to the accident.
Medical records – Gather copies of all medical records related to the injuries you sustained in the accident, including treatments, medications, and follow-up appointments.
Repair estimates – Obtain written repair estimates for any accident-related vehicle damage.
Witness statements – Ask for written or recorded statements from any witnesses who saw the accident occur.
You can still seek compensation if you contributed to a car accident. Texas’s comparative fault law apportions compensation based on each driver’s share of the blame for an accident. You can still recover if you are partly at fault as long as you are no more than 50 percent responsible for the accident overall.
Yes, you can still file a claim even if you were not wearing a seatbelt during the accident. However, not wearing a seatbelt can negatively affect your ability to recover compensation.
Under Texas law, if your failure to wear a seatbelt contributed to your injuries, then the amount of compensation available could be reduced accordingly. If your injuries would have occurred regardless of whether you were wearing a seatbelt or not, the defense would not apply.
If a Texas car accident results in injury, death, or property damage, you must report it to law enforcement. Failure to report can result in misdemeanor charges.
Need to Discuss Your Car Accident Case? Contact Our San Antonio, TX, Law Firm Today
Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover is a San Antonio law firm dedicated to helping car accident victims recover maximum compensation. Our experienced team provides aggressive representation to pursue the justice you deserve. Contact us today for a free case review.
