What Actually Happens After You Hire an Austin Car Accident Lawyer
What Actually Happens After You Hire an Austin Car Accident Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer is one decision. Knowing what happens next is another. Here’s the actual sequence, from your first call to resolution.
The Free Consultation
This first conversation is about facts: when and how the crash happened, what injuries you’ve sustained, and who appears to be at fault. It’s also where you get an honest read on whether you have a strong case — not a sales pitch, an actual assessment.
Investigation Begins Immediately
Once retained, your attorney starts gathering the police report, medical records, and witness statements — and sends preservation requests for anything time-sensitive, like dashcam or surveillance footage, before it’s deleted in the ordinary course of business.
You Focus on Medical Treatment
While your attorney works the legal side, your job is recovery: following through on treatment and keeping every record. Settling before your injuries are fully understood is one of the most common ways victims end up under-compensated — your attorney will generally advise waiting until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement, or your long-term prognosis is clear, before negotiating a final number.
Building the Demand
Once your damages are documented — medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and any future costs — your attorney compiles a demand package and sends it to the insurer.
Negotiation
This is usually several rounds of back-and-forth. Insurance companies rarely offer full value on the first pass; your attorney’s job is pushing back with evidence, not accepting the first number.
Litigation, If Necessary
Most cases settle before trial, but when an insurer won’t offer fair value, filing suit is what preserves your right to recover and often prompts a more serious response. This is also exactly why the two-year statute of limitations (Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003) matters — missing it can end your case regardless of how strong the evidence is.
What You Can Recover
- Medical bills, past and future
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
Start the process today
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car accident, whatever type of vehicle was involved, call the Traub Law Office at (512) 246-9191 or contact us online for a free consultation. We work on contingency — no fee unless we recover money for you.
About Andrew Traub
