Best Car Accident Attorneys in Fort Worth
Compare Our Top Attorneys
| Lawyer Name | TX Bar Association Status | Year Admitted to TX Bar | Law School Attended | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wade A. Barrow | Active | 2001 | University of Texas School of Law | |
| Rickey J. Brantley | Active | 1982 | Baylor Law School | |
| Jane Fowler | Active | 2016 | Texas A&M University School of Law | |
| Kolter Jennings | Active | 2015 | Texas A&M University School of Law | |
| W. Travis Patterson | Active | 2012 | University of Texas School of Law | |
| Joe Robles, Jr. | Active | 2018 | Texas A&M University School of Law | |
| Mattilyn Smith | Active | 2016 | Texas A&M University School of Law | |
| Jason B. Stephens | Active | 1997 | Baylor Law School | |
| S. Patrick Woodson, IV | Active | 1993 | University of Texas School of Law | |
| Coby L. Wooten | Active | 1996 | Texas Wesleyan University School of Law |
Other Texas Car Accident Lawyers
Car Accident Laws in Texas
Texas car accident laws can be confusing if you’re not familiar with what to expect. While your attorney can provide you with specifics about your particular case, here’s an overview.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations refers to how much time you have to bring a case after a car accident. In Texas, the statute of limitations is two years for injuries related to a car accident. The clock starts ticking from the date of the accident, so it’s important to consult an attorney as soon as possible to ensure there’s time to bring a case.
Car Insurance Requirements in Texas
Texas has published a Consumer Bill of Rights for Personal Automobile Insurance. This document must be offered with every automobile insurance policy in Texas. It’s written in plain language and explains the rights and responsibilities that drivers in Texas have. It’s available in both English and Spanish. If Texas drivers have insurance questions that aren’t answered in the Consumer Bill of Rights, they can contact the Texas Department of Insurance.
Texas has a minimum amount of insurance that every driver is required to carry. Those amounts are:
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 in bodily injury liability per person | $60,000 total bodily injury liability | $25,000 property damage |
These numbers may seem substantial taken out of context, but medical bills and property damage can add up quickly even in seemingly minor accidents. Drivers should consider increasing their policies above these limits.
Determining Fault in Car Accidents
Texas is a modified comparative fault state. This means that the court looks at how responsible each driver is for the accident and adjusts the amount of damages based on responsibility. For example, if a driver is determined to be 10% responsible for an accident, they can receive a maximum award of 90% of their actual losses. Any driver judged to be 51% or more responsible for the accident cannot recover damages.
Here are some examples of how that might look:
- A driver hits a pedestrian who is in a crosswalk. The court determines that the pedestrian is 10% responsible because he did not look for oncoming traffic prior to stepping into the crosswalk. The driver is 90% responsible and therefore cannot collect damages. The pedestrian can recover a maximum of 90% of the cost of his medical bills.
- Two drivers are in an accident. Driver A is determined to be 100% responsible, and Driver B is determined to not be at fault. Driver B can recover a maximum of 100% of her damages.
- Two drivers are determined to be equally responsible for an accident. Each of them can recover a maximum of 50% of the cost of their damages.
How to Find a Car Accident Lawyer in Fort Worth
There’s no shortage of car accident lawyers in Fort Worth. However, the right attorney for someone else is not necessarily the right one for you. It’s important that you find someone you’re comfortable working with. Here are some ideas on what to look for.
Referrals from Others
If you know anyone who has been in an accident recently, ask them who they used as an attorney. Ask what they did (and did not) like about their lawyer. Does the attorney sound like someone you can see yourself working with? Referrals work both ways—you might find the right lawyer for your situation, or you might find someone that you definitely do not want to work with.
Ask About Car Accident Experience
Attorneys often practice in many different fields, like family law or estate law. While these lawyers may be effective in helping you with a car accident injury, they probably do not have as much experience as someone who focuses on car accidents. Even among auto accident lawyers, there are strengths and weaknesses. If you’re hiring for a car accident, look for a lawyer who has worked on car accident cases before.
Figure Out How Much You’ll Pay
Car accident attorneys typically don’t charge an upfront fee or by the hour. They’re more likely to charge a percentage of any settlement or verdict that you win. If you don’t win, they don’t get paid. This percentage is generally somewhere between 25% and 45%. As you can imagine, the difference between paying a fee on the lower end and one on the high end can be substantial.
Some lawyers charge less for a case that settles before going to court. It’s important to understand how a potential attorney will charge you. Don’t be afraid to ask if the fees seem high. The right attorney will be happy to explain exactly how their fee is calculated.
Can They Litigate?
The vast majority of car accident cases don’t actually wind up in court; they end in a settlement beforehand. A settlement still requires a lot of negotiation, and you will definitely want an attorney on your side whether you settle or go before a jury. However, you should always prepare to take your case to court.
Ask potential attorneys whether they are comfortable taking cases to court and watch how they answer. Willingness to take a case to court could translate into much larger wins. You probably won’t need an attorney who is a skilled litigator, but you’ll want to be ready just in case.
Get Your Questions Answered
Don’t work with an attorney who makes you feel bad about asking questions. This may be your first experience with the legal system, and it’s natural that you won’t understand everything. If a lawyer isn’t interested in answering your questions, he or she is probably a bad fit for you.
Methodology
To come up with the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Fort Worth in 2024, Forbes Advisor considered many factors. Forbes Advisor’s mathematical module considers and weighs the information collected to calculate a specific rating and reviews these results to find the best attorneys in a given practice area.
Within the model, we take into account factors that legal professionals and consumers value in an attorney’s qualifications. After assigning weighted scores to hundreds of data points, we narrowed the field down to our top choices based on:
- Legal experience
- Special licenses & certifications
- Ethics and bar disciplinary measures
- Legal thought leadership
- Education & employment background
- Scholarly lectures & writings
- Awards & honors
Forbes Advisor collects public data from a variety of sources, including state bar associations, court records and other published sources on the internet. This information should not be considered comprehensive, however. It might not include additional relevant information on an attorney’s legal skills and experience.
Each lawyer listed here has their own merits. Bear in mind that our list relates to these lawyers’ legal backgrounds, but does not evaluate their personalities or their knowledge of the law. One attorney may be more suitable than another for your specific legal situation.
One thing that can’t be quantified, though, is the rapport you establish with your attorney. Personality goes a long way when teaming up with an attorney, especially when going through a potentially difficult legal situation. These rankings should serve as a reference and potential starting point in your search for the right lawyer for you and your legal concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What sort of damages can I receive after a car accident in Texas?
There are three types of damages you can recover after a Texas car accident. They are:
• Economic damages (medical bills, lost work, etc.)
• Non-economic damages (pain and suffering)
• Punitive damages (an extra amount given by the court as punishment)
Nearly every successful case will have economic damages. Some will have non-economic damages. Punitive damages are relatively rare.
My car insurance has offered me a lawyer. Can I just use them instead of hiring my own?
Remember, any attorney hired by your insurance company works for the insurance company, not for you. Although your interests and your insurance company’s interests are sometimes the same, they will not ensure that you receive a fair deal if it’s not in their best interest. Any attorney you hire will look out for your (and only your) best interests. Using your insurance’s attorney may seem like a money-saving tactic, but it could wind up costing you substantially more than hiring your own representation.
