In a car crash, the terror you feel at the moment of impact is unrivaled. There’s helplessness, a total loss of control, and a fear of the unknown.
But when the smoke clears, you have the power to shape the outcome of your accident. With an attorney by your side, the legal process doesn’t have to be another frightening chapter in your story.
Injured collision victims often struggle with physical, emotional, and financial pain, but the aftermath of an auto collision doesn’t have to be that way. The personal injury attorneys at Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, we fight to make sure Houston car accident victims recover the compensation they deserve from anyone who caused them harm.
Since establishing our headquarters in Houston, Texas in 1999, our firm has grown to numerous locations across the country, including hubs in Dallas, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Along the way, we’ve built a trusted network of partners throughout all 50 states who share our values and our commitment to excellence.
**No matter where you are, it’s our mission to insure that you have the finest representation for your case.**
Reach out now to learn more about how we can help.
About Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers
At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, our legal team puts our clients’ interests first. Always. With over 20 years of experience, our founder Stewart J. Guss built this firm with a singular purpose: to stand up for injured victims when life has knocked them down.
The compensation we help you receive from a settlement can make all the difference in the course of the rest of your life. We know this, and we take pride in our results: we’ve recovered millions of dollars in damages for our clients, and we treat our clients like family, not case numbers. We know they’ve suffered terrible trauma, and it’s our priority to help them put their lives back together.
While we’re based in Houston, our experienced, diligent collision injury attorneys work out of offices located around the country. Plus, we work with affiliate law firms in most states that share our focus and dedication to excellence.
No matter where you are located, we may be able to help you. Call or contact us now. We are open, for FREE, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-898-4877, or you may contact us now by CLICKING HERE to submit your case for review.
Common Causes of Collisions in Houston
Traffic collisions happen at an alarming rate in Texas. Although the past few years have witnessed a slight decrease in the number of fatal accidents across the Lone Star State, the numbers remain way too high.
At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, Houston clients come to us after collisions have upended their lives. They’re stressed, upset, and in a whirlwind of physical, emotional, and financial pain. We understand, and we’re here to make things right.
Far too many of the Houston collisions are a result of a driver’s careless or reckless actions behind the wheel, such as:
- Distracted driving: Distracted driving is not just dangerous, it’s selfish. Texts, phone calls, and social media posts can wait. No status update is worth endangering a life. It only takes 5 seconds to read a text, but that’s about the same amount of time you need to recognize a road hazard, apply the brakes, and safely come to a stop at highway speeds. In Texas, it is illegal to send or read a message, email, or other electronic messages while driving. Unfortunately, many drivers continue to put themselves and others in harm’s way by using their phones behind the wheel.
- Speeding: Houston has a bit of a reputation for aggressive driving and speeding, but rules against speeding exist for a reason: to keep the public safe. Historically, over a quarter of all traffic fatalities involve speeding. Speeding decreases the amount of time a driver has to react to a hazard, lengthens the distance a driver needs to bring a vehicle to a stop, and increase the deadly forces of a collision.
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is inexcusable, yet Houston drivers continue to do it. Every year, over 10,000 people nationwide die in traffic collisions caused by a drunk driver. That works out to about one death every minute. This is utterly unacceptable, and justice needs to be served. At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, our team of lawyers and legal professionals help Houston collision victims recover the compensation they deserve when a drunk or high driver causes chaos in their lives.
- Failure to yield the right of way: As drivers, we trust and depend on other drivers to obey traffic laws. When they fail to do their part, accidents happen. Most right of way accidents happen at intersections, but they can also happen in parking lots, driveways, and freeway on-ramps. Always be aware of drivers who may not obey the right of way laws. Scan unmarked intersections before you drive through them, check for traffic before you proceed through a green light, and be prepared to stop if someone suddenly moves into your path.
- Following too close: It’s a common question on every driver’s test: “How much distance you should keep between your vehicle and the one in front of you?” Do you know the answer? Judging by statistics, most drivers do not: rear-end collisions are the most common of all Houston traffic accidents. Texas law requires drivers all drivers to “maintain an assured clear distance between the two vehicles so that, considering the speed of the vehicles, traffic, and the conditions of the highway, the operator can safely stop without colliding with the preceding vehicle or veering into another vehicle, object, or person on or near the highway.” Tailgating reduces the amount of time a driver has to react and greatly increases the risk of a rear-end accident.
Common Collision Injuries
Unfortunately, thousands of injuries happen every year because of Texas traffic accidents. These injuries cost Lone Star residents and businesses millions (if not billions) of dollars annually and can cause significant long term physical, emotional, and financial pain.
Some of the most common injuries clients of Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers have suffered in motor vehicle accidents include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Motor vehicle accidents represent one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries across the United States. Traumatic brain injuries occur as a result of a blow or jolt to the head, or a penetrating injury. After any Houston traffic collision involving a bump to the head or a sharp jolt, go to the doctor immediately. Symptoms of a TBI may not appear until hours or days after an accident, and an experience you might dismiss as “whiplash” might’ve actually smacked your brain against your skull. The sooner you ask a doctor to examine you, the more likely you are to spot the telltale signs of a TBI and avoid further brain damage.
Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Confusion
- Mood changes
- Memory loss
- Changes in sleep patterns
A traumatic brain injury is a medical emergency. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact a doctor ASAP.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the United States. These injuries frequently lead to permanent paralysis. The degree of paralysis will depend on the location of the injury on the spinal cord. In most cases, paralysis will extend from below the point of injury.
Just like traumatic brain injuries, symptoms of a spinal cord injury may not develop right away, but the consequences can be severe. This is why you should always seek medical attention after a Houston traffic collision, even if you feel “fine.” Prompt medical attention could save you from paralysis. It’s not a risk you want to take.
Symptoms to look out for after a collision include:
- Intense back pain
- Numbness
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty breathing
- Throbbing pain
If you experience any of these symptoms after a crash, seek immediate medical attention.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are one of the most common injuries inflicted by a car accident. While a broken bone might seem like a minor injury, it has the potential to leave you with chronic pain that never fully goes away.
Additionally, a broken bone can increase a person’s risk of a permanently limited range of motion in a limb or joint. Physical therapy or surgery may help reduce pain associated with a bone break or fracture. If you think you may have broken a bone in a collision, do not attempt to move or put weight on the bone. Seek immediate medical help instead.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries include strains, sprains, tears of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In a collision, the sudden jolt of impact can pull or tear delicate soft tissue. These painful injuries may get better on their own, but they may not. This is why we advise all of our potential clients to seek medical care immediately after a Houston traffic accident.
Burns
Burns are serious injuries that cause extreme pain, blistering, infection, and even disfigurement. While minor burns may not require medical intervention, more serious car accident burns might necessitate surgery, skin grafting, and long-term stays in hospital burn units. If you suffered any kind of burn in a Houston auto accident, contact a medical care professional for an assessment.
How a Houston Collision Attorney Can Help
At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, we believe quality legal counsel should be accessible to everyone in the Houston community. Our firm proudly offers free case evaluations. This means there is absolutely no risk when you have a confidential discussion with one of our attorneys.
We cannot promise to represent everyone who walks through our doors, and we cannot guarantee that anyone we represent will definitely recover compensation for their Houston traffic collision injuries.
What we can promise, however, is that our team commits its full effort to fight on behalf of our clients to get them as much money as Texas law permits.
Our efforts on behalf of our clients may include:
- Case evaluation: Every case is different. Just because your best friend got $20,000 from a rear-end accident, that does not mean your rear-end collision will turn out the same way. Our team treats every client’s case as unique and examines the facts, the law, and our client’s circumstances to develop a personalized plan of action for recovering compensation.
- Collect evidence: Experienced auto accident injury lawyers like the Houston-based team at Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, understand the importance of relevant, timely evidence in proving a client’s Houston collision injury case. They know what kind of evidence they need to find, where to look for it, and how to get it.
- Talk to witnesses: A witness statement can make or break a personal injury case. At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, it’s our job to know the difference.
- Identify parties with liability and the ability to pay: Proving that a client got hurt in a Houston collision is only half of the battle for experienced car accident injury attorneys. Who takes the blame? Your attorney will identify all parties who have legal liability for that collision, and then target those parties who have the financial resources (either through insurance or assets) to pay damages.
- Negotiate settlements with insurance companies and defense lawyers: Most Houston collision injury cases settle out of court. Our goal is to negotiate the best possible settlement for an injured accident victim. Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers is a law firm in hot pursuit of top-dollar settlements, even when you’re up against the toughest insurance adjusters and defense attorneys. Don’t put your settlement negotiations in the hands of an attorney who only does car accident work every once in a while. Trust a team that lives and breathes Houston collision cases instead.
- Represent you in court, if necessary: Some Houston collision cases do not settle. Instead, the team at Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers at Law advises the client that the best course of action is to take the case to a Texas judge and jury. Clients of our firm can rest easy knowing that they have a lawyer who feels as comfortable and confident in a courtroom.
Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law: Count on a Houston Collision Law Firm You Can Trust
At Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, we’re not exaggerating when we say our clients are like family. They are the reason we do what we do. Words cannot express how much we value the time and trust of every injured person who comes to us for help – but our actions can.
After a Houston motor vehicle collision, you deserve help for the injuries you suffered. You deserve fair and just compensation. We know this to be true, but unfortunately, most insurance companies and defense attorneys don’t see it that way. That’s why our team is here: to hold liable parties accountable and make them pay.
The legal team of Stewart J. Guss, Injury Accident Lawyers, is nationally-recognized for protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 20 years. If you were injured in a Houston collision, call our office right now for a free consultation.
Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a DIME unless we win your case. We are available for FREE, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call us today at 800-898-4877 or contact us now by CLICKING HERE.
Client Testimonial
“I was extremely impressed with how easy they made the process of dealing with my insurance company, doctors offices, and other bill collectors involved in my accident. They are very good at keeping you informed about your case, and turn your calls very quickly. If I am ever in another car accident I will be using them again.”
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Allen C.
February 2020
Read more reviews on Google!
