Merging accidents are always an ever present danger on busy highways. They can happen whenever vehicles enter or leave a highway or when highways narrow and the number of lanes decreases, forcing vehicles to merge. Accidents happen rarely because of the design of the highway, but because of negligent driving.
Drivers who drive too fast, are distracted, tired, or intoxicated, are all a danger on a busy highway. Injured drivers who are hit in a merging accident may be able to file a personal injury claim and recover compensation for the cost of their injuries. Injured merging accident victims are advised to seek advice and legal help from an experienced personal injury attorney before filing their claim.
State Route 20 in Texas
State Route 20 is an important state highway in Southern Texas, situated and mostly parallel to I-10. SR -20 runs for 78 miles through the city of El Paso on the border of Mexico from the western terminus on the New Mexico border to a junction with I-10 in Hudsperth County, near the town of McNary.
SR 20 is an important route for cross border vehicle traffic between Texas and Mexico as well as serving the mainly rural areas along the Rio Grande.
What to Do If Hit While Merging On SR-20
If you have been injured by another driver while merging on SR-20 you will need to know how to make a claim for compensation according to Texas personal injury laws. You can make a claim up to 2 years from the date of the injury as long as you were hit by a private individual. Less time is allowed if you were hit by a government employee while they he or she was at work.
Texas has a rule that prevents you from claiming compensation if you were more than 50% at fault. For any percentage less than 50% you may be awarded a proportion of the full claim. This ruling is called modified comparative negligence.
You will find that a personal injury attorney will be of great help when determining who was at fault or you could end up with no compensation at all if the defendant’s insurance adjuster claims that you were more to blame than their own client. There are no caps on damages in a personal injury claim in Texas.
Evidence to Gather If Hit While Merging On SR-20
Documentation and other evidence showing negligence is vital in a personal injury claim. Police reports can be very useful. They may give crucial information about what happened immediately before a crash on the highway.
Eye witnesses at the crash scene may also provide useful evidence that backs up your own version of the accident’s cause. If at all possible, you may be able to take witness statements if you have a voice recorder function on your cell phone and/or take photos showing the state of the vehicles after the collision.
You will also need a vehicle damage report and estimate of the repair bill for your vehicle, medical statements from a doctor or hospital staff, all bills and receipts showing the cost of your injuries and evidence from work showing any lost earnings.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
A personal injury attorney can make all the difference if you decide to file a personal injury claim. It is best to get the claim process started as soon as you can and the best way to do that is to discuss the accident with an attorney. If the attorney thinks you have a good chance of succeeding, you will have better chance of negotiating a fair compensation package with legal help than without it.
