BalonWhy do we have automobile insurance? There are two reasons. First, the State requires us to have liability insurance which pays for damages that we cause other people in an automobile accident.

If you have an accident, call your insurance agent and report it. Your insurance company will assign an adjuster who will handle the claims against you. This is what your liability insurance does for you. It will pay the other people in the accident for their losses, both property damage and personal injury losses. You should think about and discuss how much liability insurance is appropriate for you with your agent.

The second reason we have automobile insurance is to protect us from uninsured motorists and underinsured motorists. If someone without liability insurance runs into your vehicle and all you have is liability coverage, you almost certainly will be out of luck as far as being compensated for your personal injuries and property damage.

If you have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, you will be compensated for your property damage and personal injury losses even if an uninsured motorist runs into you.

If you are seriously injured and the other person has minimum liability coverage, you can stack your underinsured motorist benefits on top of the other driver’s liability coverage. This can be tricky and you should at least discuss your case with an experienced personal injury attorney because you can waive or lose this benefit if you do not follow some tricky notice procedures.

Please speak to your insurance agent about purchasing uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. It could be very important to you and your family.


This is good advice, trust me, I am a personal injury lawyer.

1/5/2015

BalonHelp your case-Take pictures of your accident

Help yourself and your claim at the time of your accident!

Automobile accidents are always scary and chaotic. Most of the time, the police will not come to the scene unless the vehicles must be towed or an ambulance is transporting someone to the Emergency Room. You are on your own.

What should you do? Get your smart phone out and start taking pictures. Take pictures of the accident scene. Take pictures of all the vehicles in the accident. Take a lot of pictures (they are free). Take pictures of the license plates of the other vehicles. Take pictures of the other driver's licenses. Take pictures of the other driver's insurance information. Take pictures of all of the vehicles' damages. If there are skid marks, take a picture. Think CSI (crime scene investigation).

If you are injured or bruised up, take pictures of your injuries. When the bruising intensifies after a few days, take more pictures.

As Confucius said, "One picture is worth a thousand words." This information will be invaluable to your attorney.

This is good advice, trust me, I am a personal injury lawyer.

6/4/2014

BalonTell Everyone, "Please buy PIP!"

Vehicular AccidentsTell everyone, "Please buy PIP!"
Texas automobile insurance companies sell personal injury protection coverage (PIP) and Med Pay coverage.

As a personal injury attorney for over thirty years, please allow me to give you some automobile insurance advice on which type of coverage gives you the most bang for your buck.

PIP is essential to anyone who receives a personal injury from a vehicular accident in Texas. What does PIP do for a person injured in an accident? It will pay 100% of your medical bills and 80% of one's lost wages up to the PIP limit that one has purchased. Most people buy the minimum PIP coverage of $2,500 for around $50 per year, but I recommend that you buy as much as you can afford.PIP will pay even if your bills are paid by other insurance!!!

In my opinion, Med Pay coverage is a scam. Do not buy it. Buy PIP! What does Med Pay do for a person in an accident? It will pay medical bills only (no lost wages) up to the limit of the coverage. While that sounds similar to PIP; here is the kicker. If you recover money from the other driver's liability insurance policy, you have to pay your automobile insurance company back for the money it paid out in Med Pay coverage. That is right ...you have to give the money back!

Buy PIP!

Look at your policy and make sure you have PIP! You will thank me if you are ever in an accident.

6/4/2014

BalonWhat 3 things must happen to insure a successful personal injury claim?
What are the three things that must fall into place for someone to have a successful personal injury claim?
1. The accident must be at least 50% someone else's fault.
2. Someone must have insurance that will cover the claim.
3. The person making the claim must be hurt badly enough to get medical attention and get it in a timely manner.
What are mistakes that you can make which will hurt or destroy your claim?
1. Not going to the doctor. Go to the doctor as fast as practical. Do not wait for the insurance company to "set you up". It will never happen and your claim will vanish if you don't see a doctor.
2. Remember...the insurance adjuster is NOT your friend. He or she is trying to MINIMIZE your claim.Talk to me, a personal injury attorney for over 30 years, BEFORE talking to an insurance adjuster.
3. If you don't have health insurance and can't afford a doctor's visit, call me. I can get an excellent doctor to treat you even though you don't have health insurance. Your health is more important than money. GO TO THE DOCTOR.
If you think that you might have a claim, call me. A free consultation with me will cost you nothing and it could result in strengthening your personal injury claim.

6/4/2014

BalonDo you have a claim?

How do you know whether you have a "Good personal injury Claim?"

What are the "Magic Questions" to ask yourself? (There are three).

1. Was the automobile accident caused by the negligence of someone other than you?
2. Does anybody have any insurance which is going to cover the damages and losses?
3. Were you or a passenger in the car accident injured badly enough to need to be treated by a doctor for injuries?

If the answer to all Three Magic Questions is yes, Voila; you have a potentially Good Claim!

6/4/2014