Practice Areas Car Accidents

Alvin Car Accident Lawyer That Demands Texas Justice from Wrongdoers

Holland DeKeyzer has represented Texans wrongfully injured and killed his entire career. He began his injury and wrongful death law firm by representing victims and families in the most challenging and complicated cases. Whether it is a typical rear-ender, drunk driver, an 18-wheeler, a dump truck, or even a government vehicle, Holland DeKeyzer is a battle-tested Alvin car accident lawyer focused on representing Texans and their families.  

Although financial compensation is the only legal remedy available when you or a loved one suffers from a serious injury or wrongful death, Holland DeKeyzer understands the emotional trauma in his representations and also demands Texas justice–i.e., accountability, an apology, and closure. 

How Does Texas Law Determine Financial Compensation and How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help?

Texas law allows injury and wrongfully killed victims to recover two types of legal damages: 

1) Economic Damages

Economic damages are harms and losses like past and future medical bills, lost wages, future medical procedures, future lost earnings, business profits lost, adaptations for home care needed medical equipment, and any out-of-pocket charges connected to the physical injuries. As a former Certified Public Accountant, Holland DeKeyzer uses his knowledge and financial experience to properly calculate and explain these economic damages to juries and insurance companies during jury trials and high-stakes negotiations.

2) Non-Economic Damages 

Non-economic damages are harms and losses that no amount of money can fix, repair, or change–the money only softens the ultimate burden. Non-economic damages are things like past and future physical pain and suffering, losing the ability to walk or exercise, losing your physical independence because of a disability, scarring or other physical disfigurements, losing your ability to perform routine chores around your house, depression, or anxiety, loss of consortium, and any other emotional trauma caused from physical injuries or loss of a loved one. A truly gifted personal injury lawyer excels in recovering these non-economic damages because it requires a trial lawyer with passion, creativity, and an empathetic heart to convey these unique, uncomfortable stories to juries and soulless corporations. Texas injury lawyer Holland DeKeyzer has the personality traits and talents to maximize your financial recovery. Let Holland DeKeyzer tell your story!

In some situations, when a driver has been really negligent or acted deliberately to cause harm, the legal process enables an Alvin car accident lawyer to ask the court for a third type of damages known as punitive damages. These are intended to punish wrongful conduct rather than to compensate accident victims for their property damage and other losses, so the amounts are provided in addition to those for economic and non-economic damages. However, the value of punitive damages is usually limited to no more than twice the amount of economic damages awarded in the case.

Warning: Beware of “Swoop and Settle’ Tactics

Insurance companies know that severe, permanent injuries often become obvious only days or weeks after a motor vehicle crash. They routinely attempt to settle with injured victims before the full extent of their injuries is known. This is called “swoop and settle.”

If an insurance company has offered to settle your injury claim within days of the crash, call Holland DeKeyzer immediately. Holland has handled dozens of cases in which the insurance company offered early settlements. In every swoop and settle case he has handled, he recovered tens of thousands—and in some cases hundreds of thousands—more money than the insurance company originally offered.

Do I Really Need an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer?

At least half of motor vehicle crashes do not require an experienced auto accident lawyer like Holland DeKeyzer. Injury victims do need a lawyer when the injured person required an ambulance or a visit to the hospital, or when the injuries do not resolve within a couple of days. Musculoskeletal joints, the spine, and brain injuries respond differently (and sometimes slowly) to physical trauma received in motor vehicle crashes, and many times these severe injuries do not appear obvious immediately after the collision. 

These injuries are not like broken bones and lacerations, which appear immediately after the crash and result in intense pain within minutes of the injury. Broken bones, musculoskeletal joints, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries require an auto accident lawyer like Holland DeKeyzer that understands the medical science of these injuries and has the legal knowledge to maximize financial recovery.  

What Can I Do to Maximize My Financial Compensation in Texas?

Immediately after a serious vehicle collision is a confusing and emotional time for injured victims and their families. However, having knowledge of a few important tasks will improve the results of your financial compensation.

• Seek Immediate Medical Care: Some injuries are not immediately obvious and may take hours, days, weeks, or even months for symptoms to appear. A medical professional will understand this and help document your conditions. Seek treatment immediately at a hospital or from your primary doctor.
• Follow Medical Instructions Strictly: Always follow your medical provider’s instructions exactly. Any deviations, missed appointments, or failure to follow recommended treatment steps can jeopardize your legal compensation.
• Refuse Insurance Statements: Do not speak to any insurance company until after consulting with an Alvin car accident lawyer at DeKeyzer Law, PLLC. Under no circumstances agree to a recorded or written statement, and avoid discussing details with third parties who could be subpoenaed. Insurance companies seek to minimize payouts through early, undervalued offers.
• Document Everything Thoroughly: Take photos of all vehicles prior to moving them. Record contact information for all witnesses. Maintain a detailed daily symptom diary (written or audio) noting pain levels, medical appointments, diagnoses, prescriptions, and daily physical limitations.

Local Alvin and Brazoria County Accident Facts

• Brazoria County Risk: More than 3,500+ traffic crashes occur annually in Brazoria County, with a significant concentration along high-traffic corridors such as Highway 6 and FM 517.
• The “Swoop & Settle” Gap: Early insurance settlement offers routinely cover less than 15-20% of the true long-term care costs for traumatic brain or spinal injuries.
• The Cost of Waiting: Texas has a strict 2-year statute of limitations (Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003). Evidence like dashcam footage and commercial GPS data often vanishes within the first 14-30 days.

Types of Auto Accidents in Alvin

Car accidents come in all shapes and sizes. However, some of the most common types of car accidents include:

• Rear-end Collisions. Rear-end collisions are certainly one of the most common types of car accidents and are most likely to occur when traffic is backed up. They commonly result in whiplash injuries.
• Head-on Collisions. Head-on collisions may be the most devastating type of car accident, commonly resulting in moderate-to-severe injuries or deaths for drivers and passengers, including traumatic head and brain injuries.
• Multi-car Collisions. A multi-car collision involves more than one vehicle and is more likely to occur in areas with heavy traffic or along construction zones.
• Broadside Collisions. Commonly referred to as “T-bone” collisions, these types of car accidents occur when another car hits your driver or passenger doors from the side, often because a driver has run a red light or stop sign. These accidents commonly cause broken bones and crush injuries, especially to the person(s) sitting on the collision side. 
• Rollover Accidents. Rollover accidents occur when a vehicle, especially a top-heavy vehicle, takes a turn too fast. Seatbelts are particularly critical in these types of accidents.
• Left-turn accidents. Left-turn accidents commonly occur when a car is making a left turn and is struck on your vehicle’s side by another driver who has either run a stoplight or stop sign or is trying to “beat” a turn signal.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Texas

Although seeking medical attention and getting proper care for your injuries should be your first priority after a car accident, it is also important to give some thought to the legal process so that you will be able to obtain the resources you need to cover property damage to your vehicle, complete your physical recovery, and be prepared for the future. That means you need to collect evidence that can be used to show who caused the accident, why it occurred, and how it caused your injuries.

Holland and Meagan DeKeyzer can help investigate to determine the causes of the accident and gather and preserve critical evidence to prove causation. Some of the most common situations where a driver’s negligence leads to an accident include:

• Distracted driving. This includes texting behind the wheel, eating while driving, and paying attention to others in the car rather than focusing on the dangerous process of driving.
• Not following traffic rules. Drivers often ignore traffic rules because they aren’t paying attention or because they think they’re more important than the law. They run red lights and stop signs, drive over the speed limit, turn when they shouldn’t, drive in the wrong direction, change lanes suddenly without looking—the list of unlawful driving practices is nearly endless.
• Impaired driving. All too often, drivers get behind the wheel when their judgment is impaired by some type of substance. This includes not only illegal drugs or excessive alcohol consumption but also the use of legal over-the-counter or prescribed medications that can make drivers sleepy or sluggish.
• Defects in vehicles or roads. Sometimes, the way a vehicle has been designed or maintained can cause it to malfunction and lead to an accident. In other cases, defects in a roadway or parking lot can contribute to the cause of an accident.
• Road rage. Angry drivers often take out their frustrations on others by driving too fast or even deliberately hitting other vehicles.

As noted above, when a driver is grossly negligent, such as if they are driving with an extremely high percentage of alcohol in their blood or driving drunk repeatedly, then an Alvin car accident lawyer can use the legal process to recover additional damages for accident victims. In addition to damages to offset past losses and meet future needs, Holland and Meagan DeKeyzer can seek punitive damages to punish the person responsible and deter others from similar conduct.

When a driver is grossly negligent—such as driving with an extremely high blood alcohol concentration or repeated drunk driving—your attorney can seek punitive damages to punish the responsible party and deter future misconduct.

Common Types of Alvin Auto Accident Injuries 

There is a wide variety of types of auto accident injuries, far too many to count. Some of the most common types of car accident injuries include:

• Brain injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions
• Head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries, including spinal cord injuries
• Whiplash
• Ligament and tendon tears, sprains, and strains
• Musculoskeletal joint injuries in the knee, shoulder, elbow, and wrist
• Broken or fractured bones
• Cuts from broken glass or debris
• Internal bleeding
• Vital organ damage or loss
• Emotional trauma

Many times, accident victims never fully recover from the effects of a collision, even after multiple surgeries and extensive rehabilitation efforts. They may require costly medical attention for the remainder of their lives. Often, they lose the ability to concentrate and perform other tasks necessary to work in the same profession as before. Injuries frequently prevent victims from enjoying their favorite activities and living the life they had always assumed would be theirs. When added up, the effects of injuries often completely destroy the quality of life for accident victims.

Proving Liability in an Auto Accident under Texas Law

Most car accidents are the result of driver negligence. To show another party was legally negligent under Texas law, an injury victim must establish four distinct elements:

• Duty of Care: The other driver owed you a legal duty to obey all traffic laws and operate their vehicle reasonably safely.
• Breach of Duty: The driver breached that legal duty through unsafe or reckless driving conduct.
• Causation: The driver’s specific breach directly caused the collision.
• Damages: You sustained verifiable physical, emotional, or financial harm (economic and non-economic damages) as a direct result of the crash.

How Long Do I Have to File My Claim in Texas?

Like most legal claims, there is a time limit by which you must file. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. A car accident claim is considered a type of personal injury claim. In Texas, the statute of limitations is two years from the accident date for any type of personal injury claim under Texas Civil Code Sec. 16.003. After the time limit is reached, any claims by the victim may be time-barred under Texas law.

Let an Experienced Alvin Car Accident Attorney Help If You’ve Been Injured in a Motor Vehicle Crash

A skilled and experienced Alvin car accident lawyer will help you with various aspects of a car accident. Our goal is to obtain the best possible outcome for you, and we’ll fight until we can get that, whether it’s in the form of a favorable settlement or a successful trial verdict.

We can handle all of your insurance and legal claims, allowing you to focus on your recovery or the care of a loved one. Contact us today if you’ve been the victim of a car accident in Harris County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, Galveston County, Montgomery County, Liberty County, or anywhere in the state of Texas.