Have you or a family member been injured in an accident or because of another party’s intentional torts or negligence? If so, you should discuss your case with a Laredo personal injury lawyer. Whether you need to hire a personal injury lawyer in Laredo depends on many factors.
The circumstances in some personal injury cases are complicated. Handling these types of cases without legal representation could significantly reduce your chances of winning the case and/or receiving fair compensation for damages. However, the best way to know if you need an attorney is to take advantage of a free consultation to learn more about your case and how a personal injury lawyer can help you.
What Can a Laredo Personal Injury Lawyer Do to Help Me After an Injury or Accident?
Experienced personal injury attorneys understand Texas tort laws. A tort is any conduct by a party that causes harm or injury to someone. The goal of tort law is to provide a cause of action for the injured party to seek relief in the form of damages.
Damages in a personal injury case include economic and non-economic damages. However, you cannot merely say someone hurt you and collect an insurance settlement or receive a jury verdict. Victims have the burden of proving the legal elements of a personal injury claim to receive compensation from the at-fault party or their insurance provider.
A Texas personal injury attorney helps you prove the legal requirements to establish fault and liability and protect your rights by:
- Performing an independent investigation to gather evidence proving each element required to win your case, including working with leading expert witnesses as necessary
- Identify all parties who could be responsible for causing your injury and pursue claims against each party
- Defend you against allegations of blame for causing your injuries (i.e., comparative fault)
- Protect you from bad faith insurance practices and aggressive insurance adjusters
- Monitor the Texas statute of limitations for filing claims and personal injury lawsuits
- Work with your doctors and specialists to determine the extent of your injuries, impairments, and damages
- Calculate how much your case is worth after analyzing all factors in your case
- Aggressively negotiate insurance settlements
- File a personal injury lawsuit and take your case to court if the other parties refuse to agree to a fair amount for settlement
Insurance companies try to convince injured victims they are on their side. They try to convince you that they have your best interest as their priority. However, the insurance company’s only priority is protecting itself from liability.
Hiring a Laredo personal injury lawyer ensures you have someone looking out for your best interests. It also helps to have someone with the legal knowledge, resources, and skills to battle a large insurance corporation.
Cases Involving Catastrophic Injuries
Catastrophic injuries often result in lifelong disabilities and impairments. In addition to the high cost of treatment immediately after the injury, you may also have ongoing costs for personal/nursing care and medical treatment. You might not be able to return to work or experience a decrease in earning potential.
In addition to the high value of economic damages, catastrophic injuries typically increase the value of pain, suffering, and other non-economic damages. At-fault parties and insurance providers aggressively fight these claims to avoid high-dollar settlements and jury awards.
Your Child Was Injured
Childhood injuries can cause lifelong impairments and disabilities. A traumatic brain injury could cause cognitive, physical, emotional, and developmental impairments. Spinal cord injuries can cause permanent paralysis. A broken leg could cause an impairment that prevents your child from participating fully in all of their interests.
A Laredo personal injury lawyer works with your child’s physicians and medical experts to document the extent of your child’s injuries, including long-term and permanent impairments. Your attorney also works with experts to document and value future damages that your child might incur as they grow up with the consequences of a severe injury.
You Are Being Blamed for Causing Your Injuries
Insurance companies use comparative fault to deny claims and undervalue damages. If you are partially to blame for causing your injuries, you could lose some or all of your compensation for damages. Therefore, if you are being blamed for causing your injuries, you should speak with an attorney immediately.
An attorney defends you against allegations of comparative fault. They also handle all communications with the insurance company to reduce the risk you might say something that could be intentionally misinterpreted to imply fault.
The Texas proportionate responsibility statute sets a 51% bar for comparative fault. If you are more than 50% to blame for causing your injuries, you cannot receive any compensation for damages.
However, if your fault is less than 51 percent, you can receive some damages. The amount you receive is reduced by your level of fault. If you were 30% to blame for causing a car accident, your compensation is reduced by that amount.
The Case Involves Complex Areas of Law
Some areas of personal injury law are more complex than others. If your case involves medical malpractice, defective products, premises liability, or another complicated issue, hiring a lawyer gives you the best chance of winning your case.
An experienced Laredo personal injury attorney understands the complexities and differences involved in these types of personal injury cases. They also have the resources to hire expert witnesses and conduct comprehensive investigations and discovery to gather the evidence required to prove your case.
A Government Entity Is Involved in the Case
Suing the government for a personal injury can be challenging. There are special rules for personal injury cases involving government entities.
For example, the statute of limitations is shorter for government tort claims. You must file a notice of claim with the correct government entity within 180 days of the injury. Some cities have a shorter deadline for the notice, including 45 to 90 days.
The government has unlimited resources to fight claims. Hiring a personal injury lawyer gives you the necessary resources to sue the government for an injury claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Laredo Personal Injury Lawyers
Meeting with an attorney after an accident or personal injury is always beneficial. Our Laredo personal injury attorneys at Rodrick C. Lopez Personal Injury Lawyers will evaluate your case, answer your questions, and provide trusted legal advice regarding your personal injury claim. Call now to schedule your free case evaluation with an attorney at (956) 529-7336.
