Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia

820 South Main St McAllen, TX 78501

Phone: (956) 275-8535

If you or a loved one is in need of an injury lawyer, please contact our McAllen office to arrange a free consultation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX. We welcome the opportunity to serve you and will work tirelessly to earn you maximum compensation.

Personal Injury Attorneys McAllen, TX

Getting hurt can really be a setback to your life. It can especially set you back if you were hurt because of someone else’s negligence. When someone else’s carelessness is the cause of your injury, then you may be able to bring a personal injury case against that liable party. This can either be an individual or an entity such as a government who is responsible for your injury. There are many different types of personal injury cases that our attorney handles on a daily basis. We have the experience and expertise to get you the best possible result. After you read about your case, please call our office to set up a free consultation.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

At the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia, we handle a wide variety of cases. We have experience in each of our practice areas and will treat your case like a priority. We handle personal injury cases such as:

• Car accidents
• Ridesharing accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Bus accidents
• Truck accidents
• Forklift accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Slip and falls
• Construction accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Oilfield accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Boating accidents

If you have a personal injury case that falls under one of these categories, please do not hesitate to contact our office to set up a free case evaluation where we will go over the details of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases

You will have a designated amount of time after your accident to bring your personal injury claim. McAllen, TX statute of limitations are two years long. Typically this period of time begins on the date of your accident, but there are exceptions to this. If you were hurt in a medical malpractice case and you didn’t know there was a surgical object left in your body, it might take some time to discover the negligence. In similar instances, you will have two years from the date you discover or should have discovered the negligence. We do not suggest ever waiting to seek out an attorney. Once this deadline passes, you will no longer be able to bring your claim.

How Personal Injury Compensation Works

You will be compensated for a number of things when you seek a personal injury case. You will get compensation for your medical bills both past and future, lost wages past and future, and pain and suffering. Generally speaking, you will get more compensation when you have worse injuries. What also goes into how much compensation you get is how much of this accident is your fault. McAllen, TX follows the rules of shared fault which means that, if you are more than 50 percent at fault for your accident, then you will not be allowed to collect any compensation. If you are 50 percent or less at fault for the accident, your compensation award will be reduced. For example, if you are 20 percent at fault and have been awarded $100,000 for your injuries and damages, then you will be allowed to collect $80,000 of that award.

Important First Steps for a Successful Case

With any successful case, we suggest that you seek medical attention as soon as you can. It is imperative that you seek treatment if you even suspect that you are injured. What could be a minor pain today might turn into a severe problem down the road. Also, if you delay medical treatment, you run the risk of having the insurance company try to throw out or reduce your claim. They will say that you were not badly injured or that your injury came from something else. Second, it is important to gather evidence from your accident. You should get photos of what caused your accident and your injuries. For instance, if you were injured in a slip and fall, you will want to take photos of the cause of your accident. That might be spilled liquid or uneven sidewalk. There also might be security footage that collected some of your accident. Your attorney will be able to fully investigate all possible evidence that can be utilized.

Avoid Talking to the Liable Party’s Insurance Company

The absolute worst mistake you can make is taking to the insurance company for the liable party and giving them a recorded statement. They will reach out to you very shortly after your injury and it will be to get you to say something that absolves them from giving you full and fair compensation. It is best to have your attorney deal with all communications with the insurance company.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do After I’m Hurt? There are several things that must be done after a personal injury to make sure you have a solid claim and your rights are protected. First, we need to make sure that the investigative agency was informed. For instance, were the police get informed? Was OSHA or any other necessary governmental entity, informed of the accident? The second thing that’s important is to seek immediate medical attention. This not only means going to the local hospital but also going to see your personal doctor. Typically when you go to a hospital, they are just going to look at life and death situations and only take care of that. There are going to be many injuries that are going to be untreated, which is why you need to go seek additional medical help. The last thing that’s important to do is hire an experienced lawyer who can guide you and look into everything that needs to be done. For example, does there need to be an investigation? Does an expert need to be hired to go examine the scene or the area where the accident happened? How Do I Pick My Attorney? There are four criteria that every person should ask when visiting a lawyer involving a personal injury. First, you’ll want to know if the firm or lawyer is a personal injury lawyer. That means all they handle is personal injury work. Here at the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia, that’s all we do. The next thing that you’re going to want to know is if they’ve had success as a personal injury trial lawyer. The lawyer should show that they’ve successfully handled injury cases, taken them to court, and won verdicts. Don’t be afraid to ask the lawyer to show you their past results. Lastly, if they are a trial lawyer, are they board-certified? Board-certified means that you’re one of the top 3% of the lawyers in this state in that area of law. What Mistakes Should I Avoid? The most typical and common mistakes that we see in personal injury cases are that people don’t report their accident. They don’t make a claim. They don’t call the police, which can be very damaging because then there’s no documentation or preservation of the evidence. Another mistake that we see is that they don’t contact attorneys specializing in personal injury cases to seek legal advice at an adequate time. They don’t do it quick enough, which is also very damaging because then you won’t be able to properly deal with insurance companies. Another issue that we typically see is that people don’t seek medical attention right away, which the insurance company can use against you later on in the case. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? The other day, we had a client come in who had been seriously injured in an accident. They wanted to know if they should talk to insurance companies about their injury. We do not recommend that you do this. Insurance companies are not there to protect you. They are out to protect themselves. Most of the times, if you make a statement, it will be recorded and used against you in the future, which will be very damaging to your claim. What we recommend you do is find an attorney who specializes in personal injury. You can then tell the insurance companies to contact your attorney directly. Can I Recover for Emotional Damages? The other day, we had a client come in who had been involved in a serious accident and suffered severe injuries. Those injuries led the client to suffer other injuries such as anxiety, fear, and depression. They wanted to know if they can recover compensation for emotional damages. The answer is always yes. A lot of the times you hear the term “mental anguish.” That’s a term used to recover for these damages. Anytime you’ve been involved in an accident and you suffer PTSD, anxiety, fear, or loss of companionship, all those damages can be recovered if you seek the right attorney that will advocate and fight for you. Do I Need to Have Minimum Medical Bills to File? The other day we had a client call in who had been involved in a serious personal injury accident. They wanted to know if there is a certain amount of medical bills needed to have an adequate claim. The answer depends, but we don’t recommend or want any individual making that judgment on their own. In fact, if you go to the hospital, sometimes people take that report as conclusive. If the hospital says they have no injuries, they take it as that and that is what it is. Most of the times, hospitals are just looking for life-threatening circumstances. They’re not looking to see, for example, if you have any herniated discs or other injuries that need to be closely examined. What we recommend you do is seek further medical attention to take care of all your needs. We also recommend that you contact an attorney right away that specializes in personal injury cases so they can advocate for you. Can We Settle Before Going to Court? I had a young man that came in the other day who was involved in an accident. He wanted to know if it was possible that his case could settle before going to court. That is a very complicated question to answer because there are several factors that go into it. The statistics will show that an overwhelming majority of the cases settle before they go to trial. However, it’s very important that you hire a lawyer that can make sure the case is ready for trial. You have to assume it gets ready for trial because if it doesn’t, the case is going to settle for less money. Could the case settle ahead of time? Perhaps, but is it going to be for the right value of the case? That’s why it’s important that you properly prepare and assume it’s going to go to trial. Like I said earlier, the chances are it will settle prior to the time of trial. How Much is My Case Worth? I had a client come in last week who was involved in a personal injury claim. She wanted to know how much her case was worth. It’s important to note that when answering this question, there are several factors you must look at. One of the first things you must figure out is the extent of the injuries that the person suffered. Another factor that you’re going to look at is how and why the accident happened. The third thing you’re going to look at is the amount of insurance involved for the person who you have a claim against. Now, with respect to how and why it happened, the jury is going to look at had this accident happened before, how many times, and why it happened. Was there a policy in place that got violated by the defendant that you’re going to sue? All of these are important factors. It’s important that you talk to a lawyer who has experience with this so they can help you determine what the potential value of the case is. How Long Will My Case Take? To resolve a personal injury claim in the state of Texas, it can vary anywhere from six months to three years. Personal injury encompasses a lot of things. Are we talking about a strained back? Are we talking about a broken knee? Are you going to need an operation? Once we’ve worked with your doctors and see the extent of injury that you’ve suffered, then we know how much treatment you have to go through and what is it going to take for you to get well. We also have to look at the court docket and see how many cases are in front of yours before we get a trial date. Then we have to see how fair we are going to be treated by the insurance company and how hard they’re going to fight us. What If I Have Pre-Existing Injuries? I had a lady come in the other day who was involved in an auto accident who had pre-existing injuries. She wanted to know if these prior injuries were going to affect her case. This is a complicated question because there are several factors that you need to look at. One of the factors is how long ago did the pre-existing injury occur? If it was a long time ago, the chances are it may not hurt it as much. If it was more recent in time, it could. The second thing is what that prior injury was. Was it to the same area of the body, or was it completely unrelated? The third thing that we’re going to look at is, immediately prior to the current accident, was the individual still experiencing problems or symptoms from that pre-existing injury? Lastly, we’re going to look at is if those pre-existing injuries became worse? For example, the woman I spoke to had a prior back surgery and screws placed in her back, but it was over 15 years ago. She was totally fine. However, as a result of this accident, those screws became dislodged and she developed complications. In that situation, the pre-existing injury is not going to be a problem. In fact, it adds to her damages because she was totally fine up until this recent accident. What is the Role of an Expert Witness? The other day, we had a client come in who was concerned because he had heard the term “expert witness” being thrown around in preparation for his case. He was wondering, what is an expert witness? What is their duty and how do they help? The answer is an expert witness is someone specialized in a certain field. Their primary function is to conduct their own independent investigation. They’ll look at the facts and other statistics to come up with their own independent opinion of what happened and how it occurred.

Contact Our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX

If you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. Our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX are here to help guide you through this every step of the way. We will protect your rights, collect your evidence, and litigate against the insurance company if necessary. Call our office today to set up a free consultation and we will treat your case like the priority that it is.

Car Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

When we get in our car, we seldom think about the hazards of driving. Most of the time, our drives are uneventful, with an occasional near-hit because someone is acting foolishly. We often complain of the person who cut us off or blew a red light and almost hit you. If you have found your way to this page, it is most likely that you did not get so lucky and that person did hit you. When you are seriously injured in a car accident, you may be eligible for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX are here to help guide you through your legal case step by step. We will make the legal aspect of your case our responsibility so that you can focus on your health and wellbeing. We understand how frustrating it can be to have medical bills and lost wages from an accident that could have been avoided and we want to fight for your right to full and fair compensation. After you read about your case, please do not hesitate to call our office to set up a free consultation.

McAllen, TX Statute of Limitations

In McAllen, TX, you have two years exactly from the date of your accident to bring your claim or settle it in civil court. Two years in terms of setting up a successful case is not necessarily a long time. You should never wait to contact an personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX. If you are cutting it close to the deadline, you may not be able to bring your case. It takes time to build a good, strong case. There is evidence that needs protecting and there are witnesses who need to be interviewed. If you miss this statute of limitations, then you will have no ability to bring your claim any longer.

How McAllen, TX Compensation Law Works

McAllen, TX law for compensation allows for you to collect compensation even if you have partial fault in causing the accident. The only way to be barred from receiving compensation is if you are found to be more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. If you have been found 50 percent or less at fault for your accident, then you will have a reduced compensation award. For instance, if you were 20% at fault for causing the accident, and you have been rewarded $100,000 in damages and injuries, then you will be able to collect $80,000. It is our duty to get you the most compensation possible by defending your role in the accident and keep them from blaming it on you.

First Steps for a Successful Car Accident Case

If you want to have a successful car accident case, you need to make yourself the priority. Your health is the most important factor. Right after the accident, you need to seek medical attention as soon as you can. If you wait to see a doctor, you will be at risk of worsening your condition. It is important that you take care of yourself right away because not only will you get the treatment you need right away, but if you don’t, the insurance company will use this as an excuse to reduce the amount of compensation that they owe you or they will try to claim that your injuries came from something that came after the car accident which would absolve them from giving you compensation. An equally important step is to collect evidence from the scene. The best way to do this is by taking photos of the scene exactly as it is when the accident happened. You should take photos of the cars involved from many angles, tire marks on the road, a picture of the whole scene, and your noticeable physical injuries. You should also talk to any witnesses and get their contact information. Lastly, you need to get the insurance contact information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident.

Most Common Types of Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents, as you probably already know, can cause serious injuries as well as serious damage. If you tend to these car accident injuries, you will be on the mend right away. The most common types of car accident injuries include:

• Broken and fractured bones
• Head, back, or neck injuries
• Concussions and contusions
• Internal organ damage
• Paralysis
• Cuts and lacerations

Again, your health is the most important factor to this car accident case and seeking medical attention is the most important step to making your case a successful one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Pick the Right personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX? If you have been injured in a car accident, you will probably want to know how to get the best lawyer possible for your case. There are four things that you should ask any lawyer that you’re considering hiring. First is whether or not they are a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer only handles personal injury cases. They don’t handle bankruptcies, wills, or divorces. The other thing is whether or not they’ve had success handling car wrecks. Don’t be afraid to ask them to show you the cases they’ve handled and the successes they’ve had. The other thing is if they are a trial lawyer. That means that they’ve handled the cases from the beginning to the end and are going to have judgments that they’ve obtained in court from a jury. Ask them to show you those judgments. Lastly, you’ll want to know if they are board-certified. If they are, then you know you’re getting the best. This means they have been recognized by the state as having expertise in their area of practice. Only 3% of all the lawyers in the state are board-certified personal injury trial lawyers. With those four questions, I think that will give you a good basis for which to make the best decision. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call. What Mistakes Should I Avoid Making? Some of the common mistakes people make when they’ve been involved in a car accident is that they don’t call the police. This is very important in order to have documentation of your accident and have a record on file which we can use later. Another mistake that we commonly see is that people don’t seek legal advice from personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specialize in personal injury cases or who are experienced in trial. The more experienced personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX that you have in trial, the better that your claim will be pushed. Insurance companies typically know the reputations of trial lawyers. They’ll come to the table with better offers and better suggestions, knowing that there is a risk that you will go to trial. Another mistake we typically see is that people who are injured don’t seek medical attention right away, which can be really damaging to your claim. It’s important that you go to the doctor and get your injuries treated. If there are any other questions that you have, we’re always here to help. Feel free to call us. What Do I Do After the Accident? I had a young man come in the other day who was involved in an automobile accident and wanted to know what he should do. There are several things that must be done. The first thing that must be done is to notify the local government agency, whether that be the police, Department of Public Safety, or the local sheriff’s office. The second thing that must be done is to seek immediate medical attention. This not only involves going to the hospital but also seeking additional medical help from your personal medical provider. This is important because when you typically go to the hospital, they’re looking at life and death situations. At the end of the hospital visit, they will tell you to go see another doctor. It’s important that you follow up to make sure you see that other doctor because there may be injuries that have gone untreated at the hospital and they can properly examine that. The last thing is it’s important to hire a lawyer who is experienced in handling automobile accidents because then they can make sure everything that needs to be done is done. For example, was an investigation done? There may need to be measurements taken at the scene of the accident. An expert may need to be hired to determine the speed of the other vehicle or the speed of your vehicle. An experienced lawyer can help with all of this. If you have any questions, please contact us. How Much is My Case Worth? I had a client who came in last week that was involved in a car accident and wanted to know how to determine the value of her claim. There are several factors that you must look at. First of all, what are the extent of your injuries? Was your arm hurt? Was your back hurt? Was your neck hurt? How is it going to affect you in the future? The second thing is how and why did the accident happen? For example, was the driver drinking and driving? Was the driver texting on their phone? Was the driver distracted by a dog in the car? All of these are important factors in determining what the value is. Additionally, you must look at the amount of insurance that the defendant driver had. All these factors go into determining the value of your case. If you have any questions whatsoever, we are here to help. Please call us. How Long Will This Case Take? The length of time that it would take to resolve an auto accident case is typically about a year-and-a-half. However, we have to look at what kind of auto accident it was. Was it a minor accident? Do we have one that’s very severe with a lot of injuries? Then we have to see how long it takes you to recover and how much it costs. We also must look at if the insurance company is being fair with their offers. If they’re not fair, we’ve got to file a lawsuit. This brings the court’s calendar and their timeline for cases into the equation. Once that’s all been calculated, then we have a better feel and understanding of how long it might take. If you have any questions with regards to your auto accident and how long it may take, please feel free to call us. We’ll be happy to discuss it with you. Do I Get My Lost Wages Reimbursed? If you have been injured in a car accident and are unable to work, you will want to know how your lost wages will be reimbursed. There are several things that need to be looked at. Under McAllen, TX law, this is considered loss of earning capacity. What we need to look at is the amount of money you were earning before. We look at tax returns, W-2s, and any statements from your employer about the amount that you’ve earned. For example, if a woman who was a stay-at-home mother is injured in a car wreck, can she recover lost wages? She was a stay-at-home mom only because she recently had a baby, but she was planning on going to work. Just because she wasn’t working at the time when the accident happened doesn’t mean she will not have a claim for future loss of earning capacity. In this situation, we would look at prior tax returns, her previous job, and how much money she was making. All of this gets considered. An experienced lawyer can make sure that you gather all the evidence and documentation you need to support your claim for lost wages. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? The other day, we had a client come in who had been in a car accident and wanted to know if he should speak to the insurance companies that have been calling him. Our advice is to never talk to them. Insurance companies are not there to protect you. They’re only looking to protect the individual that is insured to them. If you do make a statement, it will be recorded and will be used against you later on in the future, which will be damaging to your claim. What we recommend you do is seek legal advice and find personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specializes in personal injury claims. You can then tell the insurance company to contact your lawyer directly. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. What If the Car Who Hit Me Was Uninsured? The other day, we had a client come in who had been involved in a car accident. At the crash site, they found out that the other party didn’t have insurance. They were worried and they wanted to know if they can still make a claim for the damages and injuries they suffered. The answer is yes, but it depends. It depends on whether you’ve purchased UM/UIM insurance, which stands for Underinsured or Uninsured Insurance. We always recommend that when you’re selecting insurance policies, you go the extra mile and purchase it. This policy will protect you in a situation like this. We also recommend that you find personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specializes in personal injury cases to better advocate for your rights. If you have any other questions or any other concerns, please feel free to contact us because we’re always here to help.

Contact Our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX Today

If you are looking for dedicated, experienced, and capable representation, then please call our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX today to get the compensation you deserve. We will support you through the entire process and ensure that you have the best chance of getting the most possible.

Bicycle Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

Riding your bicycle is a very economic activity. A good bicycle is more affordable than a car, you don’t have to pay for gas, and parking is free. Sometimes on a bicycle, things can go wrong. It is hard to share the road with cars and one small error can cause a serious accident. If you are reading this page, you have probably been badly injured in a bicycle accident. We want to express our sympathy for you. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. After you read about your bicycle accident case, please do not hesitate to call our office to set up your free consultation.

Bicycle Accident Statute of Limitations

If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘statute of limitations’ it means the amount of time given to bring your claim or settle it in civil court. If you miss your statute of limitations, you will not be permitted to seek compensation from the liable party’s insurance company. In McAllen, TX, you are given two years from the date of your accident to be within the statute of limitations. Two years may seem like a long time and you may be tempted to put off calling personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX. We warn you not to do this as waiting could damage your case. Evidence that has been collected from the scene needs to be protected and your witnesses should be interviewed. If a lot of time passes, your evidence might disappear and your witnesses might forget very important details about your accident. Act quickly after your accident to ensure that you are on the right track to getting everything done on time.

How Shared Fault Compensation Works

In McAllen, TX, there are modified comparative fault laws that have to do with how much compensation you can get after your role in the accident has been factored in. Generally speaking, compensation is made up of medical bills both past and future, lost wages both past and future, and pain and suffering. If your injuries are bad, then you tend to have more compensation. However, if you played a role in causing the accident, you might have a reduced award. If the accident was mostly your fault, you will not be allowed to collect compensation. For example, if you are more than 50 percent at fault, you get nothing. If you are 50 percent or less at fault, then you get a reduced award. A $10,000 award would turn into a $7,000 award if you were 30 percent at fault. We do our best to keep you from getting a reduced award. In fact, our goal is always to get a full and fair compensation award for you. The insurance company has bullying tactics they try to use, but when you hire personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX to protect you, those tactics are ineffective.

Common Types of Bicycle Accident Injuries

Bicycle accidents are extremely scary because your body takes the whole impact of the vehicle and often people neglect their helmets. Because of the nature of bicycle accidents, it is not at all uncommon for people to suffer very bad head injuries, broken bones, fractures, strains, scarring and disfigurement. There are more serious injuries such as nerve damage, concussion, spinal cord injury, and paralysis. We will stress how very important it is that you seek medical attention as soon as you can to get treatment for your injuries. It is the most important thing you can do for yourself after your accident.

Talking to the Liable Party’s Insurance Company

There is something you absolutely do not want to do and that is talking to the liable party’s insurance company. They will reach out to you shortly after your accident looking for a recorded statement. It is not uncommon for them to call you while you’re still in the hospital where you may have pain medications that could impair your reasoning skills. They know this. Their goal is to protect their bottom line. They do not want to lose money on your case and when you agree to give them a recorded statement, they will use anything they can against you. It is important that you not take that call. You are in no way legally obligated to talk to them. There is no need to do so and if you are talked into it, you could ruin your chance at full and fair compensation. All they need is for you to say one wrong thing and they have ammunition against you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Find the Right personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX? The other day a family came into the office and wanted to talk about a case involving a bicycle accident involving one of their family members. We told them that there are four things they should consider in making a decision as far as who the best lawyer is that they should hire. They should ask every lawyer the following questions. They should ask whether or not they are a personal injury trial lawyer. In other words, is the lawyer a personal injury lawyer? Does he handle anything other than personal injury cases? He shouldn’t. We here do not handle divorces, bankruptcies, or criminal cases; we devote ourselves to personal injury. The next thing is whether or not he is a trial lawyer. That means that he goes to court, goes in front of a judge, goes in front of a jury, and fight the defense. That’s when an insurance company won’t be fair with you. The other thing is whether or not he has had successes in handling these cases, whether or not he has won these cases and has obtained good verdicts for his clients. The last thing is whether or not that lawyer is board-certified. In other words, he has been recognized by the state of Texas. Having certification means you are in the top three percent of lawyers in this area of law. If you have any questions in those areas, we’d be happy to answer them for you. Please call our office. What Mistakes Should I Avoid? Some of the common mistakes that we see people make after being involved in a bicycle accident is that they don’t call 911 to report it. This is very important in order to have that documentation on record and to preserve evidence for later in the future. Another mistake that we typically see is that they don’t get any witness information, if there are any, which is needed for your case in order to better advocate for you. Another mistake that we commonly see people make is that they don’t seek attorney advice and don’t hire personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specialize in personal injury. This can be a big mistake because people who specialize in this type of field are better equipped to handle your claims because they have more experience and better techniques to advocate for you. What Do I Do After a Bicycle Accident? There are several things that must be done after a bicycle accident to make sure you have a solid claim. The first thing is you need to make sure that the accident gets properly reported. This means reported to either the police department, the DPS, or the local sheriff’s office. Another thing that’s important to do is to make sure that you seek immediate medical attention. Don’t wait. If you’re hurting, go to the hospital immediately. It’s also important that you follow up with your family doctor or some other doctor of your choice because you may have injuries that were left untreated at the hospital that need to be treated immediately. It’s also important to hire a lawyer who is experienced in this type of accident, so they can make sure that everything is done in a timely manner. There may need to be additional investigation to go get surveillance videos of the area. There may need to be an examination of the area where the accident happened. They may need to examine the bicycle to see if it had any reflector lights on it or if it had any problems, and so it needs to be preserved. There may also need to be an expert that gets hired to do additional investigation and studies. All of this is important. If you have any questions, we are here to help you. How is a Bicycle Accident Different Than Other Accidents? I had a young man come in the other day who was involved in a bicycle accident, and one of the questions he had was how this was different than any other type of accident. It’s very different in the sense that, first of all, the amount of injuries that somebody suffers could be significantly greater because they’re not going to have the typical protection of being in a car. They’re also different in the sense that the juries typically are going to put responsibility on the bicycle rider, so it’s important to have an experienced lawyer to make sure that your rights are protected and the jury can see the full picture if the case goes to trial. If you have any questions, we are here to help you. How Much is My Case Worth? When it comes to bicycle accident claim value, the things we’re going to look at is how and why the accident happened. Did the accident happen during the day? Did it happen during the night? There are several more things we’re going to look at. For example, if you’re on a bike, did you have your reflector lights on? Did you have some sort of light on? Did you have reflective gear on, such as clothes that somebody’s going to be able to easily see? From the driver’s perspective, what we’re going to look at is if they were texting and driving. Were they talking on their phone? Were they distracted by somebody in the car? Were they distracted by a dog that was in the car? All of these are factors that we need to look at to determine the value of the bicycle case. Lastly, we’re going to need to look at what type of vehicle hit the bicycle. Was it an 18-wheeler? Was it a car? Was it a bus or garbage truck? There are various things we’re going to look at, and all of those affect the value of the case because there are different regulations that are going to apply to each one of them. The last thing is the amount of insurance that’s involved, and all of this depends on the type of vehicle that hit the bicycle. Does Insurance Cover My Injuries? The other day we had a client come in who wanted to know if auto policies cover bicycle incidents. The answer is, it depends. All insurance policies are different. Most of the time, though, we do see that bicycle accidents are covered by insurance policies, especially if you have what’s known as PIP – personal injury protection – under your insurance policy. It’s always beneficial that you purchase that if you don’t have it. We always recommend it. It’s also important that you reach out to personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away, especially someone who is specialized in personal injuries. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. How Long Will This Case Take? A bicycle accident claim in the state of Texas is dependent on how badly the person was hurt. If the person was hurt moderately, it could take about a year and a half to resolve the case. If the person was hurt severely, it will probably take longer. The factors that are going to be looked at are going to be the injury, how quickly you heal, and whether or not the insurance company will be fair with you. If the insurance company isn’t fair with you, then we have to file suit. In filing suit, we have to worry about the court’s docket, and then we have to worry about the date the court gives us. We work hard to try to resolve these cases quickly. If you have questions with regards to the time period or the factors involved that it will take to resolve your case, please feel free to call us. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? We had a client come in the other day whose child had suffered a severe bicycle accident, and they wanted to know if they should answer the insurance companies that are calling. Our answer to you is no. Don’t talk to insurance companies. They’re not there for your aid or benefit. They are there to protect whoever their insured is. Because of that, any statement that you do make, they will record it and use it against you later on. Our suggestion to you is that you contact personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away who specializes in personal injury claims, and you tell insurance companies to contact your personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX directly. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We’re always here to help.

Please Call Our Office Today for Free Consultation

If you have been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, please do not hesitate to call our office to set up a free consultation with our dedicated, experienced, and supportive personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX. We will be here for you every step of the way and fight the liable party’s insurance company to get you the fullest and fairest amount of compensation possible. Get Our Free Personal Injury Guide

Bus Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

Buses are a great mode of transportation. They are economical, and can reduce the number of vehicles on the road which benefits everyone. Unfortunately, like any other motor vehicle on the road, there can be accidents. Bus accidents are relatively common and can cause serious injury and damages. If you have found your way to this page, you have most likely been injured in a bus accident. If your injuries need medical treatment, then you may be eligible to bring a bus accident claim. Our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX is here to guide you through the process of your legal case and get you the best results possible. After you read a little bit about your case, please call our office to set up a free case evaluation with our experienced personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX.

Bus Accident Statute of Limitations

You will be given an allotted amount of time to bring your claim or have it settled in civil court. In McAllen, TX, you have two years starting from the date of your accident to do so. If you do not get your case brought by that time, you will no longer be eligible for compensation. We always encourage potential clients to call us right away and never wait to do so. There are benefits to calling personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away. The first being that you will have someone working towards getting compensation for you so that you can focus on getting better. You also want someone on your case right away so that your evidence from the scene of the accident is protected and doesn’t disappear, which sometimes happens, and your witnesses get interviewed before they have a chance to forget important details about the case. When you are seeking full and fair compensation, it is vital to hire personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away so that you do not put them under an even tighter deadline. Two years is not a terribly long time and these cases take time. If you act quickly, there will be enough time to build a strong case for you and ensure you have the best chance at a full compensation award.

Important Step for a Successful Bus Accident Case

The ultimate, most important step for any personal injury case is to seek competent medical attention. You need to get your injuries treated as soon as possible. You should never wait. You may have a lot of adrenaline running through your body after the accident which would mute the pain, but you have to tend to your injuries. Waiting to see if they go away with some time is unwise and ill-advised. If you wait, there are two major consequences that may happen. One, you may be at risk for worsening your condition which would only prolong your recovery time. Second, if the insurance company wants to, they could look at that gap in treatment and say that you weren’t badly injured enough to need compensation or that your injuries were from something other than that bus accident. That is a way they try to reduce or eliminate your claim. We do not want that to happen to you, so we urge you to see a doctor, go to the emergency room, or urgent care center right away to get treatment for your injuries.

Avoid Talking to the Liable Party’s Insurance Company

A successful case does not involve a conversation with the liable party’s insurance company. Very shortly after your bus accident, you will most likely receive a call from the insurance company that represents the responsible party. This might be the driver of the bus, the bus company itself, or another vehicle operator on the road who caused your bus accident. When they call you, the insurance adjuster will tell you that this is routine and will help you resolve your case sooner. What they do not mention is that the questions they ask are geared toward getting you to say something wrong. If they can get you to say one wrong thing, they will be able to reduce the amount of compensation they owe you or try to throw out your case altogether. When you get this call, it is best to avoid it. You are not obligated by law to take this call. You should have your personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX take over all communication with the insurance company as to protect your rights to full compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Find the Right personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX? When it comes to selecting the best personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX for your bus accident case, you should ask these four questions. One, are you a personal injury trial lawyer? A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who only handles personal injury cases. They don’t handle divorces, bankruptcies, or criminal cases. Two, are they a trial lawyer? In other words, will this lawyer go to court with you to represent your case in front of a judge and jury? Third, does the lawyer have experience and success in this area of law? They should be able to talk to you about their successes, the cases they’ve been involved in, and the verdicts or results they have gotten. Fourth, are they board-certified? This is one of the highest honors in their area of practice. In this state, only three percent of the lawyers are board-certified personal injury lawyers. What Mistakes Should I Avoid? The other day we had a client come in who asked what some of the common mistakes are that people make after they’ve been involved in a bus accident. Some of the common mistakes that people make are that they don’t call personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away to seek legal advice and they don’t seek personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specialize in personal injury bus accidents. These personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX will be more experienced, and they have better techniques to advocate for you and your rights. It also pushes insurance companies to come to the table with better offers, knowing that there’s a high risk that they’ll take you to trial. Another mistake that we commonly see is that people don’t report their injuries. They don’t call 911, and they don’t make a claim of it. That can be damaging because there’s no official documentation of it. Police also do their own investigations and preserve evidence, which can be beneficial for us in fighting for you. Another mistake we typically see is that people don’t seek medical attention right away, which can be damaging to your claim later and obviously damaging to you as well. What Should I Do After the Accident? There are several things that must be done after being injured in a bus accident to make sure you have a strong personal injury claim and that your rights are protected. First, did you report the accident to the bus driver, bus company, or local government agency, such as a police department, DPS, or sheriff’s office? Another thing that’s important is that you seek immediate medical attention. This not only means going to the local hospital, but also going to your medical provider. When you go to a hospital, they’ll typically tell you, in writing, to follow up with your doctor after the visit is over. Please follow up with your doctor because otherwise you’re not going to be compliant. By going to your own doctor, there could be untreated injuries that you may need to have closely examined, and that will only happen with your local medical provider. It’s also important that you hire an experienced lawyer who’s handled bus accident cases before. It’s not like your typical car accident. There are different regulations that are going to apply to both the busing company and to the bus driver. Your lawyer can properly examine these regulations to make sure they were complied with. How Much is My Case Worth? I had a client that came in the other day, and he was involved in a bus accident. One of the questions he asked during the initial interview was how to determine the value of his case. There are several factors that must looked at. First, what are the extent of the injuries that you suffered? The second factor you must look at is how and why this accident happened. Was a stop sign violated? Was the bus driver distracted in any way? Another issue is there are specific regulations that apply to bus drivers and bus companies. Are they properly checking the buses? Are they checking the tread of the tires? Are they checking the brakes? Are the bus drivers being examined to make sure that they don’t have any problems that could affect their ability to drive? For example, do they have blood pressure issues? Have they had their vision checked? The third thing that you must look at is the amount of insurance that the bus company has. How Is My Claim Different? A bus accident claim is very different than a car accident claim. There are specific regulations that are going to apply to a bus company or to the municipality that owns the bus. There are different regulations that are going to apply to the driver, in both the way you monitor and take care of the bus. It’s also important that you hire an experienced lawyer who handles bus accidents because there is going to be specific investigations that need to be done to determine the safety of the bus and the safety of the bus driver that was involved. Should I Take a Settlement Offer? The other day we had a client come in with a child who had been involved in a very serious bus accident. Insurance companies were calling them to make them an offer, and they wanted to know if they should take that first offer. We don’t ever recommend you taking an insurance company’s first offer. They’re usually going to undercut you. They’re not going to give you sufficient funds to cover your injury damages. What we recommend you do is contact personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specializes in personal injury work and is an experienced trial lawyer. Insurance companies are aware of these personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX and will come to the table with better offers, knowing that there’s a huge risk that these attorneys will take them to court. How Long Will This Case Take? Generally, a bus accident case will take anywhere from one year to 18 months to settle. It depends on four things, basically – how badly you were hurt, how long it will take you to heal, how fair the insurance company will deal with you, and how long the court will make us wait before we can have a trial. Should I Talk to the Insurance? The other day we had a client come in who had been seriously injured in a bus accident case. They wanted to know if they should make a statement to the insurance companies. Our answer is no. Typically, insurance companies are not there to protect you. They’re not there for your benefit. They are there to protect themselves. Any statement that you make will be recorded and can later be used against you, which can be very damaging to your claim. What we recommend you do is seek legal advice right away from personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specializes in personal injury and tell the insurance companies to contact your personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX directly.

Contact Our Office Today for a Free Consultation

If you are looking for dedicated, experienced, and supportive representation, please call our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX today to set up a free consultation. We will go over the details of your case, talk to your witnesses, and protect your evidence to build as strong a case as possible. If you want to see a full compensation award, please call us today.

Construction Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

Construction sites are, by nature, a hazardous place to work in. There are rules and safety regulations for a very good reason. There is scaffolding, raw materials, heavy machinery, and other hazards that make these safety regulations necessary. If someone acts negligently or carelessly, there can be catastrophic repercussions. Likewise, if there is a defective tool on the premises or faulty scaffolding, that can yield terrible results as well. If you are here reading this page, odds are you have been seriously injured in a construction accident. We urge you to get in contact with personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX right away to see if you have a legitimate construction accident claim. We offer free consultations to go over the details of your case with our personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX and we will let you know what you rights to compensation are. After you read a little about your case, please give our office a call right away.

McAllen, TX Statute of Limitations

McAllen, TX permits that, if you are to file a construction accident claim, it needs to be done within two years from the date of your accident. While at first, that may seem like quite a long time, we assure you that it goes quickly in the legal world. A strong case takes time to build and we encourage you to give your personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX as much time as you can. Calling personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX as soon as possible is an easy way to improve your chances of getting full compensation from the liable party’s insurance company.

How Construction Accident Compensation Works

McAllen, TX is unique to many states in the country as they do not require employers to carry worker’s compensation. If you are hurt on a construction site, in most states, you would default to worker’s compensation which covers your past and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. That is the easiest path to recovering for your injuries and damages, but it is not always available. When this is the case, you would pursue a third-party construction accident claim which would be brought against whomever was responsible for your injuries. With this type of claim, you would need to prove negligence and prove that your injuries were caused by this found negligence. With a third-party or worker’s compensation claim, you have to always prove your injuries in order to be eligible for compensation. That’s done through medical records.

First Steps for a Successful Construction Accident Case

As mentioned, medical records are needed to prove your injuries. Often, your injuries tell a story and act as evidence to prove that there was negligence on the construction site. We do not have this evidence if you do not seek medical attention. Being in pain is never normal and if you are in pain after your incident, we encourage you to seek immediate medical attention to get treatment for your injuries. Not only will you be ensuring that your injuries are getting treated and not getting any worse, but you will also be protected that evidence. If the insurance company looks at your medical records and notices that you did not seek medical attention for quite some time, they will think that you were either injured at a later time, not involving their insured or that your injuries aren’t bad enough to need immediate treatment, therefore not requiring compensation from them. For these reasons, always get to the doctor, emergency room, or urgent care facility as soon as you can. We talked a little bit about evidence and the importance of it for proving negligence. This leads us to the actual scene of events. If you are whisked away on an ambulance, you can have a coworker or attorney do this step for you. You need to collect evidence. This will most likely include filing an accident report, but you also want to collect some evidence personally as well. That includes photos of the cause of the accident, whether it be broken scaffolding, exposed wires, or a heavy object that fell and broke your bone. Whatever it was that harmed you, get photos of it as well as the scene surrounding the event. These photos will give us clues as to how your accident happened and who is liable for your injuries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do After My Accident? I had a young man that came in the other day who was involved in a horrible construction accident and wanted to know what he should do. There are several things that must be done, one of which is to make sure you notify the employer. You must also notify the general contractor, or the person who’s in charge of the job site. Also, there are federal regulations that apply to construction accident areas. OSHA may be involved. OSHA stands for Occupation Safety Health Administration. The accident may need to be reported to them. Sometimes on a job site, OSHA isn’t contacted. If you hire an experienced lawyer, which is also important, they can help guide you through this process to make sure that OSHA and all proper authorities are contacted. An experienced lawyer can also help you do additional investigation. There may be evidence and equipment that needs to be preserved and examined. There may need to be videos of the job site that need to be obtained. All of this could disappear very quickly without the help of an experienced attorney. If you have any questions, we are here to help. How Do I Pick the Right Attorney? The other day, we received a call concerning a very serious, life-altering construction accident that happened in Dallas. They wanted to know how to hire the best lawyer for their injury claim. When making this decision, there are four things that you should ask. The first thing that you should ask is if the lawyer you’re talking to is a personal injury trial lawyer. That means that the lawyer handles nothing but personal injury trial cases — not divorces, bankruptcies, or family law. The other thing is if the lawyer has had success in handling these kinds of cases. They should be able to show or talk to you about their cases and the results they have obtained. The third thing is to make sure they are a trial lawyer. A trial lawyer will go to court and stand before a judge and jury to fight for your case. Finally, you’ll want to know if they are a board-certified trial lawyer. This means that the state has recognized them as being a lawyer who is knowledgeable in that area of law. Only the top 3% of the lawyers in the state have that certification. Those are the four main things that you should always ask. If you have any other questions that you feel that you may have, please feel free to call our office. What Mistakes Should I Avoid? The other day, we had someone call who had been injured while working on a construction site. They asked us what are the common mistakes that people who have been injured on construction sites make and how they can be avoided. Some of the common mistakes that we see people make is that they don’t report their injury to their employer. They don’t make a claim, call 9-1-1, or report it to the law enforcement so that an investigation can be done. Doing so will make sure documentation is done and evidence is preserved. Another mistake that we see is that people don’t seek medical attention right away after they’ve been injured. This is very important to do not only for your own benefit and your safety, but also for your claim. Another mistake that we typically see is that people don’t seek legal advice right away. They don’t hire attorneys who specialize in these types of accidents. The more specialized your attorney, the stronger your claim. Insurance companies will feel pressure from an experienced attorney knowing the risk that they might be able to take the case to trial. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We’re always here to help. How Much is My Case Worth? There are several factors that we must look at when determining the value of your construction accident claim.  It’s not an easy answer, but the factors are, first and foremost, what are the extent of your injuries? How badly were you hurt? This goes to what parts of your body were injured. Was it your back? Was it your neck? Did you suffer some sort of traumatic brain injury? The second thing that’s very important is how and why did the accident happen. We need to figure out what steps went into place that allowed this accident to happen. In that, we need to see if the construction company or the construction manager had been involved in other prior accidents. For example, if they’ve had a prior situation that was very similar to your accident, then it greatly affects the value of the case. Another thing to look at are the specific regulations that apply in the construction industry. For example, the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific regulations that apply to job sites. We must look at every single regulation that could have been violated. This is why it’s important to get a lawyer who is experienced in construction accidents. They can do an investigation to determine what applicable regulations there were and which ones were violated. From there, we can determine the value of the case. Lastly, we want to know how much insurance the construction company has. When you look at the totality of all these factors, the lawyer can advise you on what the value of your case is. If you have any questions, we are here to help. Please call us. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? The other day, we had a client come in who had been seriously injured after suffering a construction site injury. He wanted to know if he should speak to the insurance companies that have been calling him. We recommend that you do not talk to insurance companies because they’re not there for your benefit. They’re only looking to protect themselves. Typically, if you make a statement to them, it will be recorded and used against you later on, which can be very damaging to your case. What we recommend you do is hire an attorney who specializes in personal injury and construction accident claims. You can then tell these insurance companies to contact your attorney directly. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We’re always here to help.

Call Our Office for a Free Case Evaluation

If you have been involved in a serious construction accident, you need to focus on getting better and recovering from your injuries. Our Texas construction accident attorneys will take care of all of the legal aspects of your case so that you don’t have to worry about it. We would be more than happy to take your call and set up a free consultation with our dedicated and experienced attorney. If you want to see the best possible result, then please do not hesitate.

Motorcycle Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

If you have made your way to this page, you probably have been hurt in a motorcycle accident. If this is the case, we want to express our sympathy. Being injured in a motorcycle accident can turn your life upside down. Motorcycles do not offer the best protection from impact and the injuries tend to be worse than an average auto accident, often ending in fatality. You may be drowning in medical bills, be unable to go back to work, and lose enjoyment of some of your daily life. That is why we encourage you to seek a personal injury claim to get the compensation you deserve. Our McAllen, TX motorcycle accident attorneys are here to help guide you through this case from beginning to end. You are a priority to us and we want to make sure that your rights to full and fair compensation are protected. After you read a bit about your case, please give our office a call to set up a free case evaluation.

McAllen, TX Motorcycle Accident Statute of Limitations

In McAllen, TX, you have two years from the date of your motorcycle accident to bring your claim to civil court. This is a hard deadline that you must abide by. If you are late, you will be barred from receiving compensation. We urge you to get to an attorney right away. The sooner you start your case, the more time you have to build a strong case. We will do everything in our power to get you the best possible result and the sooner you can call us, the sooner we can protect your evidence, and talk to your witnesses.

Most Common Motorcycle Accident Injuries

As mentioned, motorcycle accidents have the potential to cause severe damages and injuries. These vehicles are harder to stop, have more blind spots, and are exponentially heavier than cars. We often see very severe and often permanent injuries from people who have been involved in a car accident. The most common motorcycle accident injuries include:

• broken bones and fractured bones
• traumatic brain injury, concussion, or contusions
• spinal cord injury
• head, neck, or back injuries
• internal organ damage
• road burn
• scarring and disfigurement
• paralysis

Generally speaking, if you are more severely injured, you will be able to receive more compensation. In order to set yourself up to get this compensation, you need to start treatment on your injuries right away. Odds are these injuries are going to be very painful and hard to ignore, but you should never be tempted to try to shake off these suspected injuries. What may seem like a minor pain that doesn’t need treatment may turn into something serious that requires surgery and physical therapy. You should never risk worsening your condition. Also, you should never wait to see a doctor because this gap in treatment will be a reason for the motorcycle’s insurance company to reduce the amount of compensation they owe you or throw out your case altogether. They will try to say that you weren’t badly injured enough to need compensation or that your injuries were caused by something after your motorcycle accident.

Important First Steps after Your Accident

At the scene of the accident, there are a few things you should do right away. First, if you’re not taken away on an ambulance, you should take photos of the area and your injuries. This might include photos of both vehicles, tire marks on the road, and the debris left scattered around. You will want to get all contact information from the witnesses of the accident as their testimony can be very helpful for you when you pursue your case. You should also seek out the contact and insurance information from any and all vehicles involved in your accident. Do not leave the scene without this. You may have the police arrive on the scene to get a full report of the accident. We can get a copy of this report later on to help us out with your case. Lastly, this is something you should avoid doing. Never say to anyone that you are at fault for the accident. Avoid saying it was your fault because even if you think it was your fault in the moment, it might turn out to not be your fault at all. If anyone has on record that you owned up to causing the accident, even if you really didn’t, then you could be hurting your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do After My Accident? I had a young man that came in yesterday who was involved in a horrible motorcycle accident. One of the questions he asked is what he should do. The first thing is to make sure that this accident got reported either to the local police department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, or the sheriff’s office, depending on where the accident happened. It’s also important to seek immediate medical attention. That means going to the local hospital so you can get examined and triaged. At the end of your hospital visit, you also need to follow up with your local medical doctor. This is important because, many times, you may have injuries that aren’t clearly visible right away, but your local medical provider will be able to do the necessary examinations to determine this. It’s also important that you hire a lawyer who’s experienced in motorcycle accidents because there are different things that are going to need to be examined. For example, if you were wearing a helmet, there may be issues with the helmet. There may be issues with the motorcycle that you were driving. How Do I Find the Right Attorney? If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and are looking for the best attorney to handle your injury claim, there are four questions that you should ask when making this decision. The first question is if they are personal injury trial lawyers. The attorney for your motorcycle accident claim should not be handling divorces, bankruptcies, and criminal cases as well. Second, are they trial lawyers? At the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia, we are lawyers that take cases and fight until the end. In other words, we go to court. We go to court in front of judge and jury. We litigate that case to get a verdict. The next thing that you should ask that lawyer is about their successes. That lawyer should be able to talk to you about their past cases and show you their previous results. Lastly, you should ask the lawyer if they are board-certified. This means they have been bestowed the highest honor by the state of Texas and has specialized knowledge and experience in handling those cases. Only 3% of the lawyers in this state are recognized as board-certified in personal injury trial law. What Mistakes Should I Be Avoiding? Some of the common mistakes we see when people have been involved in a motorcycle accident is that they don’t call the police for whatever reason. This can be very damaging because then there’s no official documentation of the accident and no investigation conducted. Evidence will not be preserved, which will hurt your case. Another mistake that we typically see is people not getting the contact information of any witnesses that may have seen the accident. That can be a detriment because we sometimes need witness testimony to help your case. Another mistake that we typically see is that people don’t seek legal advice right away. They don’t contact attorneys who specialize in personal injury and motorcycle accidents. Contacting attorneys who specialize in motorcycle accidents and trial is very important because they have better techniques and skills, and they can help fight for your rights more efficiently. How Much is This Case Worth? When determining the value of your motorcycle accident claim, the first thing that you’re going to look at is the extent of the injuries. Since you’re on a motorcycle and you don’t have the typical protections of being in a car, the chances are that the injuries are going to be significant. We need to determine what the full extent of the injuries are. The second thing that we’re going to look at is how and why did this motorcycle accident happen. Now, this is a complicated issue to look at. One of the things that we’re going to determine is, for instance, if the motorcycle driver was wearing a helmet. Were they wearing gloves? Were they wearing a leather jacket that may have prevented their injuries? We also need to determine who the person was that hit them. Was it a car or a commercial truck? Should they have been able to see the motorcycle driver? Were their headlights on? Did the accident happen during the day or during the night? You can see that this is a complex question. It’s important that you get somebody who’s experienced with motorcycle accidents to help determine this. The last thing that’s going to go into the value of the case is the amount of insurance that the defendant has. If you have any questions whatsoever, we are here to help. How Is This Case Different? I had a young man come in the other day who was involved in a horrible motorcycle accident. One of the questions that came up at the beginning of the initial interview was how this accident is different than automobile accidents. They are very different considering that you’re not going to have the typical protection in a motorcycle as you would in an automobile. The potential for a much more serious injury or death is much higher. It’s also different in the sense that there are things that need to be examined on a motorcycle. For instance, the type of helmet or safety equipment that was used, or if there was an issue with the motorcycle. All of this can be handled by an experienced lawyer who regularly handles motorcycle accidents. Should I Take a Settlement Offer? The other day we had a client call who had been involved in a serious motorcycle accident. He was worried because he was the passenger. He wanted to know if he could still recover compensation for his injuries and damages. If you’re a passenger in a motorcycle, you still have a claim just as if you were the driver of the vehicle. In fact, you might even have a claim against the person who was driving, so you have double the ability to recover. You can have a claim against the person who hit you and a claim against your driver if they did anything incorrect. How Long Will This Case Take? A motorcycle accident case in the state of Texas generally will take anywhere from a year to 18 months to settle. Again, it varies on how badly you were hurt and how quickly you heal. Also, is the insurance company going to be reasonable and compensate you fairly? If they won’t compensate you fairly, then we have to file suit. If we file suit, then it’s dependent upon the court’s docket. In other words, how many cases are in front of us right now on the court’s calendar? There are often cases that have been in existence on the court’s system for two years. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? The other day, we had a client come in who had been involved in a serious motorcycle accident. He had insurance companies calling him left and right. He wanted to know if he should answer these calls and make a statement. Our answer is no. Insurance companies are not there to aid you; insurance companies are there to protect their insured. Typically, when you make a statement to them, they will record it. If it’s damaging, they will use it against you, which will significantly harm your claim. What we recommend you do is seek legal advice right away and tell the insurance companies to contact your attorney directly.

Call Our McAllen, TX Motorcycle Accident Attorneys Today

If you have been seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident, please do not hesitate to give our office a call to set up a free case evaluation with our skilled, experienced, and dedicated McAllen, TX motorcycle accident attorneys. You are our priority and we will treat you as such because you are not just a case number. Your injuries and damages are important to us. We are going to do everything we can to get you the best possible results. Please call us today and learn how we can help you.

Pedestrian Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

We know the age-old rules for walking across the street. You look both ways, and then step into the cross walk. It’s something we’ve known since we were small. Unfortunately, there are times when there are people on the road who are not doing their job of paying attention. When this happens, there are often catastrophic accidents. If you have found your way to this page, you have probably been seriously injured in an accident involving a motor vehicle while you were walking. This is called a pedestrian accident case and you may be eligible for compensation. After you read about your case, please do not hesitate to call us to set up a free consultation. We will go over the details of your case, explain the process, and let you know what your legal options are.

McAllen, TX Statute of Limitations

In order to get compensation, you need to bring your case or settle it in civil court and you need to do that within the given amount of time. This time limit is called the statute of limitations. In McAllen, TX, you have two years from the date of the accident to bring your claim or settle it in civil court. If you are late for the deadline and try to bring your claim, you will be barred from receiving compensation. We encourage you to call an attorney right away. You may need to prioritize your medical attention, but as soon as you are able to, you should call an attorney. It is important that you give your attorney as much time as possible so that they are not time crunched while building a strong case for you.

How Pedestrian Accident Compensation Works

When you are seeking compensation, you should be aware of the shared fault laws in McAllen, TX. You will be able to bring your case if you have some shared fault. You will be barred from receiving compensation if you are more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. If you are 50 percent or less at fault, then your award will be reduced. For example, if you were to have been hit while walking across the street, but you were talking on the phone, you may be given some fault. If you were to be awarded $100,000 for damages and injuries and were 10 percent at fault, then your award will be reduced to $90,000. We do our very best to make sure that you get the fullest and fairest compensation award. To avoid getting a reduced award, you should never take a call from the liable party’s insurance company. Let your attorney take over that communication so that they can ensure your rights are protected.

First Steps for a Successful Case

To have a successful pedestrian accident case, the most important thing you can do is seek immediate medical attention. After an accident, if you are in pain, it only makes sense to go to a doctor and figure out what is wrong and what treatment you need. If you do not do this, say you think that the pain will go away and that it’s nothing serious, then you run the risk of worsening your condition. You also are putting yourself on thin ice with the liable party’s insurance company. They will look at your gap in treatment and try to use it against you. They might say that your injuries came from something else that happened after your pedestrian accident or that you could not have been injured badly if you could wait to seek medical attention. Because of this, we always urge clients to get treated as soon as possible. Another important step to take for a successful case is collecting vital pieces of evidence. If you were taken away on an ambulance, you can call on a friend, family member, or attorney to do this for you. At the scene, you need to take photos of everything that could be important. That includes the vehicle that hit you, your injuries, tire marks, debris, and general shot of the scene. The more photos there are, the easier it will be to figure out what exactly happened. You also need to get the insurance information from the driver who hit you as well as contact information from any witnesses to the accident. All of this will be useful to you when starting the pedestrian accident case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do After My Accident? One of the things that need to be done after a pedestrian accident is you need to make sure that this injury gets reported either to the local police department, DPS, or sheriff’s office, depending on where the accident happened. The second thing is it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. This not only means going to the local hospital right away but also seeking help from your personal doctor. It’s important that you follow up with your personal doctor because you may have injuries that were untreated at the hospital. It’s also important that you hire a lawyer who’s experienced in these type of accidents because there may need to be additional investigation. For example, there may be cameras from local stores in the area where the accident happened that are going to get erased if they’re not obtained right away. There may need to be a subpoena to get this documentation, or an investigator that needs to be hired to obtain the surveillance video. There also may be evidence at the scene that only an experienced lawyer will know how to preserve. How Do I Find the Right Attorney? There are four things you should consider when hiring a pedestrian accident attorney to handle your case. The first thing to look at is if they are a personal injury lawyer. They only handle personal injury cases, not divorces, bankruptcies, or criminal defense. Second, they should be a trial lawyer. This means that the lawyer will go to court with you and fight to get a verdict when the insurance company is not being fair.  The personal injury trial lawyer should also be board-certified. This means that they have been recognized by the state as having specialized knowledge and expertise in their area of law. Only 3% of the lawyers in this state have board-certification in personal injury. Lastly, they should be able to talk to you about the successes and the results they’ve had in handling those types of cases. What Mistakes Can I Avoid? One of the common mistakes that we see people make after they’ve been struck by a vehicle is that they don’t report the accident. Reporting is essential to your claim, not only for official documentation, but also so police can make sure that there’s a preservation of evidence on record that we can use later. Another mistake we typically see is that if there are any witnesses to the accident, their names and contact information are not taken down. The more witness testimony that we have, the better we can advocate for your claim. Another mistake that we typically see is that people don’t contact attorneys right away. It’s very important to select an attorney who specializes in personal injury and pedestrian accident cases. Last, people often don’t seek medical attention right away for whatever reason, which can be very damaging to your claim and your health. What If I’m Involved in a Hit and Run? The other day, we had a client call who had been injured in a hit-and- run and wanted to know if there was any way they could file a claim and seek compensation. An experienced pedestrian accident attorney can check surrounding businesses or stores for videos to figure out who hit you. It’s also very important that you try to take a picture of the license plate or vehicle that was involved in the incident, if possible, in order to track them down and file a claim against them. You also need to call 9-1-1 immediately after the incident in order to have documentation and proof of the incident. How Much Is My Case Worth? There are several factors that we need to look at when determining the value of your pedestrian accident claim. One of the factors is the extent of the injuries and which part of your body is hurt. We will look at the impact this has on your daily life, as well as your ability to work. All of that gets factored in. The second thing is how and why did the accident happen. This is a complex issue to examine. One of the things that we’re going to look at is what time of day the accident took place. Other determining factors include where the pedestrian was walking — were they in a crosswalk? The sidewalk? The middle of the road? — and the amount of traffic at the scene of the accident. Also, was the driver that was involved distracted in any way? They could have been on their phone or talking to children in the backseat. All of these are factors that go into determining the value of the case. The last thing we’re going to look at is the amount of insurance that was involved. For example, if it was an 18-wheeler, the value of the insurance is going to be significantly higher as opposed to a teenager driver who was in a car. These are all factors that an experienced lawyer can look at for you to determine the value of your case. How Is My Case Different? I had a young man come in the other day who was involved in a pedestrian accident. He wanted to know how this accident is different than any other type of accident. One of the ways that they’re different is the injuries are going to be much more severe. You don’t have a car to protect you. They’re also very different because the jury may automatically blame the pedestrian for not being careful. That’s why it’s important to hire lawyer experienced in handling these types of cases to make sure that your rights are properly protected. An experienced attorney will make sure that any investigation that needs to be done gets done, and not only done but done immediately. How Long Will This Case Take? A pedestrian injury claim in McAllen, TX, on average, can take up to 18 months to settle. However, it depends on the severity of the injury and how quickly you heal. If the insurance company is willing to offer a fair settlement, the case may resolve in under a year. If they’re not willing to be reasonable with their offers, then we would have to file suit. We’ll also have to see how fast the court can give us a trial date. Those are the factors that are involved. Every personal injury case has those factors that need to be dealt with.

Contact Our Pedestrian Accident Attorney Today

If you have been seriously injured and are looking for dedicated, experienced, and adequate representation, please do not hesitate to call our McAllen, TX pedestrian accident attorneys today to set up a free case evaluation. You are a priority to us and we will work tirelessly to get you the best possible result. You deserve full and fair compensation for your injuries and we know how to get that for you. We are eager to take your call and set up your consultation.

Ridesharing Accident Attorneys McAllen, TX

Ridesharing has become a widely used way to get around in the last few years. There are companies such as Lyft and Uber who have become some of the most popular forms of transportation. These companies offer an alternative to local buses, cabs, and trains. The convenience of using an app to call a ride has made Uber and Lyft a very common means of transportation. Because of this, there has been a staggering increase of rideshare accidents in McAllen, TX. Our McAllen, TX ridesharing accident attorneys can answer the big questions you probably have. You may be wondering who is responsible for the accident, what happens if there is another person riding in the car with you, and who will be covering your medical bills. After you read about your ridesharing accident case, please do not hesitate to call our office to set up a free consultation. We have experience successfully handling cases like yours and we want to get you the best possible result.

Obstacles You May Face When Involved in a Ridesharing Accident

When you order an Uber or Lyft, you are most likely unaware of what their insurance policy is and how it affects you in the case of an accident. Cabs, taxis, and buses have a different type of insurance that would protect you if you were hurt in an accident on one of those types of vehicles. Uber and Lyft so provide some insurance coverage to their passengers, but it gets complicated when the driver of the Uber or Lyft is hurt or there is another vehicle involved other than a rideshare company. You need to be aware that some insurance companies leave loopholes in their policies to get them out of responsibility for your claim. Unfortunately, Uber and Lyft do not protect their drivers because those rideshare drivers are considered to be contract employees and are not legally required to have benefits or protections which means that they may not even be able to apply for workers’ compensation. That is why it is so important to have a competent attorney on your side when pursing a case for a ridesharing accident regardless if you’re the passenger, driver, or other vehicle in the accident.

McAllen, TX Ridesharing Accidents | Uber and Lyft

Uber and Lyft are well known for their encouragement in reducing the number of drunk drivers there are on the road. It is hoped that, instead of getting behind the wheel, that they would pull up the Uber or Lyft app and get home that way instead. However noble the cause is and the intentions may be, it has been discovered in a study that was published by the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2016 that these ridesharing companies have not affected the number of fatal traffic accidents on the road. Every year, there are more and more fatal traffic accidents and it doesn’t seem to help that there are companies like Uber and Lyft. There is a danger about these companies that is often overlooked. Uber and Lyft do not require their drivers to undergo specific driving training like taxis and buses require. They are only required to have a valid driver’s license, a vehicle, and insurance. Essentially, that means that your Uber or Lyft driver is as good as anyone else on the road which is certainly cause for concern considering the amount of traffic accidents there are every single day.

Avoid Ruining Your Case

There is one thing that you must be aware of when pursuing compensation which can make or break your case. If you have been involved and injured in a ridesharing accident, you will most likely be contacted right away by the liable party’s insurance company. They will tell you that your cooperation will help your case resolve quicker, but they aren’t going to tell you that, by you speaking to them, it will benefit them. You want to let your attorney take over all communication with the insurance company to avoid any reduction or elimination in compensation.

Frequently Asked Ridesharing Accident Questions

What Do I Do After a Ridesharing Accident? There are three simple things that must be done as soon as possible after a ridesharing accident. The first thing is to contact the local government agency, either the police department, Department of Public Safety, or the local sheriff’s office. The second thing that is also very important is to seek immediate medical attention. This means going to the local hospital and your medical provider. The last thing that is extremely important is that you contact an experienced lawyer that handles ridesharing cases. The reason is because there may need to be an expert that gets hired to look at the speed of either the Uber/Lyft driver’s car or another car that was involved in the accident. You also want to hire a lawyer to make sure your rights are protected. How Do I Find the Right Attorney? There are four main questions that one should ask before selecting an attorney with regards to ridesharing accidents. First, whether or not the lawyer that’s going to be selected is a personal injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who dedicates himself exclusively to personal injury lawsuits. The next thing is whether that lawyer has experience with regards to handling ridesharing cases. Have they handled these types of cases from beginning to end? That brings up the third question as far as whether the attorney is a trial attorney. That means that the attorney is someone who handles the case all the way to trial and obtains a verdict or a resolution for the client. The last question you should ask is whether the attorney is a board-certified personal injury attorney. That means that they rank inside the top three percent of all the attorneys in the state of Texas as being a specialist in personal injury law. With those four questions being asked and answered by the attorney that you’re talking to, it should form a good basis for you to make a decision. What Mistakes Can I Avoid Making? One of the common mistakes that we typically see after a ridesharing accident is that people will speak to insurance companies thinking that it will help them get their claim resolved quicker. That’s not always the case. Insurance companies are there to represent their insured, so anything that you say will typically be recorded and used against you. Another mistake that we typically see is that people don’t seek medical attention right away. That’s not only damaging to your claim, but also to you and your body. We don’t just mean going to the hospital. We also recommend that you seek further medical attention. Another mistake that we commonly see is that people don’t seek attorney help right away, and they don’t seek help from trial attorneys. Seeking advice from trial attorneys is always important because insurance companies come to the table prepared with more reasonable offers, and they know that your trial attorney is going to start preparing your case for a trial from the very start. How Do I Recover Damages Like Lost Wages? Under Texas law, if you’re involved in an accident, including a ridesharing accident, you are entitled to lost wages. What we look at is how much money you were making prior to the accident. In order to determine this, we will look at W-2s, tax returns or similar-type documents, such as a 1099. However, you may also be wondering if you can recover compensation even if you’re not currently employed at the time of the accident? Loss of future earning capacity is also possible under Texas law. We will look at education, experience, and prior jobs to determine this value. It is important to hire an experienced lawyer that handles ridesharing cases on a regular basis. An experienced lawyer will guide you so that you can receive the maximum amount of lost wages in your claim. How Much is My Case Worth? Determining ridesharing accident case value is very difficult to answer at the beginning of the case. However, there are three factors that we look at. One is what the extent of the injuries are. Did the person suffer a neck injury, a back injury, a concussion, a traumatic brain injury, and are they going to need additional medical help? The second thing that we look at is how and why the accident happened. We need to know what the Uber or Lyft driver was doing. Were they paying attention to their phone? Also, in accidents involving Uber or Lyft drivers, the laws are different. Typically, when you have a taxi or a bus, they make sure that their drivers go through training. However, to be an Uber or Lyft driver, all you need is a driver’s license and a vehicle. The third thing that we look at is the amount of insurance. This is typically very different than auto or bus accident cases, which is why it’s important to hire an experienced lawyer right away. How Long Will This Case Take? How long is it going to take to resolve a ridesharing injury claim? That’s an important question. There are many factors that we look into. One is the type of insurance that is available. There are two separate insurances available for both the driver of the vehicle and the passenger. For the driver, it’s important to determine whether he’s going to be covered because many of the insurance companies try to omit them and claim that they’re contract employees. As far as the passenger, we have to look into the amount of insurance that’s available and the type. Lyft and Uber both carry different insurances with different limits. The third thing is the type of injury, the severity, the amount of time it’s going to take to recover, the medical costs, and also we have to look into factors such as how the injury was caused. We need to hire experts to determine who was at fault and the manner in which the accident happened. Once you have all that information, you’re going to be able to answer that question as to how long it’s going to take to resolve your ridesharing accident. Should I Talk to the Insurance? The other day we had a client call in who had been involved in a serious ridesharing accident. She had insurance companies calling her left and right, and she wanted to know if it’s a good idea to talk to these insurance companies. Our answer to that is no. Insurance companies will typically record any statement that you give them. If the statement happens to be bad against your claim, they will definitely use it against you. Our suggestion is that you call an attorney right away, as soon as possible, preferably one that’s experienced in trial and litigation.

Call Our Texas Ridesharing Accident Attorney Today

Our Texas ridesharing accident attorneys have been able to successfully help victims of these tragic accidents recover full and fair compensation for their past and future medical bills, physical therapy rehab treatments, past and future lost wages, and damages involved in the accident. We make sure that we are thoroughly researched in your case and that we have everything we need to build you a strong case. If you have been seriously hurt in a ridesharing accident, know that you have our support. We are eager to get to work on defending your case and we are ready to fight tooth and nail to get you the best possible results. If we do not win your case, you do not owe us a dime. Please call our office right away to schedule your free initial consultation.

Truck Accident Lawyers McAllen, TX

Being involved in a truck accident can turn your life on its head. Truck accidents are unique to any other auto accident because of the immense size of these vehicles and the amount of damage they can cause. You may be permanently affected by your truck accident injuries, not only physically but financially and emotionally as well. That is why we encourage you to seek a personal injury claim to get the compensation you deserve. Our McAllen, TX truck accident attorney is here to help you every step of the way. You are a priority to us and we want to ensure that your rights to full and fair compensation are protected. Read a bit about your case then give us a call to set up a free case evaluation.

Most Common Truck Accident Injuries

As mentioned, truck accidents have the potential to cause severe damages and injuries. These vehicles are harder to stop, have more blind spots, and are exponentially heavier than cars. We often see very severe and often permanent injuries from people who have been involved in a car accident. The most common truck accident injuries include:

• broken bones and fractured bones
• traumatic brain injury, concussion, or contusions
• spinal cord injury
• head, neck, or back injuries
• internal organ damage
• scarring and disfigurement
• paralysis

Generally speaking, if you are more severely injured, you will be able to receive more compensation. In order to set yourself up to get this compensation, you need to start treatment on your injuries right away. Odds are these injuries are going to be very painful and hard to ignore, but you should never be tempted to try to shake off these suspected injuries. What may seem like a minor pain that doesn’t need treatment may turn into something serious that requires surgery and physical therapy. You should never risk worsening your condition. Also, you should never wait to see a doctor because this gap in treatment will be a reason for the truck’s insurance company to reduce the amount of compensation they owe you or throw out your case altogether. They will try to say that you weren’t badly injured enough to need compensation or that your injuries were caused by something after your truck accident.

Tips for a Successful Case

At the scene of the accident, there are several things you want to do. First, if you’re able to, you should take photos of the area and your injuries. This might include photos of both vehicles, tire marks on the road, and the debris left scattered around. You will want to get all contact information from the witnesses of the accident as their testimony can be very helpful for you when you pursue your case. You should also seek out the contact and insurance information from any and all vehicles involved in your accident. Do not leave the scene without this. You may have the police arrive on the scene to get a full report of the accident. We can get a copy of this report later on to help us out with your case. Lastly, this is something you should avoid doing. Never say to anyone that you are at fault for the accident. Avoid saying it was your fault because even if you think it was your fault in the moment, it might turn out to not be your fault at all. If anyone has on record that you owned up to causing the accident, even if you really didn’t, then you could be hurting your case.

McAllen, TX Statute of Limitations

In McAllen, TX, you have two years from the date of your truck accident to bring your claim to civil court. This is a hard deadline that you must abide by. If you are late, you will be barred from receiving compensation. We urge you to get to an attorney right away. The sooner you start your case, the more time you have to build a strong case. We will do everything in our power to get you the best possible result and the sooner you can call us, the sooner we can protect your evidence, and talk to your witnesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Do I Do After the Accident? One of the first things that needs to be done after a truck accident is to make sure the local government agency is notified. For example, the local police, DPS, or sheriff’s office, depending on where the accident happened. It’s also important that you seek immediate medical help. This includes not only going to the hospital but your own medical provider. Typically, when you’re going to a hospital, they’re going to look at only life and death situations. At the end when they release you, they’re going to tell you to follow up with your doctor. Please don’t ignore that. It’s important that you follow up with your own doctor because there may be injuries that you have that were untreated at the hospital that may need further examination. It’s also important that you hire an experienced lawyer in handling trucking accidents. There are specific federal and state regulations that may apply to a trucking company. A lawyer who doesn’t handle truck accidents isn’t going to be aware of the various laws. When hiring an experienced trucking lawyer, you can make sure that you are properly protected. This means that any investigation that needs to be done is not only done, but it’s done timely. There may need to be a download done of the 18-wheeler that hit you, which means getting the information off their computer system to see what speed they were traveling at. There may need to be an expert that gets hired to look at the area where the accident happened. There may be surveillance video around the area from different stores that need to be obtained. All of this is crucial to a case. How Do I Choose the Right Attorney? When deciding on a truck accident attorney, there are four things you should ask yourself and the lawyer you’re considering. The first is that whether or not the lawyer is a personal injury trial lawyer. By personal injury, I mean, first of all, that’s all he does: personal injury cases. He doesn’t handle wills, divorces, or bankruptcies. Second, is he a trial lawyer? Is he a lawyer that will take this case from beginning to end? Will he go to court with you? Will he fight for a verdict for you in front of a judge and jury? The other thing you should ask is if they are a trial lawyer that has achieved successful results in the courtroom. He should be able to show you his past results. Lastly, that he has board-certification, the highest honor the state bestows on a lawyer. Only 3% of the lawyers in the state are recognized as board-certified in a particular area of law. By asking those four questions, you should be able to build trust between you and your lawyer. What Mistakes Should I Avoid? One of the common mistakes that people make when they’ve been involved in a truck accident is that they don’t seek legal advice right away and that they don’t contact attorneys who are specialized in trucking accidents. This is very important because they are better equipped to advocate for you and fight for your rights. Another mistake that we typically see is that they don’t seek medical attention right away, which is not only beneficial to your health, but it can also be damaging to your claim. Another mistake that we typically see is that they don’t report the accident. They don’t call the police. They don’t report it to any employers or trucking companies, which can be damaging because then there’s no documentation or record of the accident. Should I Talk to the Insurance Company? The other day, we had a client come in whose family member had been involved in a trucking accident and was severely injured. They wanted to know if they should speak with the insurance companies that had been contacting them. Our answer is no. Typically, insurance companies are not there for your benefit. They’re not there to protect the injured individual; they’re looking to protect their insured. If you do make a statement, it will usually be recorded and used against you later on in the future, which can be very damaging to your case. What we recommend you do is contact an attorney right away who specializes in this type of accident and tell the insurance companies to contact your personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX directly. How Much is My Case Worth? There are several factors that must be looked at when determining the value of a truck accident claim. First of all, what are the extent of the injuries that you suffered? For example, did you have a neck injury? Did you have a back injury? Did you hit your head and as a result had a concussion or traumatic brain injury? That’s one factor you look at. Another factor that you must look at is how and why did the accident happen. This is really important because to determine the value, we need to figure out exactly how the accident happened. To do that, we need to look at the safety regulations that apply to the trucking industry. There are very specific regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that apply to truck drivers and to trucking companies. Once the lawyer gets an opportunity to look at that, we can see what regulations were violated and how often they have been violated. For example, if a truck driver was talking on the phone, which is against the Federal Motor Carrier Regulations, the value of the case is going to be tremendous. Did the trucking company check out the equipment properly and were they doing daily inspections? All of these are factors that get looked at to determine the value of the case. Another important factor in determining the value of a case is the amount of insurance carried by the other side. In order to do this, you must get an experienced truck accident lawyer who has done a lot of trucking litigation to help answer that question for you. How is My Case Different? I had a young man come in the other day who was involved in a serious commercial truck accident. One of the questions he asked during the initial interview was how was this different than an automobile accident. My answer to him was very simple: they’re as different as night and day. That’s why it’s important to hire a lawyer who’s experienced in handling commercial truck accidents. One of the ways that they’re different is that there are specific regulations that are going to apply to the trucking company, to the equipment that the truck driver is using, and to the truck driver. The potential for serious injury is also much greater in a trucking accident. The investigation is also going to be completely different because, in a commercial trucking case, you’re going to need to examine the vehicle to figure out what speed they were traveling at, whether the brakes were applied, and if the truck was properly maintained. An experienced lawyer can make sure that an investigation is done right away. There are also letters that need to be sent to the owner of the commercial truck to make sure that evidence doesn’t get destroyed. Lastly, there needs to be notice sent and investigation done with respect to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Should I Take a Settlement Offer? The other day, we had a client come in who had been involved in a serious trucking accident and insurance companies were making him offers. He wanted to know if he should accept the first offer that the insurance company gave him. Our answer to you is no; don’t ever take the first offer an insurance company makes to you. Insurance companies are not going to give you their best offer right away. We recommend you find personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX who specializes in personal injury in order for them to advocate for your rights. When insurance companies hear that you’ve hired trial attorneys with good reputations, they’ll come to the table with better offers. They know that there’s potential that these attorneys will take them to trial and win. How Long Will This Case Take? A case involving a commercial tractor-trailer accident can often take 18 months to resolve. That’s on the low side. If it’s a severe truck accident, it could take up to three years. Why? Because those are some of the most devastating accidents there are involving some of the most horrific injuries there can be. We have to examine the injuries, what it took to heal, how much it will cost, and whether or not the insurance company will be fair. If the insurance company doesn’t bring forward a reasonable offer, then that makes us have to file suit. If we have to file a suit, then we have to look at the court’s docket to see how many cases are in front of us before we can have a trial date.

Contact Our McAllen, TX Truck Accident Attorneys Today

If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident, please do not hesitate to give our office a call to set up a free case evaluation with our experienced and dedicated personal injury attorneys in McAllen TX. We will treat you like the priority that you are. You deserve full and fair compensation. We are going to make this a reality. Please call us today and learn how we can help you get the best possible result.