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Our McAllen, TX Personal Injury Attorneys Are Here For You
Were you severely hurt due to another’s negligence? Learn what to know when you’ve been seriously injured in McAllen, TX, then call the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia today.
“Accidents happen” is a common enough phrase and probably one we use too often to make light of things. Truth be told, accidents are events that often result in some pretty serious injuries whether you live here in McAllen, TX or Dallas. In the state of Texas, you have options after a personal injury incident, provided you take the right steps and do right by your claim. Let’s walk through what you need to know when you’ve been seriously injured in McAllen, TX.
“I’ll Take the Stairs”
Perhaps a good way to approach this is through a story that happened to one of our clients. We’ve changed the names and details to protect their privacy, but all the value is still in there.
Stef had always been active before we met her— the type of person who always said, “I’ll take the stairs” when escalators and elevators were an option. On the day of her personal injury incident, the elevator wasn’t an option. It had broken down and she had to take the stairs to get out the door and to work.
Her building’s landlord wasn’t the best on upkeep. In fact, Stef told us afterwards that she couldn’t remember a time she had ever seen a maintenance man on premises.
On this day, Stef headed into the stairwell to take the four flights down to the garage. The stairwell was poorly lit, and when she reached the second level, the banister was completely loose. Working in the dimness and put off balance by the collapsing banister, Stef took a serious tumble and fell a half flight to the concrete platform below, injuring her spine.
“Do I Really Need a Doctor?”
As a weekend warrior, it was in Stef’s nature to power through things. Immediately after her accident, she called her husband to help. When he arrived on the scene and asked her to go to the doctor, she said she was fine and didn’t need to go.
What Stef didn’t realize was that the hormonal surge that often results from trauma was preventing her from feeling pain. Stef did, in fact, need medical attention and she needed it as soon as possible. Luckily, her husband insisted, and she saw a doctor right away.
As we told them later in consultation, if she had not seen the doctor, her claim might have been damaged as well. Not seeing a doctor is a good way to give the insurance company some wiggle room. Chances are, they will try to claim that you weren’t that injured in the incident or that your injuries happen after the fact. In Stef’s case, seeing the doctor created a timeline for her claim that served it well.
Going at it Alone
Stef also considered going at it alone and not consulting with a personal injury attorney in McAllen, TX. She was a professional, after all, and she thought it was well within her abilities to handle her case independently.
This is never a good idea when it comes to personal injury claims. In Stef’s case, there were premises liability issues related to her personal injury incident. These are intricacies that a layperson wouldn’t necessarily understand or know how to approach, no matter how competent they might be. Selecting a personal injury attorney is always the best answer to get the compensation you deserve.
“Tripping Over My Own Feet”
Finally, Stef almost damaged her claim due to a call she received after the accident from the landlord’s insurance company. Stef was sociable by nature, and at first, she thought the insurance company was genuinely concerned about her and her needs. Fortunately, her sixth sense kicked in and she declined to speak with them. Given the fact that (as we later found out) she tended to be self-effacing and say things like “I’m always tripping over my own feet,” not speaking to the insurance company was a great move. If they had heard anything that could take the blame off of their insured, they would have taken it and run with it, devaluing her claim.
Contact Our McAllen, TX Personal Injury Attorneys
Stef ended up contacting our firm, and we are happy to say she got over six times the number the insurance company first floated for her back injury. Hopefully, her story has given you some insight into what you need to do (or not do) after a personal injury. If you have experienced a personal injury and want a skilled McAllen TX personal injury attorney at your side, get in touch with the Law Firm of Ricardo A. Garcia today. We will be with you every step of the way to help ensure success in your personal injury claim.
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