Serious injuries can upend your entire life – rom your health to your career – and someone else may be responsible. Thankfully, you could have the right to hold that negligent person accountable through a personal injury claim.
A Richardson personal injury lawyer from Underwood Law Office can help you seek compensation from the negligent party. Whether you were hurt in a car accident on I-75 or a slip and fall at Tom Thumb, we can guide you through the personal injury claims process. It costs nothing upfront to get started.
Compensable Damages for Texas Personal Injury Cases
Damages fall into two broad categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
These are verifiable financial losses established through bills or invoices. Some common economic damages include:
- Medical bills: Medical bills are often central to a personal injury claim. Serious injuries are costly to treat, but a successful injury claim can defray those costs. This compensation can cover the cost of ambulance rides, emergency room visits, follow-up care, surgeries, and medical devices.
- Property damage: Many injury victims also see their personal property damaged in accidents. This could include anything from a watch to a vehicle. The at-fault party could be required to cover the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged property.
- Lost wages: Missing time away from work can be costly, especially for hourly workers who are forced to miss paychecks during their recovery. A plaintiff can pursue compensation for these missed paychecks.
Non-Economic Damages
These losses are not as clear-cut. These damages are subjective, but we can help you prove their value based on evidence.
These damages include:
- Pain and suffering: The physical pain and mental suffering related to an injury are also compensable. To prove the value of your pain and suffering, we’ll gather evidence to show how the injury impacted your quality of life.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): If your accident left you facing psychological trauma and you need mental health therapy, you could seek compensation.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Richardson, call (972) 535-6377
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases in Richardson, TX
Personal injury cases can result from a broad range of circumstances. While car accidents make up a large share of these claims, any injury that results from the negligence of another person or entity may qualify for legal action.
The most common types of personal injury claims include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse or negligence
- Slip and fall accidents
- Worksite injuries
- Construction accidents
- Defective products
These accidents can have long-lasting or even permanent health consequences. According to injury facts from the National Safety Council (NSC), accidental injuries are the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Our personal injury attorneys can help alleviate the financial pressures of medical treatments and lost income by pursuing compensation from the at-fault party. You should not suffer from additional stress when you were not responsible for your injuries.
Richardson Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (972) 535-6377
How Our Richardson Attorneys Prove Negligence in a Personal Injury Case
To seek compensation from a responsible party, an injured person will need to prove that the other party’s negligence is what caused their injuries.
Negligence refers to any intentional, careless, or reckless act that results in the injury of another person. Our personal injury lawyers will establish four elements establish to prove negligence:
The At-Fault Party Owed You a Duty of Care
Proving that a duty of care exists is more straightforward in some cases than in others. In many personal injury claims, there is little doubt a duty exists.
For example, a duty of care is typically clear in a car accident case. All motorists must safely operate their vehicles. A duty of care is more complex in other cases, such as those involving sports injuries or slip and fall accidents.
They Failed to Uphold That Duty
The next step is to prove that the defendant breached their duty of care. With vehicle accident cases, this breach often involves moving violations. With slip and fall accidents, a breach usually includes the failure of the property owner to address a known safety hazard.
Whether or not the defendant breached their duty of care is a central issue in many personal injury claims.
This Breach Directly Caused Your Injury
A plaintiff’s injuries must directly result from the defendant’s actions. For instance, we could show that a driver’s failure to stop at a stop sign directly led to the accident that caused your injuries in a car crash claim.
You Suffered Significant Damages As a Result of Your Injuries
Finally, we will need to show that losses or other hardships resulted from your injuries. These losses include medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering.
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Frequently Asked Questions in Texas Personal Injury Cases
We are prepared to help you get all the answers during your case. Take a look at our answers to common personal injury questions:
How do I Know If I Should Hire My Lawyer?
Hiring your lawyer is a personal decision. Still, there are several reasons why you may want to hire our team, including:
- Your injuries are serious, and you need to make a recovery for major medical bills.
- You don’t want to have to deal with negotiations and insurance adjusters.
- You already face unfair or aggressive insurance tactics.
- You’re not sure what your case may be worth.
Essentially, your lawyer’s job is to seek the best compensation possible in your case. After all, if you don’t win, neither do we. Typically, our goal is to seek much more than you could receive from the adjuster’s first—and often low—settlement offer.
What does It Cost to Work with a Lawyer?
We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means that:
- It costs nothing upfront to hire our team.
- You pay no retainers or hourly rates to work with us.
- We only receive payment if we win your case.
- We receive a portion of your final settlement or award.
So, it costs nothing upfront to work with our lawyers. Only if you see results will you owe any lawyer’s fees.
When Will I Know How Much My Case Is Worth?
Our team will first need to investigate the details of your case to tell you more about your potential goal settlement amount. We will then proceed with negotiations or file a lawsuit. At that point, it could be several weeks or months before we arrive upon a settlement agreement or court award.
We will keep you updated throughout your case as we receive any offers. It’s your decision when to accept the other party’s offer.
When Should I File a Lawsuit?
We can tell you about any important deadlines that affect your timeline to file suit. Per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years to file a lawsuit.
Although we may end up settling your case out of court, we advise starting on your case promptly. This way, you can keep all of your legal options open.
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Call Today for Your FREE Consultation About Your Personal Injury Case
The steps you take immediately after a serious injury in Richardson are vital – both for your health and your injury case. Call for a FREE consultation with Underwood Law Office: (972) 535-6377.
Learn your legal options and find out more about your case’s potential. If you hire us, our attorneys can aid you in every step of the case, from investigating your injury to filing a lawsuit on your behalf.
Call or text (972) 535-6377 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form