With over a decade of experience in litigating serious personal injury claims, The Burkett Law Firm of Corpus Christi is your best partner in your injury claim. Not only can we help you determine liability in your particular injury but also work with you to recover the compensation you deserve. Talk to us today so we can look into your case. If you trust us to take your case, we will handle all of its aspects with compassion, dedication, and the drive to win for you.
Various Types of Texas Personal Injury Cases
There’s a broad array of situations that can lead to a valid personal injury claim in Texas. These include vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, workplace accidents, animal attacks such as a dog bite, and product liability/defect, to name but a few. While many other incidents can also result in a valid claim, suffering an injury in an accident doesn’t necessarily lead to legal liability. You must prove fault or negligence in your particular incident for your case to qualify as a personal injury claim in Texas. That’s where we come in. No matter what type of accident led to your injuries, the personal injury attorneys at The Burkett Law Firm of Corpus Christi can help you establish your claim’s validity and work with you to recover the owed financial compensation.
Compensation Available for Texas Personal Injury Cases
Compensation for personal injury cases in Texas includes economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. Under Texas personal injury law, the amount of compensatory (economic and non-economic) damages one gets is often determined by several factors. These include the severity and nature of your injury, the type of accident, and your case’s specific circumstances.
Economic Damages
If you are injured because of another person’s negligence, choices, or willful intent, you may qualify to seek compensation for expenses stemming from the accident. These include medical bills, property damage, lost wages due to the injury, medical transportation costs, rehabilitation costs, prescription medications, among other financial losses.
Non-Economic Damages
As the name suggests, these are damages that do not have a specific financial cost as they cannot be quantified. They include pain and suffering, emotional distress, depression, anxiety, mental anguish, loss of consortium or companionship, permanent disability, disfigurement or scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Punitive Damages
Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant for causing injuries. Although these damages are not common in personal injury cases, they can be awarded as an add-on to compensatory damages. Under Texas law, a victim is entitled to punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages, only when the accused acted with gross negligence or malice.
How to Choose a Corpus Christi Personal Injury Attorney
With no shortage of Corpus Christi personal injury attorneys to choose from, it’s easy to assume that the majority of legal professionals provide the same level of service. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
You must know what to look for in a Corpus Christi personal injury attorney, as that’ll help you make an informed and confident decision.
Experience With Your Type of Case
You don’t want to hire just any personal injury attorney. You want to hire one who has experience with your type of case.
For example, if you were injured in a motor vehicle accident, don’t hire someone who only has experience with bicycle and motorcycle crashes.
There’s no substitute for experience and knowledge when it comes to personal injury law. An attorney either has it or they don’t.
Proven Track Record of Success
It’s one thing to find a personal injury attorney with experience and knowledge, but another thing entirely to find someone with a proven track record of success.
Ask this one key question when consulting with a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer for the first time: have you won cases similar to mine in the past?
If the answer is yes, ask if they can share specifics. This will provide a better idea of what they may be able to do for you.
Personable
It isn’t the most important detail, but it always helps to choose a personable personal injury attorney. Not only will this put your mind at ease, but it’ll make you more comfortable when asking questions or addressing concerns.
It won’t take much more than one meeting or phone call to determine if an attorney’s personality matches what you’re looking for.
A Helpful Legal Team
There will be times when you have direct contact with your Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer. There will also be times when you consult with other legal professionals, such as a secretary or paralegal.
You can hire the best personal injury attorney Corpus Christi in your area, but if they’re not surrounded by a helpful and knowledgeable legal team, it’ll add unnecessary stress to the process. These support professionals should care as much about your case as your lawyer.
Takes Cases on a Contingency Fee
It’s common for Corpus Christi personal injury lawyers to take cases on a contingency fee, but that doesn’t mean that every lawyer shares this approach.
With a contingency fee agreement, you only pay your attorney if they win your case. They don’t get paid unless they win money for you. This saves you from taking a big financial risk, while also ensuring that your attorney is 100% dedicated to your case.
Questions for a Corpus Christi Personal Injury Lawyer
Now that you know what to look for in a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer, turn your attention to making a final decision. Even though there’s a statute of limitation of two years from the date of your accident, don’t delay your search for a lawyer.
These questions can help you narrow your options and eventually choose the Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer that’s best for you and your case.
Have you worked on similar cases in the past?
As noted above, it’s best to hire a personal injury lawyer Corpus Christi who has worked on similar cases in the past. This ensures that they have the experience and knowledge to provide you with top-notch service from start to finish. It’ll also put your mind at ease.
How much is my case worth?
There’s no way of knowing where your case will end up, but you should at least have an idea upfront of how much it is worth.
Based on the details of your case, along with experience and knowledge of the industry, your Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer can provide an estimation of what your case is worth.
What are your thoughts on settling the case before it reaches the courtroom?
Some personal injury lawyers prefer to settle out of court, while others take the opposite approach. There are pros and cons of both strategies, so asking about this early on will give you a better idea of how things are likely to shake out.
What information do you need from me to get started?
One of the many benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer is that you remove yourself from the process. Not entirely, of course, but you don’t have to put in nearly as much work.
Ask the attorney what information they need from you and if they can assist in gathering it. For example, they may ask that you obtain copies of all medical reports and bills.
Knowing what you need will maximize the amount of time you have to collect it.
What is your contingency fee?
This is the amount of money that your personal injury lawyer keeps if they win your case.
For instance, if you settle for $500,000 out of court and your attorney has a contingency fee of 33%, they’ll receive $165,000.
It’s important to ask this question, but shopping around for a lower contingency fee may backfire. The lower the fee, the greater risk there is of the attorney putting less effort into your case.
In your experience, how long does it take for the process to play out?
This can and will vary from one case to the next, but it doesn’t hurt to have a basic understanding. Upon reviewing the details of your personal injury claim, an attorney can provide an estimation of the timeline.
Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer on Your Side
Getting compensation after you or someone you love has been injured due to another person’s negligence can be confusing and overwhelming. You may not know where to go or what to do, especially if your injuries are severe. But you don’t have to deal with the aftermath of the accident alone.
The Burkett Law Firm of Corpus Christi is here to help. Our attorneys can handle the entire personal injury claim process on your behalf so you can focus on what matters – your recovery. Besides having experience in personal injury matters, our lawyers have an in-depth understanding of all the red tape that insurance companies put up in their bid to reduce or deny compensation. We use that expertise to ensure that you obtain the right settlement.
While we will try to settle your case before trial, we will do our best to ensure that you receive a favorable verdict should you find yourself in the courtroom. We know what the prosecutors and judges want to hear and see, so you can count on our legal representation. Get in touch with us today to learn why we think your case should be settled and not tried, or vice versa.
Hire the Personal Injury Lawyers at The Burkett Law Firm of Corpus Christi
If you or a loved one has been injured due to another person’s negligence or fault, don’t let the statute of limitations expire before filing your claim. Contact the Corpus Christi personal injury lawyers at The Burkett Law Firm to learn how we can help you obtain the compensation you rightfully deserve. No matter where you are in the Corpus Christi metro and Coastal Bend area, our offices are conveniently located to serve clients throughout the region.