Find answers to your questions:
- What is a personal injury?
- What kind of cases do personal injury lawyers handle?
- What do personal injury lawyers do?
- Do I need a personal injury attorney?
- What questions should I ask in order to find the best personal injury lawyer?
- Shouldn’t I always choose the lawyer with the lowest contingent fee?
- Why does the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law matter?
- Should I pick a personal injury lawyer from Brazoria County, Texas or from the big city?
What is a personal injury?
A personal injury is damage to the body, mind and/or emotions. Personal injury claims can cover a wide range of areas, including medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain and emotional suffering, disfigurement and impairment of your quality of life
What kind of cases do personal injury lawyers handle?
The types of personal injuries recognized by law in Brazoria County, Texas can arise from car accidents, truck accidents, truck wrecks, drunk driving accidents, workplace injuries, industrial-caused diseases, slip and fall injuries, claims against homeowners insurance, legal or medical malpractice, wrongful death and catastrophic injury claims, product liability, dog bites, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, police brutality or use of excessive force and insurance bad-faith denial of claims.
What do personal injury lawyers do?
After a serious injury, your life and possibly your future have changed. The person who caused the injury likely has insurance and the insurance company is already building a claim to defend them. You’re worried about so many things and all you want is for somebody to understand you and protect your rights.
A great personal injury lawyer immediately takes action to protect your legal rights against the insurance companies that are working to diminish the claim. Your lawyer should tell you your legal rights, provide advice as to what to expect, handle the paperwork and represent you from the initial claim throughout the legal process until there is a settlement or jury verdict in court.
In Texas, a personal injury attorney can help you in other ways. Attorneys and the staff will gather the facts, fill out any legal forms and interview witnesses. They can bring in medical professionals to help and can arrange for some of them to delay billing until there is a settlement (a “medical lien”). They can negotiate with insurance companies, who will have a team of attorneys on their side. A Brazoria County, Texas attorney can give you a better estimate as to what your claim may be worth because they have experience.
Our advice is that you should spend your time recovering from the injury and putting your life back in order. Let a great Texas personal injury attorney help you get through this tough time.
Do I need a personal injury attorney?
Wouldn’t it be better if everyone just paid when they were at fault? Isn’t that why we have insurance? Even if you don’t think your case will become a lawsuit, you should protect yourself as much as possible. A good way to do this is to get in contact with a personal injury lawyer who can advise you on your legal options.
It’s astounding what excuses insurance companies develop for not paying. If injury victims were just treated fairly, The Sanes Larkin Law Firm would be out of business. Unfortunately, what appears to be clear fault can be spun by crafty defense lawyers to be very cloudy. They will also work to diminish your damages, saying that you didn’t access enough treatment, or if you did get medical care, it was overblown. The insurance lawyers are working right now to diminish the value of your injury claim. That is why it is essential to get an experienced attorney on your side as soon as possible.
What questions should I ask in order to find the best personal injury lawyer?
You want the best personal injury lawyer in Pearland, Texas. When you call the offices of any personal injury attorney, here are the key questions to ask:
- How much experience do you and your firm have?
Make sure your lawyer has had experience with cases like yours and that she or he has a proven track record of success. An additional assurance is to find an attorney that is a Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney. Scott Sanes is one of a very few Board Certified Personal Injury Attorneys in Brazoria County, Texas. An experienced personal injury attorney will easily answer your questions and give you confidence and expert support to navigate the experience.
- Is the personal injury attorney a good communicator?
It’s important to listen to your instinct on this one. Bells should go off: if the attorney you are speaking with doesn’t seem to be listening to you; is speaking over you; is telling you that your case is an “ace in the hole”; seems to be giving you canned answers. Not every attorney is a great communicator – yours should be.
- What will my legal fees be?
Most personal injury attorneys work on what is called a “contingency fee.” The attorney does not get paid until YOU get paid. They receive a percentage of the amount you receive.
Don’t be afraid to ask hard questions about payout expectations and if there are any hidden fees. Your attorney should be transparent about costs and the percentage of the awarded claim she or he will receive and whether or not they will cover case expenses until the case has been resolved. You should also ask if you will pay for any expenses if your personal injury case is unsuccessful.
You should receive a free consultation and be assured that if you do not move forward and don’t recover anything, that you won’t pay anything.
- When can I contact my personal injury attorney?
You should be assured of easy access to your attorney. You will want to communicate concerns, give updates and express concerns outside of regular business hours. Make sure you understand how to contact your attorney 24/7.
Shouldn’t I always choose the lawyer with the lowest contingent fee?
Do not seek the attorney with the lowest fee without considering all the factors. Here are some things that are worth paying extra for:
- Experience with personal injuries in Brazoria County, Texas is critical. Experienced attorneys are more likely to win and can negotiate the legal system in Brazoria County quicker than somebody who is just learning. After all, the percentage will not matter if you do not collect it.
- Ask how much time the attorney will give to you. Low-cost attorneys may make their money by taking more cases. Make sure you know how much time your personal injury lawyer will spend on your case. Make sure that your attorney is available when you need to talk.
- Ask who will handle your case. Some personal injury attorneys will let you meet with a senior partner when you first start working with them. However, you may never see them after you hire the firm. It is not worth saving money if you can only talk to a less experienced associate when you need advice.
- Ask how quickly your attorney can start working for you. It is worth more to get the ball rolling while the information is fresh, and you need help the most.
We will discuss the percentage with you when we agree to prosecute your claim. However, if we go forward and don’t recover anything, then you don’t pay anything. That means you have absolutely nothing to lose by contacting us TODAY and scheduling a free consultation to discuss your case.
Why does the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law matter?
Less than 2% of all the attorneys in Texas are Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (“TBLS”) in Personal Injury Trial Law. These attorneys have met the following tough qualifications:
- Practice law fulltime for at least five years as an active member of the State Bar of Texas
- At least three years of Personal Injury Trial Law experience with a yearly minimum 25% substantial involvement with Personal Injury Trial Law matters
- Tried at least 10 Personal Injury Trial Law cases that met substantive requirements
- Qualified vetted references from judges and lawyers in the area
- Complete 60 hours of Texas Board of Legal Specialization approved continuing legal education in Personal Injury Trial Law
- Meet all of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Standards for Attorney Certification
- Pass a comprehensive 6-hour examination Personal Injury Trial Law.
Choose a Board-Certified attorney in Personal Injury Trial law in order to feel confident that the attorney has experience with types of cases like yours. They will know what to do and how to do it.
Should I pick a personal injury lawyer from Brazoria County, Texas or from the big city?
Always choose an attorney who is familiar with the local conditions. If your case goes to court, a Brazoria County attorney will understand the process, the juries, and past cases in the area. Attorneys from big law firms in the large city may not understand what it means to be successful here.