Solvent Defendant: Though liability and damages are elemental in building a successful personal injury case, probably the most important is to have a financially solvent defendant. Without someone who can afford to pay your damages, it makes little sense to sue them in court. Financial solvency means they have the means to reimburse you for their negligent liability that caused the wrong you are now suffering. For example, if a driver accidentally crashes his car into you while swerving to avoid hitting a homeless person who was jaywalking, there is certainly provable liability and damages to your vehicle. But there is no way to sue the homeless person who caused the accident because he has no financial worth. Ans id the driver who hit you has no insurance, then you’re out of luck when it comes to collecting damages from those who caused the accident. It is unfortunate that some cases involving defendants without monetary resources will leave victims hurt and with no way to seek compensation for the damages suffered. You don’t like it but sometimes compensatory justice falls through the cracks of our legal system.
But such instances are more the exception than the rule which is why identifying solvent defendants is an area where an experienced attorney can be a great asset to you in getting the justice you deserve. While many defendants often attempt to shed their financial liability by claiming hardship and the lack of monetary means, many of them are simply trying to hide their true worth by stashing their money in separate, maybe even offshore, bank accounts, or closing all their accounts and hiding the cash in a safe deposit box, or falsifying their lack of insurance. We see many insurance falsifiers because some defendants are fearful that their carrier, having recently paid a claim or two, will drop them if they have to pay one more.

Regardless of what liable defendants do to prevent you from finding out their true worth, our experienced legal team won’t be denied from identifying, then recovering all possible monies that they may be trying to hide from you (and the court). An intensive asset check of all defendants is the most effective way to discover financial means that they try to hide. Luckily for our clients, many of these asset investigations turn up money that the defendant hoped we would never find, and often enough to pay your fair damage claim. Coupled with an equally stringent investigation of the events leading up to your accident, the asset check produces all the evidence necessary to bring your injury claim or case to a successful conclusion.

There Are Many Benefits of Having an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer On Your Side?
Most Texans commonly assume that state law will magically deliver to them equitable financial recovery for their injuries. This assumption, in and of itself, is actually false. Personal injury victims have the right to ask for financial recovery. But they must secure it for themselves. It’s never given to them outright.

Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Codes state only that personal injury victims in the case of an accident may seek out compensation. They must follow specific legal guidelines and accept the fact that the burden of proof is on them, the victims. In order to be compensated, they must convince the jury that the defendant’s decisions can be considered the proximate cause, or reason for the injuries that they sustained and by doing so, justify the amount of damages they ask the court (and the civil jury) to award them. Personal injury cases can get extremely touchy, especially if there are very large sums of defendant money (or defendant’s insurance money) at stake. It takes a special kind of attorney to be successful in this law environment. And until you hire an experienced injury lawyer, a host of less than knowledgeable friends and family are more than willing to give you “free legal advice” (which is rarely worth its no price tag value.)

You also might have a relative or friend who is a lawyer who wants to protect your best interests and represent you in a personal injury claim or lawsuit. And though we don’t want to stick our nose in your personal relationships, we must tell you that when it comes to legal representation of any type, it is certainly in your best interests to avoid retaining anyone who might have a difficult time emotionally disassociating him or herself from your case. Personal injury law can become quite passionate at times. And your attorney must be pragmatic, focus solely on the facts of a case and be cool under fire in order win your case, or successfully negotiate a just and fair settlement on your behalf. What happens if that friend or relative attorney doesn’t win the case, or accepts a less-than-fair settlement, and leaves even more money on the table due to that inexperience, or thinking more with their heart than their head? How will you feel about your friend or relative then? Very rare is the case where family members or friends belong in your legal business. And you would be wise to keep this in mind.

Knowing the Law is Only Half the Battle
One of the reasons why there’s a lot of “free legal advice” from people who think they know the law, is that many feel that all one needs to do in order to represent themselves effectively in a lawsuit is to simply have the knowledge. So they think all they have to do to be a good lawyer is to read the law. Well, contrary to what you might think, knowing the law itself is only about 25 percent of the equation that will lead to a successful personal injury case. Let us ask you this, if you know how to do the math, work a 10-key calculator, and are a whiz at using bookkeeping software, does this qualify you to be a CPA? Of course not. There’s more to success than just knowing the tools to use. Most legal triumphs are a result of experience, knowing how to execute the procedures, proving the damages properly, and establishing a strong tie between the defendant’s actions and the victim plaintiffs’ injuries. Most importantly, however, your lawyer must have the knick of being able to convince a jury in an injury liability case. This is how to win a personal injury trial. Knowing the law is one thing. Applying it is altogether different. When it comes to any profession, from CPA to personal injury lawyer, experience wins every time.

Now you might be able to read a law book (although you’ll quickly learn that such reading can get awfully boring to non-lawyers). You might even have pride in your ability at being a tenacious negotiator in life, and in your gift for “doing deals.” But when it comes to personal injury law, someone on your side must know how to apply the law by using the proper procedural methods. Without it, you’re a legal accident waiting to happen and you will be lucky if your lawsuit isn’t thrown out on some obscure technicality long before your day in court

Sadly, many people don’t call an attorney until they learn, often by the experience of botching their case, that their chances of winning have become extremely low. Those who are successful in their personal injury case will tell you that if you call us quickly, you have a much better chance of winning your damage claims and cases than if you call us as a last resort after too much time has passed. By first attempting to represent themselves, and handle the issue alone victims are often misled by the insurance companies they have been corresponding with. Insurance companies know how to shed injury claimants and entice them with low-ball compensation amounts. We are aware of many people who have settled, and then called us, too late, when they realize they’ve been fooled into thinking they won, when not only did they lose, they got slaughtered. And after you sign that release attached to that check, the defendant (and his insurance company) simply skate away, with big smiles on their faces after victimizing you. You only get one shot at fair compensation. An experienced personal injury attorney helps you make it your best shot.

Insurance companies and their defendants are motivated by only one thing, to settle with you, hopefully for pennies on the dollar. But if you are represented by lawyer who has a winning track record and commands their respect and fear, your settlement magically becomes dollar for dollar. Non-attorneys rarely, if ever, create fear in the minds of an insurance company, despite their empty threats. Insurance companies have many ways to defeat you and your inexperienced legal counsel.

Do you know how you would need to respond to a motion for summary judgment or how you’re supposed to answer interrogatories? Can you effectively take witnesses’ depositions that get to the bottom of the facts in your case? Can you investigate an accident scene? Can you follow the paper trail of defendants who try to hide their assets and appear insolvent so they can avoid paying damages? What recent rules of Texas personal injury law apply to your situation? What should you do if a countersuit is filed against you, which calls for quick and proper action to prevent your civil damage suit from being dismissed? These scenarios are only a sampling of the common obstacles to a personal injury liability lawsuit we see every day. And they’re the same challenges your, or your attorney’s inexperience can bring doom to your damage case long before it’s time to appear in court.

Call the Injury Lawyers at our Law Office to Help You
If you or someone you love has suffered from a personal injury, the injury lawyers at our Law Offices will assist you and bring to you the justice and fairest reimbursement you deserve. We have been fighting for our injury clients for over 20 years and won thousands of personal injury damage claims and cases. Like those we have won judgments for, we’ll do whatever it takes to help you, too

Put our years of experience to work for you. If you want to know what your rights are, how to proceed with your claim and how much compensation you can secure from your personal injury case, regardless of how it happened or who is liable, we can answer all of your questions. Call our Law Office now for a free consultation and find out how we can help you.

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What is a Personal Injury? What are my Rights in Texas? Am I Owed Compensation for my Injuries?

Everyone gets hurt from time-to-time, but what actually constitutes a personal injury? According to the state of Texas, any injury or harm done to a person’s body, mind or emotions represents a personal injury. The Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code provides this definition and serves as a basis for explaining the rights and legal options afforded a personal injury victim to seek financial compensation.

Have you suffered a personal injury in Texas? Do you want to know what your rights are? The Attorneys at our Law Office have compiled 20 years of experience trying personal injury cases, and we’re here to help you better understand your situation.

In most legal claims, personal injury occurs when one person is hurt due to the negligent behavior or indifference of another person. In Texas law, each individual has a responsibility to provide a minimum criterion of care for other people. When a person is injured due to someone else failing to maintain that standard of care, the injured party (plaintiff) can bring a lawsuit against the person (the defendant) whose actions or inaction caused the injury. When this occurs, the injured person cannot undo the injury, but he or she can seek monetary restitution for the harm done through a personal injury lawsuit.

You might think you know the law, but just knowing your rights does not prepare you to go to court and fight for them. You need an experienced lawyer who knows the tricks of the trade and how to build an effective strategy for getting you the compensation you deserve.

A plaintiff’s best course of action is to hire a seasoned personal injury lawyer to represent him or her in court or through the settlement process. An experienced lawyer knows how to make the defendant monetarily responsible for compensating the plaintiff for the complete extent of his or her injuries.

For example, Jon Doe is pulling off I-35 when a car on the access road fails to yield to his pickup truck coming off the interstate. The second driver clips the rear end of Mr. Doe’s truck and drives it into a guardrail. The force of the crash breaks Mr. Doe’s legs, but fortunately, he was wearing his seat belt, and the injuries are not life-threatening. He is rushed to the emergency room, but he must spend a week in the hospital, accumulating staggering medical expenses and then four months in double casts, making him unable to perform his job as a construction worker. Moreover, he has nightmares of the accident and is now uneasy about getting behind the wheel.

In this fictional example, the driver of the second car (the defendant) who failed to yield, clipping Mr. Doe’s truck, ignored his legal standard of responsible care by not operating his car in a way that was safe for the other drivers on the road. The defendant represents the proximate cause of the accident – he was 100 percent responsible for Mr. Doe’s injuries, and Mr. Doe is perfectly in his rights to seek monetary compensation.

Mr. Doe hires an experienced Texas attorney who sues for medical expenses and lost wages. Mr. Doe’s legs heal, but he develops nagging pain in his back that is so severe that he can no longer perform simple construction tasks. Since Mr. Doe can no longer continue his career, his lawyer can seek damages for Mr. Doe’s lost potential income for the rest of his life. Additionally, Mr. Doe’s lawyer can seek restitution for the lack of sleep, fear of driving, and general emotional pain and suffering that the other driver’s negligence has caused. The process to receive just compensation is complex. However, only an experienced lawyer can navigate all of the issues successfully.

Don’t Sign Anything
If your situation makes you feel like Mr. Doe, don’t worry. The first thing to remember is: don’t sign anything. The insurance company of the party that injured Mr. Doe does not want to justly compensate him. Insurance companies are in business to make money and not help people. They will send adjusters to talk to Mr. Doe immediately. They may even hire defensive attorneys to interview him in an attempt to prove that Mr. Doe was at fault for the incident. In most cases, they will even attempt to get Mr. Doe to sign away his legal rights to sue in return for a settlement. But what if Mr. Doe did not know at the time that he wasn’t going to be able to work? Any settlement he received immediately after the accident would grossly under-estimate the amount he was owed for lost future earnings.

For Mr. Doe, and you, if you have suffered a personal injury, the best course of action is to find an aggressive attorney as quickly as possible. The longer you wait, the harder your case is to prove.

Our team of seasoned and assertive attorneys can help you. For the past twenty years, we have helped people who have suffered personal injuries all over Texas. We will use our extensive knowledge of all facets of personal injury law to make the negligent parties pay justly. We have a proven record of success, and we know how to handle the most complex and intricate cases. Even something that appears run-of-the-mill like Mr. Doe’s case can spiral into a myriad of obscure legal principles.

At our Law Office, we know how to handle legal development in a personal injury case. If you have been injured by someone else’s negligence, make them pay. Call our personal injury lawyers for a free consultation as soon as possible.

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The Importance of a Solvent Defendant in Your Personal Injury Case
Getting the compensation you deserve after an injury requires more than just proving fault. This article explores why a defendant’s financial ability to pay (solvency) is crucial in a personal injury case.

Why Solvency Matters:

Compensation: A lawsuit aims to recover financial losses from the at-fault party. If the defendant lacks funds, a judgment may be uncollectible.
Example: A driver avoids a jaywalker but crashes into you. While the jaywalker caused the swerve, they likely have no money to compensate you.
Challenges of Identifying Solvent Defendants:

Hiding Assets: Defendants may try to appear insolvent by moving money or using offshore accounts.
False Insurance Claims: Fearing a higher premium, some defendants may falsely claim they lack insurance.
How a Lawyer Helps:

Asset Investigations: An experienced lawyer can uncover hidden assets to ensure you receive fair compensation.
Experience with Tactics: They understand how defendants try to hide solvency and know how to counter these tactics.
The Benefits of an Experienced Attorney:

Securing Evidence: Your lawyer can gather the necessary evidence to prove both liability and the defendant’s financial situation.
Negotiating Settlements: They can negotiate a fair settlement that reflects the full extent of your damages.
Fighting for You in Court: If necessary, your lawyer can present your case effectively in court.
Don’t Go It Alone:

Personal injury cases are complex. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the legal system and maximize your chances of a successful outcome.

Call Us Today for a Free Consultation

We understand the challenges you face after an injury. Contact our firm today to discuss your case and get the legal guidance you deserve.
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Your Duty to Mitigate Damages
Attorney Discusses A Victim’s Legal Duty to Mitigate Damages

Duty to mitigate damages may be a foreign phrase to you, but it’s an important concept to understand if you’ve been injured as a result of the negligent behavior of another person. When broken down into its parts, the phrase is easily understood. Duty means that a victim has a responsibility. Mitigate means to lessen. Damages, in the legal realm, refer to the financial losses that accompany an injury, such as medical bills or lost wages.

Together, a duty to mitigate damages means that an injured victim has a responsibility to lessen the amount of financial losses they sustain as a result of an injury. Such responsibility means that the victim must seek out proper medical attention within a reasonable amount of time after suffering an injury.

As an example of a victim failing to mitigate damages, consider Craig’s plight. Craig’s construction site co-worker accidentally cut Craig’s hand with a saw while the two were working to erect a new building. Craig did not think the injury to be serious, so he continued working. After a week, the injury had become noticeably worse, but Craig didn’t want to take time off from work. Another week passes and the hand has become discolored. Craig is in immense pain, so he finally sees a doctor, only to learn that the injury has become infected and he must endure an amputation. In such a dire instance, Craig would not be able to pursue legal action against a liable party for the full extent of his injuries since he did not take reasonable measures to seek medical help. In other words, he failed at his duty to mitigate damages.

The Notion of Reasonable Care in Regard to Mitigating Damages
Texas personal injury law does not require that a victim take unreasonable steps in the aftermath of sustaining an injury. For example, Craig would not have been required to seal himself off in a sterile room until his injury was healed as that would be considered an unreasonable effort. However, the law does state that reasonable steps must be taken by an injured victim in order to minimize the extent of their sustained injury.

Working to ensure that your injuries do not worsen is vitally important for two reasons: your health and your possible personal injury case. If you’ve been in any type of accident that may have resulted in an injury, it’s in your best interests to be checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible after the accident. Some injuries may not be readily apparent at an accident site, or even in the hours after an accident has occurred. Furthermore, some injuries can take weeks or months to develop. By getting checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible, you can work to ensure that a more serious condition does not develop in the future. Your health, after all, should never be risked by simply choosing not to seek proper medical attention.

Lawsuit attorney
Furthermore, should you desire to seek compensation for your injury from the parties responsible for causing it, you will have a legal duty to mitigate damages. If your injuries are allowed to progress to a poor state due to failure to seek medical attention, the amount of compensation you could receive from a liable party could be drastically reduced. If a jury is able to assess you with more than 50% liability for your injury, recovery of fair compensation may be completely denied. In these instances, a defense attorney is tasked with the burden of proof. In other words, this affirmative defense means that the defendant’s legal representation must be able to prove that you failed at your duty to mitigate damages. By seeking proper medical attention after an accident, such a claim cannot then be brought against you.

If you’ve suffered an injury due to the negligent behavior of another person or entity, be sure to seek medical help within a reasonable amount of time. Often, seeking medical attention as soon as possible is in your best interests. Should you have questions regarding your duty to mitigate damages so that your right to seek compensation is preserved, contact the attorneys at our Law Office today.

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Texas Statute of Limitations
What Is the Statute of Limitations in Texas?

In the State of Texas, there is a relatively small period of time following an incident whereby the plaintiff may file a suit or pursue other legal action against the defendant. The amount of time available is dependent on the type of case as well as several secondary factors. The deadline whereby the plaintiff loses the right to pursue legal action is known as the statute of limitations.

Generally speaking, the statute of limitations is 2 years from the date of the incident. The statute of limitations applies to the following cases accordingly:

General Personal Injuries – 2 years from the date of injury;
Car Accidents — 2 years from the date of injury;
Work Accidents where Workers’ Comp is not present – 2 years from the date of injury;
Wrongful Death – 2 years from the date of death;
Product Liability Cases – 2 years;

An exception to the Statute of Limitations – Minor Child
The most common exception to the conventional statute of limitations is that of an injury sustained by a minor. Since minors are seen are not of age to make important legal decisions, The State of Texas extends the statute of limitations, regardless of the child’s age at the time of the accident, until 2 years from the date of the child’s 18th birthday. In other words, the countdown does not begin until the child becomes an adult.

For example, if a five-year-old child is injured in a car accident, they would not lose the right to pursue legal action until the date of their 20th birthday.

The same extension of the statute applies to the wrongful death benefits or claim that a child is entitled to following the death of a parent. For example, if a construction worker is killed on the job and he has a 19-year-old child and a 15-year-old child, the eldest has two years from the date of the incident to file a claim, while the younger of the two would have approximately five years to file a similar claim.

Other Exceptions to the Statute of Limitations
Lack of Common Knowledge
In some cases, the statute is said to begin on the date that a reasonable person would have become aware of the injury. A perfect example of this would be an asbestos exposure/ mesothelioma case. In most of these types of cases, the victim was exposed to asbestos years or decades prior to the discovery that such exposure results in the deadly disease mesothelioma. Most victims of mesothelioma would go many years before they were diagnosed as having this disease. The law provides a special exception and the statute is extended and starts to run, on the date that the victim is diagnosed with the disease, even though the actual exposure happened many years before.

Extenuating Circumstances
If there is some compelling force that renders the plaintiff incapable of pursuing legal action, the statute of limitations may be extended. For example, if the victim is in a coma for the normal period of the statute of limitations, they may be granted an extension because they were incapable of filing a lawsuit while they were unconscious.

Establishing a Reasonable Standard
The term “reasonable” is often used in the legal world. If there are extenuating circumstances that would keep a reasonable person from starting a legal case, the statute can be extended. In the example above, the mesothelioma victim was given a drastically extended statute of limitations because it is perfectly reasonable to assume that they were unaware they were infected. Had that person been diagnosed with mesothelioma and then waited for 3 years to contact an attorney, it would not be likely that the statute of limitations would be extended because it is not reasonable for a person to wait that long.

Furthermore, ignorance is not an excuse. For example, if an accident victim did not know that he or she could file a lawsuit, that would not be considered reasonable in the eyes of the law.

There’s Always a Catch
With most things that sound appealing in life, there is always a catch. The legal world is not immune from this phenomenon. Although you technically have two years before the statute of limitations expires, waiting until the end of that two-year period CAN RUIN YOUR CASE! The earlier a personal injury attorney gets involved in your case, the better the chances are of securing the maximum possible recovery. The longer you wait before you hire an attorney, the fewer options available to the attorney will become fewer and fewer and it will likely hurt the value of your case.

So why is that exactly?

Contrary to popular belief, a trial is usually a last resort. A trial is generally considered as the “silver bullet” to be used if other measures fail to result in a fair settlement. Ideally, your attorney will have plenty of time to fully investigate your claim and gain a thorough understanding of all of the facts and circumstances involved which they can use to determine the best course of action. When the attorney has such an abundance of time, they are able to build a strong case in your favor and they can use the threat of taking your case to trial against the defendant while attempting to use alternative methods of resolution. With any trial, there is a substantial amount of risk for both sides since the outcome is in the hands of the jury who are perfectly capable of making an irrational decision. To recap, the attorney will best be able to serve you if they have plenty of time to try alternative methods of resolution while using the threat of taking the case to trial as a motivator to keep the defendants interested in resolving the case.

By waiting until the end of the statute of limitations, you are putting the attorney in a position where they have no choice but to file a lawsuit and proceed toward a trial. It’s a bit like waiting until the last few minutes of the game to send in your star player.

What’s Happening While You Wait to Speak to an Attorney?

While you may be waiting to make a decision, the defense side is already forming a case against you. This is simply a normal operating procedure in the world of legal defense. Any time there is a potential for a lawsuit to be brought against them, an insurance company, or another defendant will start preemptively building a case against the plaintiff, even if the plaintiff has not indicated that they are going to file a claim or lawsuit.

In many instances, you will not be able to find an attorney that is interested in your case once too much time has passed. It is always a good idea to at least talk to an attorney and get a no-obligation consultation just to hear all of your options and make an educated decision prior to letting your statute run its course.

You’ve got nothing to lose by getting some free advice, and everything to lose by not doing so.

You are Probably Damaging Your Own Case
Additionally, most plaintiffs unknowingly say things to damage their case any time they speak with the defendants or their insurance adjusters or attorneys. The sooner you get an attorney involved, the sooner you will be insulated from the tricks and deceptive practices used by the defendants and their insurance adjusters.

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The Thin Skull Rule & Eggshell Skull Rule

The thin skull rule is invoked in personal injury cases in Texas when a person with a previously existing medical condition suffers an injury that results in greater harm to that person than if they had not had a preexisting condition. The thin skull rule, also known as the eggshell skull rule, holds that the liable party for such an injury is still liable for the full extent of a plaintiff’s injury, regardless of the defendant’s knowledge of the plaintiff’s preexisting condition. The simple phrase often used to convey the essence of the thin skull rule is “take them as they find them,” which means that a defendant must take a plaintiff as they find them.

The unique legal phrase for this rule comes from the notion that a person with a thin skull would suffer more severe injury than a person with a normal skull. It’s likely that a person causing injury to the victim would not be aware that the person had a thin skull. However, the eggshell skull rule exists so that a person’s previously existing medical condition cannot be used by a defendant in order to skirt any or all liability for the extent of the injury incurred by the victim.

Many people injured in car wrecks or through workplace accidents have contacted my office in the past, fearful that they have few legal rights to seek compensation for their injury because they’re aware of their susceptibility to injury due to a preexisting medical condition. However, the existence of the thin skull rule allows such individuals, who often experience a much greater amount of pain due to their existing medical condition compounding their injury, an avenue for legal recourse. Should you have sustained an injury due to another person’s or entity’s negligent behavior, which may have resulted in more severe injuries than normal due to a previously existing medical condition, consider contacting our personal injury lawyers. With twenty years of experience in helping injured victims just like you see fair compensation, the team at our Law Office will work with those responsible for your previous medical care so that we can show how an injury was exacerbated by your medical condition.

As you’ve likely incurred a greater amount of damages due to an injury compounded by your previous medical condition or susceptibility to injury, seeking compensation for such an injury is an important step to take in order to start the recovery process. In addition to seeking compensation for your injury, you will also be working to hold the negligent parties accountable for their behavior so that a similar accident does not have to befall another person.

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Vicarious Liability
The Texas Lawyers at our Law Office Explain the Concept of Vicarious Liability

While surprising to some, in certain instances a party can be held responsible for the negligence of others – a principle known as vicarious liability. The principle often comes into play in personal injury lawsuits.

Consider a traffic accident in which a delivery truck rams into a car, injuring the driver of the car. If the driver of the truck was at fault, not only can the trucker be held liable, but also the company that employed the trucker as well.

Most typically, vicarious liability affects traffic accidents involving commercial vehicles, but this principle can be brought into play in other types of accidents. For example, John Jones has been drinking heavily, and he asks to borrow his buddy Steve Smith’s car for the afternoon to run errands. Mr. Smith gives Mr. Jones the keys to his car despite the fact that Mr. Smith knows Mr. Jones may be legally drunk. Mr. Jones then gets into a drunken-driving accident and injures another party. Mr. Smith would be liable for giving his car keys to a drunken driver and subject to a lawsuit for vicarious liability called negligent entrustment.

Dealing with a case involving vicarious liability is an intricate undertaking that requires the expertise of a knowledgeable attorney. Separate claims must be filed for each defendant, and it takes experience to know how much damages should be assessed to each party responsible based upon their contributory negligence.

At our Law Office, our attorneys have 20 years of experience handling personal injury cases all over Texas, and our seasoned lawyers know how to handle cases involving more than one defendant. We will make sure that you and your family receive equitable restitution for the injury you have suffered. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, and you think vicarious liability might be involved, call our Law Offices today for a free consultation.

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Texas Law Firms
Searching for Texas Law Firms? Our Law Office Can Help You

Our Law Office helps injury victims, survivors of family members killed in an accident, and families of people who have incurred serious personal injuries. Our firm can help you wade through the legal process so that you can focus your energy on recovering from the accident and getting your life back on track.

With two decades of experience in handling personal injury cases, the lawyers with our Law Office have a reputation for successfully fighting for the rights of their clients and winning thousands of cases involving personal injury. There is a good chance we can help you as well.

Personal Injury Definition
The term “personal injury” means any kind of physical injury and the suffering that results, including mental trauma, that occurs because of the actions or inactions of another entity or person. The law in Texas states that the person who experiences a personal injury, otherwise known as the “plaintiff,” is eligible to try and obtain restitution from the party responsible for causing the injury, otherwise known as the “defendant.”

The Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code is the basis of Texas personal injury laws. However, it is imperative to note that, according to Texas personal injury law, defendants do not owe anything to plaintiffs. Plaintiffs are allowed, under the law, to seek fair restitution from the defendant in order to make the plaintiff whole after a personal injury has taken place. Personal injury laws in Texas do not require defendants to pay anything to plaintiffs; rather, plaintiffs have to initiate litigation, prove defendants were responsible, and prove the monetary amount of their damages in order to obtain compensation from the court. Typically, defendants are liable only for the damages they directly caused, and only to the extent the plaintiff suffered. Therefore, it is vital that the plaintiff prepare a case focused on proving not simply liability, but also damages and cause.

Can You File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Any person can sue any other person. In order for your case to have a chance to succeed, you have to prove four elements: Duty, Breach, Cause, and Damages. You must first prove that the defendant owed to you a legal duty of care. Then, you have to prove the defendant breached that duty – for example, by performing a certain action or failing to perform an action. Then you must prove the defendant’s breach of duty resulted in harm befalling you. Finally, you have to prove you were damaged – you must quantify those damages in a specific dollar amount.

The definition of “duty of care” that one person owes another person can vary depending on the situation. Drivers, for instance, are charged with the duty to drive their vehicles in such a fashion so that they do not cause an accident to occur. Careless or reckless driving that results in harm to another person is a breach of that duty not to harm another driver. The level of care varies according to the parties involved. Your doctor, for example, owes you a higher level of care than does your neighbor.

The Three Elements of Successful Personal Injury Litigation
There are three elements to a successful personal injury case: liability, damages, and a solvent defendant. The following is an explanation of these elements.

Liability
If a defendant violates a legal duty that is owed to the plaintiff, the defendant is said to be liable to that plaintiff, and therefore, the defendant is also liable for the damages incurred by the plaintiff. Typically, a defendant violates that duty through the commission of some negligent act. The term “negligence” is defined as conduct that is careless or reckless, and which leads to some kind of accident. A common form of negligence is inattention; however, defendants can also be guilty of committing an act of “gross negligence.” The standard of proof for gross negligence is significantly higher than standard negligence and usually means the defendant did something with the full knowledge that doing so will probably lead to some kind of harm. For instance, the act of driving while intoxicated is a grossly negligent act. There are other instances where a defendant will commit an intentional or willful act that will lead to liability. Both of these kinds of acts mean the deliberate infliction of harm on another person, e.g. assault. No matter what the level of the defendant’s conduct may be, however, the plaintiff is required to prove that the defendant acted negligently in some form or fashion in a manner that holds them liable for the injury suffered by the victim.

Damages
The term “damages” in the legal realm means the monetary amount of a loss suffered by the plaintiff as the result of the defendant’s gross negligence, negligence, or willful or intentional act. Damages have to be differentiated from injury. For example, if the defendant is guilty of breaking your arm, and you have to spend $5,000 at a hospital for treatment, the “injury” is the broken arm and the “damages” are $5,000.

However, it is often difficult to place a specific “price tag,” so to speak, on your personal injury damages. Therefore, damages are split into two categories: general damages and special damages. General damages are non-monetary in nature and are difficult to prove because they are subjective. Examples include loss of consortium, disfigurement, mental trauma, pain and suffering, and impairment. Because general damages are subjective, it is important you enlist the services of an experienced law firm to help you determine them. The attorneys with our Law Office have 20 years of experience identifying and proving general damages in a court of law. Legal laypeople or inexperienced law firms can have a very difficult time proving non-monetary damages. Our attorneys know how to gather proof, ask the right questions, and present the case to a judge or jury to present our clients in the best light possible. All situations are different, of course, but a seasoned and skilled lawyer can help a plaintiff formulate a proper, well-thought-out demand for general damages.

On the other hand, special (or economic) damages are typically verifiable and objective. Financial losses that occur as the result of a personal injury can be quite easy to determine. However, if an accident victim does not recover quickly from his or her injury, proving special damages, as well as calculating them, can be difficult. Should a plaintiff become partially disabled as a result of the injury, the calculation of lost wages can’t be done by simply multiplying the victim’s present income by the number of years he or she could have been expected to stay in the workforce. There are several other factors that have to be considered, such as probable raises in pay, the value of money over time, educational achievements, and inflation. Also, benefits such as retirement, dental, and medical have to be assigned a specific monetary value.

All damages have to be analyzed, developed, and accounted for in order for a personal injury lawsuit to be successful. Plaintiffs who choose to represent themselves in this kind of litigation often shortchange themselves, and as a result, defendants are able to get away with paying less than they should. Plaintiffs often fail to properly account for all components of their damages and demand payment for them. The personal injury attorneys at our law firm are very familiar with developing our clients’ cases so they can prove not just their tangible damages, but their subjective damages as well. Those damages include those that are incurred before the settlement and also those that will continue on an ongoing basis.

Solvent Defendant
The old saying, “you can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip” is very appropriate when it comes to attempting to obtain compensation from a bankrupt or otherwise financially insolvent defendant. It doesn’t matter how willful or reckless a defendant’s actions may have been; if the defendant does not have the ability to pay, there is no way a plaintiff can get the fair restitution he or she deserves. There are some plaintiffs who will never get just compensation because the defendant will never be solvent.

This is one of the most vital ways in which a seasoned attorney can be of assistance to a personal injury plaintiff. There are some defendants who, in an effort to escape responsibility, will try and hide their assets. Our law firm knows how to uncover hidden assets. In fact, one of the things we do first upon being hired is to trace the defendant’s assets. By doing so, we can find hidden assets and work to keep that defendant from ever being able to hide assets again.

How a Lawyer Can Help You
There are a lot of people who have the mistaken assumption that the State of Texas has laws designed to protect their rights and provide them just restitution should they be hurt by another person or entity. This could not be farther from the truth, unfortunately. As stated before, Texas law, through the Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code enables plaintiffs to try and obtain restitution for injuries caused by another. However, they have to prove all elements of their case if they are to win their case. You can’t just prove that you were injured because a defendant breached a duty of care; if you can’t prove the monetary amount of your damages, you will not win your case. On the other hand, if you can prove $5 million in damages, but you cannot prove that the defendant proximately caused those damages, you won’t win anything.

You might think that simply knowing the law as it pertains to your case will be enough for you to represent yourself and win the litigation. This is simply untrue. In order to have a chance at winning your case, you must develop the facts to support each and every one of the above-mentioned elements. You have to correctly follow court procedure. You have to prove causal links in your case. You have to present the facts in the most favorable light to yourself, and in the most negative light in regard to the defendant. You have to do all of this just to have a chance at winning.

There are some plaintiffs who wait too long before hiring a law firm, and as a result, the lawyer hired can’t help them as effectively as he or she may have had the plaintiff hired that lawyer sooner. Just because you’ve been hurt and suffered monetary damage, that doesn’t mean an insurance company and a defendant will, out of their sense of right, sign over a fat check to you. You’d be surprised how many plaintiffs actually believe this. Insurance companies are only concerned with one thing – protecting their bottom line. They are not interested in helping you recover both physically and financially from your accident. Insurance carriers will employ whatever means are possible in order to deny your claim or offer a ridiculous, insulting settlement offer that won’t even come close to covering your economic damages. And when a plaintiff chooses to represent himself or herself, the chances of winning special (or non-economic) damages from a defendant are practically zero.

When a plaintiff enlists the help of a seasoned law firm immediately following a personal injury takes place, he or she benefits greatly. Experienced law firms can take care of every piece of a personal injury case, and fight back any potentially underhanded tactics the defense may try and use. An effective attorney, for instance, can make sure an insurance company doctor conducts a thorough examination of a plaintiff, rather than simply concluding that the plaintiff isn’t injured. That attorney can also help by propounding and responding to discovery. You must get the help of a lawyer before you are faced with legal documents such as interrogatories or requests for admissions. Improper answers to these items can severely damage a plaintiff’s case. Many times, a plaintiff will answer these documents in regular English rather than legalese, and this can also hurt a case. It is imperative as well for a plaintiff to use the tools of discovery against defendants, phrasing requests in such a way as to, basically, force a defendant to answer questions, rather than using sly phrases and words that may sound impressive but fail to adequately answer questions or convey real content. There are several procedural devices such as counterclaims, cross-claims, summary judgments, motions to dismiss, motions to compel, and interlocutory appeals that can completely befuddle self-represented plaintiffs and lead to the case being thrown out.

Your Litigation is Extremely Important to Us

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Sole Proximate Cause
This only true defense a non-subscriber can use to avoid paying a claim is the Sole Proximate Cause defense – that the deceased employee was 100 percent responsible for his or her own death. The only way an employer can successfully prove this defense is by making your family out to be a habitually incompetent employee who was negligent on a regular basis. If successful in proving Sole Proximate Cause, the employer will be able to keep from paying your family the compensation that you deserve.

While it’s true the company did not see fit to pay for workers’ comp insurance, you can guarantee that company will open its checkbook and pay big money to a defense lawyer who is adept at dragging deceased construction workers through the mud. It is imperative you have an experienced and effective attorney by your side to defeat those lowdown tactics and protect your loved one’s reputation.

The Employer/Employee Relationship
A few employers will try and skate the rules by claiming the deceased worker was never really a “true employee,” but a contractor. In Texas, contractors are solely responsible for their own safety in the workplace. But merely making that claim does not mean that Texas law will view that worker as a contractor. Attorneys with our Law Office are very adept at proving that an employer/employee relationship existed by examining pay stubs and contracts and interviewing fellow workers in order to satisfy one of the several standards that prove an employer/employee relationship. These include:

The employer held back Social Security or taxes from the worker’s paycheck.
The employer was responsible for providing the equipment necessary for the worker to perform his or her job.
The worker was expected to follow a set schedule established by the employer.
Your family member either signed a document or performed a task, that limited his or her rights while working for that company. For example, he or she signed a document that stated he or she agreed to comply with an employee handbook or took a drug test.
The worker was not hired for an isolated, single job, but rather for an extended, undetermined amount of time.
Your loved one was paid via salary or hourly wage instead of job-by-job.

What Can You Do?
The first thing NOT to do is to ever, ever give up your right to sue by signing any sort of admission of your family member’s liability for the accident in exchange for a woefully inadequate settlement.

Next, you must act immediately to find a lawyer, or at least as soon as you can. It can be very difficult, and require a lot of proof, to protect the reputation of your deceased loved one.

Every minute you wait to hire an attorney is every minute that evidence disappears – witnesses’ memories become cloudy, and the physical characteristics of the accident scene itself begin to alter. The longer you wait to seek legal help, the more difficult time you’ll have unearthing the evidence that is crucial to prevailing in your case. A detailed investigation needs to immediately be launched. After all, the construction company, insurance provider, and defense lawyers will already be working for the other side. You need a tenacious and passionate attorney working on your side to match them stride for stride.

The wrongful death attorneys at our Law Office have helped the devastated families of construction fatality victims for two decades. We’ve won hundreds of wrongful death cases that resulted in millions of dollars in judgments for our clients. When hired, we will launch an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding your family member’s death and gather the evidence you will need to prove your case. We will not hesitate to pursue legal action against any liable third parties if necessary in order to ensure all of those responsible for the death of your loved one are held accountable. Our attorneys have either negotiated settlements with, or won lawsuits against, every major insurance company in the United States, so their high-powered operatives are well aware of our courtroom acumen. As a result, there are many times insurers will choose to make our clients a reasonable settlement offer rather than risk losing a much larger amount of money in a lawsuit. If they choose not to engage in negotiations, we’ll be well prepared to face them in court and make them regret that decision. If you have lost a family member due to a fatal construction accident, call our Law Office as soon as you can for a free and confidential consultation with an experienced wrongful death attorney and find out how we can help you get the justice and fair restitution your family deserves.

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Contact Our Tire Defect Attorney If You’ve Been Injured Due To a Tire Blowout

If you’ve been injured recently in a rollover accident because of a tire blowout, don’t anticipate the recovery compensation process for property damage and injuries suffered to be similar to seeking compensation for a typical car accident.

From a legal standpoint, there are several key differences between tire blowout accidents and other kinds of standard car wrecks. The only way to get the maximum compensation you deserve and to see all liable parties brought to justice is to contact a capable tire defect attorney you can trust.

Rollover accidents often lead to more serious damage to your vehicle and injuries to you and the passengers. Without the right legal representation, your insurance claim could very well be denied. If your case should go to court, there are slight differences in the way these cases are approached, which could confuse an inexperienced attorney and jeopardize your case’s chances for success.

How Are Rollover and Tire Defect Cases Different From Standard Auto Wreck Cases?
For one thing, the chances of multiple responsible or liable parties in a tire defect case are quite higher than a typical car accident. If a blowout causes a rollover, the manufacturer is likely to be held liable for the rollover. In addition, several other factors could have caused the tire to fail, including:

Improper installation and mounting of the tire.
Improper maintenance of the tire.
Whether or not the tire was intended for the vehicle it was installed on.
Besides the manufacturer, any party that was involved in the design, selection, installation, or maintenance of the faulty tire could bear partial liability, at least for the harm created by the blowout. Several other factors involving the manufacturer may have contributed to your accident, such as:

The design of the vehicle’s suspension regarding its resistance to rolling when both static and loaded.
The crash effectiveness of the vehicle related to the ability of its structure to withstand a rollover accident, and especially the firmness and compressive strength of pillars A, B, and C.
The presence and operating function of any additional safety equipment during a rollover.
Many other factors.

Selecting the Right Tire For a Vehicle Can be Crucial
You may be curious as to why choosing the right tire for your vehicle can be so important. It’s only a piece of rubber, you may be thinking. In reality, the modern tire is one of the most important and complex components on your car. Different layers of varied materials come together in the tire to allow for maximum heat treatment and friction resistance. The ability of the tire to function correctly often depends on a variety of chemical and molecular structures within the tire.

Four springs make up your vehicle’s suspension, and the tires are frequently called the fifth spring because they are very important for the absorption and release of energy throughout your car. Unlike the leaf or metal coil springs in the suspension, tires do not have a fixed spring rate. Basically, if the tire is in good condition and suited to your car, it acts as a good spring, allowing your vehicle to lean as you change lanes or turn, without the car turning over. However, if the tire is worn significantly or not suited for your car, then the tire becomes a poor spring, and the car may easily roll over when turning or even swerving quickly through traffic lanes.

As your car moves down the road, the vehicle’s weight pushes the tires downward into a flat spot that meets the roadway. This is called the contact patch. At the point where the tire stretches to meet the road at the contact patch, friction occurs, causing heat to be released into the tire. It’s similar to the phenomenon where a paperclip heats up as you bend it back and forth. With your tires, the rubber structure can become affected by the combination of heat generated on the contact patch, the heat created by compression of the air under load inside the tire, and the absorption of heat from the atmosphere.

Tires are actually the only parts on your car that make contact with the road. Taking into consideration all the ways heat builds up in and around the tire, and the small size of the contact patch (about the size of a shoe), manufacturers carry a tremendous responsibility for ensuring their tires perform as they are intended. If a manufacturer fails to supply the right tire for a particular vehicle, then rollover accidents are likely to happen.

Simply Deserving Compensation Is Not Enough
Just suffering an injury in a rollover accident isn’t an automatic guarantee you will be compensated for the harm done. You’ll need the help of a tire defect attorney to investigate your case, find the needed evidence, and support that critical evidence with expert testimony to secure your compensation.

Because there are so many potentially liable parties in your rollover accident, you will need an experienced tire defect lawyer that is familiar with investigating rollover wrecks to determine whose negligent behavior caused your wreck and then to hold them accountable with evidence. At our Law Office, we are aware of how quickly evidence begins to fade after an accident, so we conduct an extensive investigation immediately, sequester and examine all the vehicles involved, and focus specifically on the tires in rollover accidents. We evaluate forensic evidence from the scene, such as skid marks, and locate any witnesses or video evidence.

Yet merely having physical evidence is insufficient to win a case in court. You must also be able to convince a jury of the importance and validity of the evidence, and that often requires the testimonies of expert witnesses that interpret the wear and tear on the tires. At our Law Office, for the past twenty years, our tire defect attorneys have been handling rollover accident cases. We’ve developed consulting relationships with numerous experts who can influence the jury and sway them with facts to accept the evidence and conclusions presented to them.

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Our Auto Accident Lawyers Discuss Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance After a Texas Car Accident

Texas car accidents occur every day and people injured in auto accidents often have several questions about how to file their insurance claims. No matter whether a demand letter is sent to your insurer or a lawsuit filed, anyone injured in any type of car wreck should file a claim under their Personal Injury Protection insurance, known commonly as PIP insurance.

Texas PIP insurance is a mandatory offering as part of regular auto insurance, but consumers can decline this coverage in writing with their car insurance company. Yet in Texas, many people hold misconceptions about PIP insurance.

The Truth about PIP Insurance in Texas
PIP insurance is no-fault insurance coverage. This means it does not matter who or what caused a car accident – just that there are injuries following the car wreck itself. Because of this form of insurance in no-fault, insurance companies cannot raise rates, premiums, or deductibles based on past or present PIP insurance claims.

PIP insurance covers you, the driver, and any other occupants in the vehicle. Additionally, if you were hit by a car while riding a bicycle or if you were hit by a car while walking across the street, your PIP insurance will cover any property damage or bodily injury you sustain as a result of the car accident, regardless of whether you were at fault for the accident.

PIP insurance reimburses you up to whatever your car insurance policy’s maximum PIP coverage amount is for any property damage, bodily injury, and 80% of your lost income as a result of the car wreck. In Texas, car insurance companies must offer you PIP insurance coverage of at least $2,500, but this amount can be higher at your request at the time the insurance policy is written.

PIP insurance claims do not affect any other insurance claims. Regardless of whether you have filed or will file additional insurance claims against your car insurance policy or another driver’s car insurance policy, you may still receive all compensation from your PIP insurance. Likewise, regardless of whether you file a personal injury lawsuit against another driver and the other driver’s insurance company, a PIP claim will never affect past, present, or future personal injury lawsuit nor a past, present, or future health insurance claim.

Did You Know? Our car accident attorneys have won thousands of cases. Call us today to discuss your case.

There’s a Catch
Insurance companies like to deny PIP claims made by their own insured and they often will do so based on odd technicalities. The best way to ensure that you receive the PIP benefits that you deserve is to have your attorney file the PIP claim for you, using the proper procedures, along with any personal injury claims that are filed against the defendant.

Our Law Office strongly recommends filing claims with PIP insurance immediately following any Texas car accident, regardless of reason or fault for the wreck. However, because PIP insurance maximums are often less than $5,000, this insurance coverage may not be enough to cover all medical expenses or property damage sustained during the accident. Contact us to speak with an experienced auto accident attorney about your personal situation following a car wreck. Call us for your complimentary consultation today.

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If Your Child has Been Hurt in a Car Accident, Don’t Delay, Call our Law Office Today

You probably have seen the car crash dummy videos. You know, the ones that simulate how a real person is likely to be thrown around the inside of a vehicle during a car crash. The replicated car wrecks are created for automakers and consumers to get the real scoop on how well their vehicles might react if it is involved in a real accident.

It helps potential car owners to evaluate how well a car’s safety features will respond to possibly save their lives. And it helps automakers know where they can improve their products and increase their sales compared to the competition. Depending on the speed of the vehicles on impact, those crash dummies are exposed to a lot of potential physical injury. And those are big dummies! What about the little children? Because children have less body mass they are more likely to sustain serious injuries if they are involved in a car accident. If you are the parent or guardian of an injured child in a car accident, it’s up to you to seek justice and compensation for that child. Call the personal injury attorneys at our Law Office today to discuss your child’s injuries.

Regardless of who is to blame for an injured child in a car accident, the use of child safety seats and other approved restraints provide greater protection in a crash than safety belts alone. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), child restraints decreased fatal injuries of infants younger than a year old by 58-71 percent and for toddlers, it decreased injuries by 54-59 percent compared to those who are not restrained. That means more than three hundred (300) children younger than 5-years-old were saved from sure death because they were restrained when the car they were riding in was involved in a collision.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised its suggestions about the safest way to transport children in passenger vehicles. Anyone who has a child riding in their vehicle should adhere to the following instructions:

Phase 1 – Infants from birth to thirty-five (35) pounds should be placed in a safety seat that is rear-facing and properly attached to the car’s back seat.
Phase 2 – After a child outgrows their rear-facing safety seat, which usually is when the child turns 3, the child can be placed in a safety seat that is forward-facing, but still in the back seat, until the child weighs no more than eighty (80) pounds and/or is at least 4-years-old. Remember to NEVER turn a child forward-facing before 12 months old AND 20-22 pounds.
Phase 3 – After age 4 and at least forty (40) pounds, children are allowed to ride in a booster seat with the car’s lap and shoulder belt used to secure them. Once the child is tall enough for the safety belt to secure them properly, usually when the child is 4’9″ tall, the booster seat no longer is needed.
Phase 4 – Once a child outgrows the booster seat, usually when he or she reaches 4’9″ and around 100 pounds, the adult safety belt should fit them properly. The lap belt fits low over the hips and at the top of the thighs. The shoulder belt fits across the center of the chest.
If you are unsure how to properly attach the child seat to the car’s seat, your local fire department personnel should be able to assist you with it. Or if you are leaving the hospital with an infant, medical professionals will instruct you on the proper use before you leave with your new family member.

The above regulations are national requirements. Additionally, in the state of Texas, a child who is less than 4’9″ tall is required to ride in a booster seat until he or she reaches 8 years old. And while the vehicle is in motion, anybody who is less than 17 years old is required to have their seatbelts buckled. If a law enforcement officer observes children riding unrestrained, the driver will be ticketed.

These national laws were implemented to save the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. Anyone who has children riding in their vehicles is required to have an age-appropriate safety seat in use. The use of safety seats has drastically cut back the number of injuries and deaths. More than 250,000 children suffered from injuries sustained in car accidents in one year alone. And approximately 2,000 of those children perished from their injuries. Don’t let your child become a statistic. Use proper age-appropriate restrains. If your restraints don’t prevent your child from being injured, or despite using proper restraints another driver is to blame for an injured child in a car accident, you have a parental obligation to seek justice for your child.

The state of Texas also leads the nation in the number of children – thirteen – who have died due to hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is another name for heat exposure or heat exhaustion. These littlest victims died when a caregiver, parent, or guardian forgot about them and left them strapped in their car seats for an extended amount of time in the hot Texas heat. The average outside temperature between June and September in Texas is 90 degrees. And that’s in the shade. Imagine how hot it can get inside an enclosed vehicle for thirty (30) minutes – let alone an hour – on a normal sunny day in Texas. If your child was injured or has died because of someone else’s negligence, you should seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney like the ones at our Law Office.

In the state Texas, there is a twenty-four (24) month statute of limitations that must be adhered to in order to file a personal injury claim if you were injured in an accident. When a child is the victim harmed, the statute of limitations ends two years after that child’s 18th birthday. It gives the underage child enough time to act on his or her own behalf just in case the parents or guardian did not fight for the child’s rights in a court of law at the time that the car wreck occurred.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that our Law Office is suggesting that it’s okay to procrastinate when it comes to filing a case against the person responsible for an injured child in car accident personal injury claim. In fact the sooner the claim is filed the better off your opportunities are of proving that your minor child has been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence.

What is in the Child’s Best Interest?
Even though parents should know what’s best for their child(ren), if the parents are not attorneys, they probably do not know the best way to bring a guilty person to justice who is to blame for a child’s injuries or death in a car accident. That’s why parents of the minor should hire an experienced attorney who can present the best case now while all the evidence is still available.

In addition, the court could appoint a third party representative for the child, called an ad litem or child advocate. An advocate or ad litem is a neutral party who has no biological or personal connection to the parents or guardian of the injured child or the person responsible for the child’s injuries. The goal of the ad litem/advocate is to make sure the child’s interests are represented.

Calculation of Damages for a Child’s Injuries in a Car Wreck
The first thing you should do is to seek medical care for your child after an accident. If the crash is severe enough that an ambulance is called to the scene, it is in the best interest of your child to go to a hospital for a full medical diagnostic. Depending on the age of the child during the accident, any damage might cause the child’s physical development to be stunted or altered. Some injuries are not visible to the naked eye, but only in x-rays or through the examination by a medical professional. So even if your child is old enough to express his or her pain, don’t take their word for it. Allow them to get a full examination. It will be a part of your evidence should you decide to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for your injured child’s car accident. If money is a problem and your family is unsure how any medical bills will be paid, attorney might be able to help your child get the medical care he or she needs free of charge until after your injured child’s car accident claim is settled. Call our Law Office today to discuss your child’s injuries.

In addition to medical expenses, the negligent person or persons most likely will be required to pay general damages and special damages. The amount of damages will depend on the minor child’s age at the time of the accident. These cases often require certain legal presentations to win compensation from the driver who is at fault. The guilty person could be ordered to pay general damages and special damages.

General damages include pay off for physical pain and suffering and disfigurement if applicable. But if the child was permanently disabled in the car accident, the general monetary damage awarded could be higher than those for an adult. That’s because a child who is disabled will not be able to take care of themselves. So their financial support will depend on family members or they will become dependant on government assistance. As a disabled person he or she will need expensive medical care.

Special damages are the accumulation of the monetary damages suffered by the child. The amount could include medical bills, property damage expenses such as the vehicle the child was riding in or driving, any legal fees, and lost wages if the child was employed was working during the time of the car accident.

Our attorneys who represent children hurt in traffic accidents have more than twenty years of experience. Call our Law Office today to discuss your child’s injuries.

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Birth Injury Lawsuit Lawyer Discusses Brachial Plexus, Shoulder Dystocia, and Erb’s Palsy

Birth injuries can happen to anyone and can result in very serious medical conditions. Numerous factors, even seemingly unrelated ones like a rushed or tired physician, can result in life-threatening or long-term disabling injuries to both mother and child and can occur during pregnancy or childbirth.

While some birth injuries happen merely because of the statistical inevitability of nature, many other birth injuries occur because of the negligent actions of doctors, nurses, obstetricians, and other medical personnel, who have been given the incredible responsibility of safely delivering babies. Sadly, just a minor error by a physician can result in a lifetime of medical treatment, care, and special accommodations for a child who has suffered an injury.

Erb’s Palsy is one of the most serious medical conditions that can arise from a birth injury and is characterized by a significant decline of strength and range of movement in the child’s arm and shoulder. This injury can translate into mounting medical and treatment bills that can quickly overwhelm a parent or guardian. If you find yourself in this situation and struggling with these issues, and are suspicious that medical malpractice may have occurred in the injury to your child, you may potentially qualify for compensation for your financial losses and medical expenses, ranging from past bills to future or impending costs for medical care. Our Erb’s palsy medical malpractice attorneys have compiled this brief article to highlight specific kinds of birth injuries that can lead to life-long health issues for a child.

For the past twenty years, the birth-injury attorneys of our Law Office have learned the legal complexities of birth injury lawsuits. We can help you understand the intricate issues involving birth injuries and the litigation needed to solve them. Often in trying to decipher if the birth injury was a tragic natural occurrence or caused by someone’s negligence, parents have no medical-legal experience to turn to when an injury occurs. We can help make that determination and then work diligently to make sure your case is resolved to your satisfaction and that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Brachial Plexus Injuries
The brachial plexus is the bundle of nerves that connects the spine to the upper extremities, such as the shoulders, arms, and hands. Any excessive physical exertion or unusually difficult labor and delivery can injure both mother and child in different ways. Brachial plexus injuries can happen in exceptionally large babies, unusually small birth canals, awkward positioning of the baby in the womb, or abnormal activity in the uterus or womb. It is a fairly normal occurrence, afflicting nearly 20 percent of all childbirths. Dystocia is any excessive physical exertion or unusually difficult labor and delivery. It can injure both mother and child in different ways. Attending obstetricians and their medical staff have been trained to take reasonable care in delivering the baby without causing injury or harm because brachial plexus injuries frequently take place during childbirth.

In most cases, the medical staff bypasses vaginal delivery and performs an emergency caesarian section (c-section) or a high-forceps procedure. This can result in serious birth injuries to the brachial plexus nerve cluster that joins the hand, arm, and shoulder to the spine. In newborn babies, these nerves are clustered together in the shoulder before completely spreading throughout the entire arm in the adult arm and shoulder. The damage to these nerves can be significant, even to the point where the nerves become severed and lead to life-long debilities because of the way they’re bunched together. Sometimes surgery can be done to correct the damaged nerves.

Many doctors try to avert liability by telling the families of babies who suffered birth injuries, the harm that took place was unpreventable or was simply normal, under the circumstances. Some birth injuries happen just because of the statistical inevitability of nature, but others occur because of the negligent care from physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals, who were given the incredible responsibility of delivering the baby safely. Many of these injuries are diagnosed incorrectly. Many times a doctor will recognize the obvious signs, yet simply hope the injury or symptoms will go away. In some cases, the nerve damage does go away.

Shoulder Dystocia
Erb’s palsy usually happens when the baby’s shoulder getting stuck in the birth canal, which is a condition known as shoulder dystocia. If a weary or inexperienced doctor pushes or pulls too forcefully in attempting to dislodge the baby, shoulder dystocia can cause the shoulder to dislocate, which damages the brachial plexus nerve cluster. If an infant’s shoulder becomes immovable, the delivery process becomes quite risky, because of the extreme pressure put on the baby’s head, neck, and umbilical cord. If action is not taken immediately to readjust the shoulder, the baby could suffer severe brain injury because of the lack of oxygen to the brain. This lack of oxygen is called hypoxia. If too great a pressure is applied, the brachial plexus nerves can become stretched, bruised torn, or even severed. On many occasions, in these severe situations, medical malpractice occurs because of the aggressive or negligent behavior of health care professionals.

Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s Palsy most often arises from the condition of shoulder dystocia as mentioned above. Erb’s Palsy causes the muscles in the arm to lack adequate stimulation by the brain, which leaves the arm immobile or very weak, depending on the severity of the brachial plexus nerve injury.

Erb’s Palsy should be detected soon after birth by the attending physician and staff because the symptoms are immediately obvious. Babies can’t grip with the affected hand, lack voluntary movement in the affected arm, and hold their arm tightly pinned against their body, cocked at a 90-degree angle. Occasionally, less severe brachial plexus nerve injuries can be treated and corrected with proper treatment or specialized surgery by the attending physician. Erb’s Palsy, however, creates lifelong disabilities that require extensive treatment and therapy, including specialized adaptive technologies and accommodations. However, proper delivery techniques can prevent injuries to the brachial plexus nerves.

Call Our Erb’s Palsy Lawyer
The attorneys at our Law Office have been helping families recover from birthing process injuries for over twenty years. We understand how to navigate the rough waters of medical malpractice law, unlike many attorneys who simply avoid these type cases because they are too complicated and challenging to win. We will devote the time required to build a solid case to make sure those responsible for your baby’s shoulder dystocia, brachial nerve trauma, or Erb’s Palsy are made accountable. We’ve won millions of dollars in settlements from every major insurance carrier in the U.S. The insurance company adjusters and defense lawyers are familiar with our successful track record. As a result, our clients frequently receive fair settlement offers without having to go to trial. Our attorneys can ensure you get the best results possible so that your child receives the best treatment possible and compensation for the mental and physical trauma they have suffered in this ordeal. If your child has been injured in childbirth because of a medical professional’s negligence, call the birthing injury attorneys at our Law Office for a free consultation. We can answer your specific questions and help you make an informed decision.

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