What Is a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Personal injury lawsuits arise when one person suffers damages from an accident or injury because of another’s negligent conduct. In these cases, those hurt in an accident should contact a personal injury lawyer. What is a personal injury lawyer? A personal injury lawyer is an attorney representing clients seeking damages from a responsible party or insurance company after an accident.
Types of Personal Injury Cases
Suppose a person is the victim of an accident and suffers an injury. In that case, they might be able to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court against the at-fault party to recover compensation.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
A motor vehicle accident is one of the most common reasons for filing a personal injury claim. Motor vehicle accidents include cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, one person was injured every two minutes and 12 seconds in Texas in 2021 due to a motor vehicle accident.
Motor vehicle accidents can be minor or catastrophic; every situation is unique. However, no matter the extent of the crash, if the individual who caused your accident was negligent, careless, or reckless, you could recover compensation for your injuries.
Common examples of driver negligence include:
- Driving while intoxicated,
- Texting while driving, and
- Disobeying traffic laws and signals.
The other driver’s negligence is not always immediately known. It often takes investigative work to determine the cause of the crash, which is one reason you will benefit from the experience of a seasoned personal injury lawyer. At Armstrong Lee & Baker, we will assist you every step of the way.
Medical Malpractice
Sadly, some of the worst personal injury cases occur at the hands of doctors and other medical professionals. Unfortunately, people are injured by doctors every day. If a medical professional, including a physician, nurse, therapist, or practitioner, negligently causes an injury to their patient, they can be held liable for any injury.
Common types of injuries that can be the basis for a medical malpractice claim include:
- Surgical mistakes (including surgical site errors),
- Birth injuries,
- Failure to treat, and
- Improper medication administration.
Medical malpractice errors can result in catastrophic permanent injuries. You may be able to receive compensation for the physical, mental, emotional, and financial consequences of the doctor’s mistake.
Product Liability
In general, the basis of a product liability claim comes from being injured by a product or object. Three available product liability claims can be filed: manufacturing defect, design defect, and failure to warn against potential dangers. Product liability claims are often complex and challenging for two reasons. One, you are usually going up against a large corporation with deep pockets, and two, proving the defect can be complicated and require extensive investigation and discovery to determine the cause. At Armstrong Lee & Baker, we have the resources to go up against the big guys and fight for you.
Premise Liability
The last significant type of personal injury claim is a premise liability claim that seeks to hold a property owner responsible for injuries due to unsafe conditions.
Premise liability claims include but are not limited to the following:
- Slip and fall accidents,
- Roof collapse,
- Construction negligence,
- Dog bites,
- Hotel accidents, and
- Elevator and escalator accidents.
Our Pasadena personal injury attorneys are here to help you.
While each of these claims follows the same general framework, there can be critical differences in the procedures and rules that govern the case. A Pasadena personal injury lawyer can help injury victims assess the viability of their claim, gather relevant evidence, and present a compelling case for maximum damages.
Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases
An accident can cause almost any type of injury. However, we see specific injuries routinely due to an accident and negligence. These types of injuries include:
- Fractures,
- Lacerations,
- Strains,
- Bruises,
- Traumatic brain injuries,
- Spinal cord injuries,
- Disformity and disfigurement,
- Paralysis,
- Burns, and
- Death.
Many injuries manifest themselves over time and are not immediately apparent right after the accident. No matter the type and extent of your injuries, you should consult a lawyer to determine if you have a personal injury case for damages.
Steps to Take After an Accident
No matter the type of accident, there are specific steps you should take immediately following an accident.
Seek medical attention: First, you should get medical attention from a doctor after any accident, including an emergency room visit, primary care services, and orthopedic treatment. Keep track of any records from your medical care. They can help your case.
Gather documentation: You should gather evidence and documentation surrounding the accident, including photos and video, obtain witness contact information, get a copy of the police report, and jot down what you can recall from the incident.
Consult with a personal injury lawyer in Pasadena: After an accident, you should schedule a consultation with a personal injury attorney to discuss your options, including submitting a claim, negotiating with insurance adjusters, and filing a civil lawsuit.
Meet with one of our personal injury attorneys at Armstrong Lee & Baker to discuss in detail what steps you can take following an accident specific to your situation.
When to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer
Contacting a personal injury lawyer is always recommended whenever an accident or injury appears to result from another’s careless, reckless, or negligent conduct or omission. For example, calling a personal injury attorney after the following events is crucial to securing adequate compensation after an accident:
Severe Injuries
Attorneys play an invaluable role in accidents that cause severe injuries. In these cases, the at-fault party’s attorney or insurance company will likely go to great lengths to avoid paying appropriate compensation. However, these situations often require the most costly and long-term treatment protocols. Thus, those who suffer serious injuries in an accident should call a Pasadena personal injury lawyer.
Toxic Exposure
Toxic exposure cases typically involve large companies and conglomerates that maintain a team of attorneys to defend against these claims. In addition to the inherent power imbalance, toxic exposure cases are challenging to prove and often require understanding and presenting complex scientific data. Those who believe they have suffered injuries because of toxic exposure should call a Pasadena personal injury attorney.
Insurance Disputes
Regardless of the nature of an accident, insurance companies usually play a role in negotiating, settling, and deciding accident claims. Insurance companies are fundamentally profit-driven entities and prioritize their financial standing. Calling an attorney to handle these negotiations can help achieve a more favorable outcome.
How to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Having the right attorney can dramatically impact the likelihood of securing an appropriate settlement after experiencing the lifelong impact of another’s negligence. Regardless of the facts and circumstances of the accident, hiring the right attorney is a weighty decision that requires thoughtful consideration. Some steps to hiring the right personal injury lawyer Pasadena include the following:
- Determine the practice area of your case;
- Search for licensed and experienced attorneys;
- Review past client testimonials, and
- Schedule an initial consultation.
During an initial consultation, you should keep an eye out for specific traits that make a successful personal injury lawyer. Some preferable characteristics for lawyers are the following:
- Good communication skills;
- Empathy;
- Decisiveness;
- Experience, and
- Commitment.
These characteristics aid in positive lawyer-client relationships, enhance client satisfaction, and improve personal injury victims’ well-being during and after their claims process.
How Much Is a Personal Injury Lawyer?
How much is a personal injury lawyer Pasadena? At Armstrong Lee & Baker, the attorneys provide free initial consultations and work on a contingency fee basis. Under the firm’s contingency fee framework, the attorneys collect payment only if they win a client’s case. This applies whether the client collects compensation through a settlement or a judgment.
The amount that our attorneys collect after a successful outcome depends on many factors. However, if our client wins, our attorneys generally take a predetermined amount or percentage of the award. Our attorneys go over this predetermined amount with clients before hiring.
Is It Worth Getting a Personal Injury Lawyer?
According to a prominent study by the RAND Corporation, one in every six Americans suffers an injury in an accident that results in a measurable economic loss. Nearly one-third of those individuals experience a moderate to severe injury that presents high costs to them and society. These costs can have long-term impacts on the livelihood of accident victims and their family members. Thus, hiring an attorney to handle these claims ensures that a claimant secures a judgment that accurately reflects all aspects of the incident and ensuing damages.
Speak with an Experienced Pasadena Personal Injury Attorney About Your Injuries Today
If you or a loved one were recently injured in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall, or any other preventable accident, you may be entitled to damages to help you cover the costs of all your accident-related expenses.
The Pasadena personal injury lawyers at Armstrong Lee & Baker have years of experience helping injury victims navigate the complexities of the personal injury recovery process in pursuit of the financial compensation they need and deserve. We offer free consultations to all accident victims, during which we will explain the process, advise you of your rights, answer your questions, and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.
To learn more and to schedule a free consultation today, call 832-402-6637. You can also reach us through our secure online contact form.
