Houston Personal Injury Lawyer

There is no reliable one-size-fits-all formula. Case value can depend on the seriousness and permanence of the injury, past and future medical needs, lost income or earning capacity, pain and impairment, the strength of the liability evidence, your share of fault, available insurance, and whether future damages can be proved. Be skeptical of websites that multiply medical bills by a fixed number and call that a settlement value.

Most Texas personal-injury lawsuits have a two-year limitations period under CPRC § 16.003. Wrongful-death claims are also generally subject to a two-year period running from death. But exceptions exist, and claims involving governmental entities can require much earlier notice. The City of Houston currently publishes a 90-day written-notice requirement for claims against the City, so the defendant must be identified early.

Address your medical needs, report the incident, and preserve evidence. Keep photographs, witness information, reports, medical documents, bills, lost-income records, and insurance correspondence. Do not destroy damaged property or other evidence that may matter. Before signing a release or giving a detailed recorded statement to the opposing insurer, understand what rights and claims are being affected.

You generally do not have a contractual duty to give the at-fault party's insurer a recorded statement. Your own insurer is different because your policy may require cooperation. Before a recorded statement, know who the adjuster represents, what the policy requires, and whether the statement could affect fault or the description of your injuries.

This firm handles accepted personal-injury matters under a written contingency-fee agreement. Under Texas Rule 1.04(d), a contingent-fee agreement must explain how the fee is calculated and how litigation or other expenses are handled. The initial case evaluation is free, and the written agreement controls the attorney fee and expense terms.

It can take months or, in disputed or serious cases, much longer. The timeline depends on medical treatment, whether future care is known, how clear fault is, insurance coverage, the amount in dispute, whether experts are needed, and whether a lawsuit must be filed. Settling before the medical picture is reasonably understood can trade speed for an incomplete valuation of future losses.

Yes, if your percentage of responsibility is not greater than 50% in a case governed by Texas Chapter 33. Your damages are generally reduced by your percentage of responsibility. If you are more than 50% responsible, § 33.001 bars recovery. That makes early photographs, witness accounts, vehicle data, video, and other fault evidence especially important.

Depending on the facts and claim type, damages can include past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, physical pain, mental anguish, physical impairment, disfigurement, property damage, and other legally recognized losses. Special caps and rules apply to certain categories, including health-care-liability claims, exemplary damages, and governmental defendants.

A liability claim does not necessarily pay medical bills as they arrive. Depending on the situation, treatment may initially involve health insurance, PIP or MedPay benefits, other available coverage, negotiated provider arrangements, or the patient's own payment responsibility. How medical charges are ultimately handled can affect the net recovery, so the available policies and bills should be reviewed early.

Do not judge an offer until you understand what claims the release will end and whether the medical and financial losses are reasonably known. An early offer may be appropriate in some cases and inadequate in others. Compare it against liability evidence, medical prognosis, future care, lost income, applicable coverage, liens or bills, and the value of giving up the right to seek more later.

Texas law does not require an injured person to hire a lawyer to make an insurance claim. Legal representation can become more valuable when injuries are serious, fault is disputed, multiple parties or insurance policies are involved, the insurer denies or undervalues the claim, a government or commercial defendant is involved, or a lawsuit may be necessary. A consultation can help determine whether the case justifies representation.

Not necessarily. Many claims resolve through negotiation without a trial. A lawsuit may be necessary when fault is disputed, damages cannot be agreed upon, an insurer refuses a reasonable resolution, or filing is required to protect the limitations period. Even after suit is filed, settlement can occur before trial. The decision whether to accept a settlement ultimately belongs to the client after receiving legal advice.