An unexpected injury can disrupt every aspect of your life. If you were injured due to another party’s negligence, a personal injury lawyer in Victoria can help you seek damages. Out-of-pocket costs have the potential to be crippling for some individuals and their families, and a personal injury claim can make all the difference when you are dealing with the effects of an accident.
The team at Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, has been advocating for injury victims for over 37 years. If you were hurt in an accident that wasn’t your fault, our attorneys can take on your case and help you obtain compensation. We are here to fight for you so you don’t have to make sense of the claim process by yourself. You receive direct access, personalized services and strategies, and advocacy from our team.
Why Hire a Victoria Personal Injury Lawyer
Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC guides clients through the claims process and helps them pursue compensation. The shock of an accident and the pain from injuries can be a lot to deal with, and our firm provides straightforward counsel and answers to make the process feel less overwhelming. We also ensure you feel comfortable with our approach and your options. After an accident, our lawyers can:
- Evaluate your case at no charge
- Gather evidence from the scene of the accident, including requesting statements or documents from all relevant parties
- Assess your damages to determine how much monetary compensation you may be eligible to receive
- Contact the liable party’s insurance company and work to negotiate a fair settlement
- Represent you at trial if we cannot reach a settlement agreement
With our team on your side, you can focus on recovering from your injuries while we investigate the accident, communicate on your behalf, and negotiate the terms of your settlement. Throughout your case, we give your case the time it deserves and ensure that your needs are prioritized.
We have offices in Houston, Corpus Christi, and Victoria; and will travel to any corner of Texas if we are capable of preventing an injustice.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Our personal injury law firm handles many different types of personal injury cases. Our attorneys are well-versed in Texas personal injury law, and we help ensure that you meet all the requirements in your claim as we personalize the strategies we use in your case. We can help if you need a:
- Victoria Car Accident Lawyer: A car accident can lead to costly vehicle repairs and medical treatment. We can review the circumstances of your crash, determine who is legally responsible, and pursue compensation for your losses.
- Victoria Truck Accident Lawyer: Liability can be complicated in truck accident claims. We can gather evidence to establish fault and help you obtain compensation from the parties responsible for your crash.
- Victoria Motorcycle Accident Lawyer: Motorcycle crashes can have life-changing consequences. We can handle your claim and help you obtain the compensation you need to move forward.
- Victoria Insurance Claims Lawyer: Disputes with insurance companies can arise when coverage is denied, delayed, or undervalued. We can evaluate the details of your policy and help you challenge unfair claim decisions.
- Victoria Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: A pedestrian accident can upend your life. We can help you build a strong claim and pursue damages.
- Victoria Wrongful Death Lawyer: The death of a loved one can affect an entire family. We can help you file a wrongful death claim and pursue compensation for funeral expenses and lost financial support.
- Victoria catastrophic injury lawyer: A catastrophic injury causes permanent physical damage and disability that prevents one or more parts of your body from functioning. This can include spine injuries, brain injuries, amputation, among other disabling conditions. Our attorneys help you secure full compensation and future costs.
- Victoria work injury lawyer: Work injuries can be serious depending on the cause of the accident. Our team helps you determine if you need to file a workers’ compensation or work injury claim and take the right steps to complete the process.
- Victoria property insurance claims lawyer: Dealing with the insurance company can be stressful, especially when your property has been damaged. We understand the time-sensitive nature of these claims and aggressively fight to secure the compensation you need to make repairs.
- Victoria rideshare accident lawyer: How claims are filed after a rideshare accident often depends on the driver’s status and which party caused the accident. Our team helps you determine how to proceed and how you can recover compensation.
Our experienced team is there for you no matter what you are facing. We are equipped to take on insurance companies and other parties to secure the compensation you need after a personal injury accident.
Victoria Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me 361-884-4433
Types of Compensation You Can Recover
You can recover several types of losses when you file a personal injury claim. Settlements are designed to provide for the expenses you have incurred, as well as the suffering the accident caused you. Common forms of compensation available in personal injury cases include:
- Medical bills: You can recover compensation for the cost of hospital care, doctor visits, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and other treatment related to your injury.
- Lost wages: If you could not work while recovering from the accident, you can pursue compensation for the income you lost.
- Reduced earning capacity: If an injury affects your ability to work in the future, you can seek damages for the accident’s long-term impact on your earning potential.
- Property damage: If an accident damages your vehicle or other personal property, you can recover the cost of repairing or replacing those items.
- Funeral and burial expenses: Surviving family members can seek costs to offset funeral and burial expenses if the accident was fatal.
- Pain and suffering: If an accident causes ongoing physical pain or emotional distress, you can pursue compensation for the non-economic effects the injury has had on your life.
- Punitive damages: In cases involving especially reckless or intentional misconduct, you can seek punitive damages that are intended to punish the wrongdoer and discourage similar behavior in the future
Since every case is different, there is no average settlement for a personal injury claim in Texas. Payouts can range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars, depending on factors like injury severity, cost of medical treatment, and long-term effects of the accident. Our personal injury attorneys in Victoria evaluate your case to estimate your claim’s value and discuss options if a settlement does not cover your medical bills.
The Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Claim in Texas
Under Texas’s personal injury statute of limitations, which is laid out in Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim. If you don’t file before this deadline, you risk losing your right to pursue legal action. Starting the claim process early will give your Victoria personal injury attorney more time to work on your case.
Representing the injured in all areas of Texas that extends back over 40 years
How Negligence is Shown
To demonstrate negligence, you must show that another party failed to act with reasonable care and caused you harm as a result. The goal is to show that you wouldn’t have been injured if it were not for their negligence. That requires establishing the following legal elements:
- Duty of care: The responsible party owed you a legal duty to act with reasonable care.
- Breach of duty: The person violated that duty by acting carelessly or recklessly.
- Causation: There is a clear connection between the negligent behavior and the accident (meaning your injury would not have occurred if the person had acted responsibly).
- Damages: The accident caused you measurable losses, such as medical bills, lost income, or other financial or personal harm.
A personal injury attorney in Victoria can gather evidence such as accident reports, medical records, photographs, and witness statements to establish what happened and who is liable. This strengthens your case against the at-fault party so you can hold them fully accountable for their actions.
You need a skilled advocate to protect your legal rights and present your claim in such a way as to maximize your recovery.
How to Proceed if You Were Partially at Fault for the Accident
In some personal injury cases, more than one party shares responsibility for an accident. Under Texas’s modified comparative fault system (Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code Chapter 33), you can still recover damages if you were partially responsible as long as your share of fault doesn’t exceed 50%. However, the total damages awarded will be reduced based on the percentage of fault assigned to you.
For example, if you are awarded $100,000 in damages but are found to be 20% responsible for the accident, your recovery would be $80,000. This can still present financial challenges because it leaves you responsible for $20,000 worth of expenses. On top of that, insurance companies may try to increase your fault percentage to minimize your settlement value.
Our team advocates for you and skillfully negotiates the value of your compensation so we can secure as much as possible. We demand fair payment from the insurance companies and are prepared to go to court if necessary.
Common Causes of Personal Injury Accidents in Texas
Most personal injury claims arise from situations where someone acted negligently. This means that most personal injury accidents could be prevented. Some of the most common causes of personal injuries that we see include:
- Distracted or reckless driving: Drivers who text, speed, or ignore traffic laws can cause motor vehicle accidents that result in catastrophic injuries.
- Unsafe property conditions: Slip and fall accidents may occur when property owners fail to repair hazards such as broken stairs, wet floors, or poor lighting.
- Defective products: Products that are poorly designed or improperly manufactured can cause injuries when they malfunction or fail during normal use.
- Workplace safety violations: Employers who fail to follow safety regulations or provide proper equipment can expose workers to unnecessary risks.
- Inadequate maintenance of vehicles or equipment: Mechanical failures caused by poor equipment or vehicle maintenance can contribute to accidents involving cars, trucks, or industrial machinery.
Sometimes the true cause of an accident is not always what it appears to be on the surface. For example, it may appear that another driver caused a car accident, but a defective part that caused the driver to lose control could be the culprit instead. That is why it is important to work with a personal injury lawyer in Victoria who can investigate your case to identify the source of the accident.
What Injuries are the Hardest to Demonstrate
After an accident, broken bones or visible wounds can usually be confirmed through medical imaging and physical examinations. Other injuries are more difficult to establish. Soft tissue injuries are among the most challenging to show in a personal injury claim because they aren’t always visible. As such, insurance may claim the injuries are exaggerated or unrelated to the accident.
Traumatic brain injuries can also be difficult to demonstrate, particularly when symptoms are subtle or develop gradually. Building a strong case for these types of injuries often requires gathering detailed medical records, testimony from medical professionals, and documentation showing how the injury has affected your daily life, work, and overall well-being.
What to Do After an Accident in Texas
The actions you take immediately after an accident can affect the outcome of your legal claim. It can also make a difference in your health, recovery, and future. To protect yourself, it’s important to take the following steps to the best of your ability depending on the severity of your accident:
- Report the incident: Car accidents should be reported to law enforcement, while other incidents should be reported to the property owner, employer, or other responsible party.
- Gather evidence: Photographs of the accident scene and any visible injuries can provide valuable documentation for your claim.
- Collect witness information: Statements from people who saw the accident can support your side of the story when you file a claim.
- Seek medical attention: Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you should visit a doctor to get evaluated.
- Consult an attorney: Reach out to our lawyers as soon as possible to start building your claim.
These steps can cut down on potential obstacles during the claim process and create a clearer path toward a settlement. Hiring a Victoria personal injury lawyer can further ease the process and provide guidance on what you should do going forward.
Consult a Personal Injury Attorney in Victoria
Recovering from an injury can be a long and difficult process. A Victoria personal injury attorney from Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC can help with every aspect of your personal injury case and work tirelessly to secure a fair settlement for you.
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation with our legal team. We offer direct access to our personal injury attorneys and offer a no win, no fee guarantee.
At Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC we can talk to you about your options and rights.