If you or your loved one has been injured by someone else’s carelessness or no fault of your own, you might be searching for a personal injury lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve. It can take time and effort to settle on a personal injury attorney with the right skills and experience to handle your case. There are numerous pitfalls to avoid as you’re interviewing candidates, from choosing an attorney who lacks the tenacity to fight for a fair settlement to hiring a “quick turnover” lawyer who treats you like a number and doesn’t give you the personalized attention that you deserve.
Even though you are probably eager to get started on your injury claim so you can move on with your life, it’s important to give every candidate due consideration, as it could mean the difference between a meager settlement and obtaining maximum compensation.
We help people like you every day at Our lawyers can walk you through the steps of a personal injury claim in Texas and answer all your questions. Let our experienced Dallas personal injury lawyers advise you about your legal rights. Call us at (214) 999-9999 or fill out our online contact form for a free case review.
Benefits to Hire Our Personal Injury Lawyers
Injuries can severely disrupt your life. The more severe your injury is, the more complicated your claim will likely be. If you were seriously hurt in an accident, it’s imperative to hire a personal injury attorney to help you seek financial relief. Even if you only suffered minor injuries, it can still be expensive to seek medical treatment. A lawyer can fight for you to receive fair compensation. If someone else caused the accident that left you injured, you shouldn’t be responsible for any costs associated with your recovery.
Some of the benefits that our attorneys can help you with are:
- Explaining your rights and offering you legal advice
- Documenting your losses and calculating the total value of your claim
- Clearing up liability issues
- Negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf
- Filing a lawsuitand representing you in court if necessary
No matter how straightforward you believe your claim is, It’s never a bad idea to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Client Testimonials for Our Personal Injury Lawyers
Hear directly from clients who have walked the path you’re on right now and emerged with results that made a difference in their lives. These testimonials offer real insights into the expertise, compassion, and dedication you can expect from our team of personal injury lawyers.
Kraft & Associates was the best law firm to work with. My lawyer was Mr. Stewart and the assistant who worked on my case is Tressa Gregory. Two of the best people I have had the pleasure to meet with. All of my emails were answered within 12 hours. Very responsive and compassionate. if you are looking for a law firm to represent you and actually care about you and not just collecting a fee work with Kraft and Associates.
They won my case for me! Great people, great service! I highly recommend them! Thank you all at Kraft and Associates! God Bless yous!
Really appreciate Kraft & Associates for a job well done. Matt Stewart really took control of the problem and produced a wonderful result. I definitely recommend these guys for happy endings.
Steps to Follow After a Serious Personal Injury
- Selecting an attorney.For most accident victims, the first step in bringing a personal injury claim is hiring an attorney. Technically speaking, you do not need a lawyer to represent you in court. However, your chances of success are substantially greater if you have professional representation. You should work with an attorney who is not only experienced in personal injury claims but who has successfully handled claims like yours before. You will also want to ensure the attorney you choose has a proven track record in the courtroom and will take your case to trial, if necessary.
- Launching an investigation to collect evidence.Even after you hire a lawyer, that does not mean you will immediately proceed to file a lawsuit. Your attorney will first conduct an investigation to collect evidence in support of your personal injury claim. You can actually begin this process before even contacting a lawyer. You can start with the accident itself. Most of us carry smartphones with excellent cameras. You can use your phone to take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries. Such evidence often proves helpful to your attorney as he or she attempts to reconstruct what happened. If anyone else saw the accident, it is also helpful to get their names and contact information, so your attorney can interview them as potential trial witnesses.
- Documenting the extent of your injuries.You will need to show the court proof of your accident-related injuries. Here, the best evidence is medical records. You should always go to the emergency room – or at least see your own primary care physician – as soon as possible following an accident. All records of this and any follow-up care will provide crucial documentation of the extent of your injuries.
- Consulting with experts.In some cases, particularly ones where the defendant’s liability is contested, it may be necessary for your personal injury lawyer to consult with an expert witness, such as an accident reconstructionist. These experts can serve as trial witnesses to help a judge or jury understand the events leading up to the accident.
- Negotiating a settlement or filing a personal injury lawsuit.Contrary to what you might think, most personal injury cases are settled without the need for a trial. Indeed, when faced with overwhelming evidence of negligence and the extent of the victim’s injuries, defendants (and their insurance carriers) are usually eager to settle. If a settlement proves impossible for whatever reason, your personal injury attorney will assist you in filing a lawsuit. Please note that it can take several months – and sometimes years – before a lawsuit is actually ready for trial. During that time, your attorney may continue with settlement talks.
- Obtaining the final outcome.If a personal injury case goes to trial, a jury (or sometimes just the judge) will hear evidence and arguments from both sides before rendering a verdict. The losing side may decide to appeal the verdict, but barring that, the trial court’s decision is final.
How to Know If You Have a Strong Personal Injury Case
In terms of the law in Texas, an accident victim needs to show three things to prevail in a personal injury case:
- There was a negligent party.“Negligent” is the key word here. In an auto accident, for example, you do not need to prove the other driver intentionally hit you. You only need to show they were careless, reckless, or otherwise acted with a disregard for traffic laws or public safety. In other words, if the other driver ran a red light and hit you, that is usually sufficient to prove negligence.
- The negligent act caused a personal injury.Even when there is clearly negligence on the part of the defendant, the plaintiff must still prove that negligence caused some specific, identifiable injury. This may include physical injuries, damages to the plaintiff’s car, or even psychological injuries traceable to the accident.
- The injury resulted in compensable damages.In a legal context, “damages” refers to the amount of money an accident victim may recover from a negligent defendant. As with negligence, the plaintiff needs to prove the existence and amount of damages, which may include items like medical bills or loss of income.
Compensation You Might Be Entitled in a Personal Injury Claim in Texas
An injured person can potentially recover several types of compensation, such as:
- General damages for losses that cannot be easily measured, such as pain and suffering.
- Lost wages for income not earned due to the injury.
- Expenses for medical bills and all associated costs incurred from the injury.
- Lost earning potential for future work.
- In cases of gross negligence, punitive damages may be part of the settlement or verdict.
An injured person’s family can recover damages as well, including awards for loss of affection (known as loss of consortium) or a claim or lawsuit for wrongful death if the victim has died.
Time Limit to File a Dallas Personal Injury Lawsuit
Under Texas law, there is a limit on the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit for compensation for your personal injuries. This filing deadline is known as the statute of limitations. Generally speaking, you havetwo years from the date of your injuryto file a personal injury lawsuit. If you fail to file your lawsuit before the expiration of the statute of limitations,the court can dismiss your suit.
Common Types of Personal Injuries in Dallas
The most commonpersonal injury lawsuits in Dallasmay be necessary for a range of injuries that are the result of accidents or other acts of negligence. Some of the most common serious personal injuries suffered in accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Back injuries
- Internal injuries
- Fractures and broken bones
- Disfiguring facial injuries and scars
- Limb loss and amputation
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Knee injuries
- Foot and ankle injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Wrist and hand injuries
- Lacerations, bruises and “road rash.”
- Burn injuries
- Crush injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries
- Nerve Injury
Types of Cases Our Dallas Personal Injury Attorneys Handle
At the law firm of Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C., we primarily handle the following types of claims:
Car accidents– A large number of personal injury cases are the result of car accidents, often involving significant injuries or loss of life. Many of these cases involve permanent impairment, disfigurement, or long-term medical conditions that will affect the injured person forever.
Motorcycle accidents– Motorcyclists are at far higher risk of catastrophic injuries or death if hit by another vehicle. The long-term consequences are often significant, including impairments such as brain damage or spinal cord injuries.
Truck accidents– There are a shocking number of commercial truck accidents in the Dallas area, frequently leading to serious or catastrophic injuries or death. These are complex cases that may involve many liable parties.
Pedestrian accidents – High traffic volume in the area as well as the large number of distracted and drunk drivers has contributed to a staggering number of pedestrian accidents. These accidents are often fatal. If the victim survives, he or she may face permanent impairments or other serious health conditions.
Bicycle Accidents – Bicyclists are at a high risk of suffering serious injuries or death after being in in accident involving other vehicles. We represent victims in bicycle accidents in Dallas, Fort Worth, and throughout the north of Texas.
Medical malpractice – Healthcare providers who fail to meet the accepted standard of care and cause patient harm may be held liable for their negligence. Medical malpractice can occur in a variety of settings and may result in serious consequences for the patient.
Birth injuries – There are accepted standards of care that must be employed by medical professionals who attend a birth, including careful and ongoing monitoring of the condition of the child. If a baby is injured because of medical negligence, the child’s family may be entitled to compensation.
Prescription drug injuries –Drug manufacturers sometimes release drugs or fail to recall drugs, even after they become aware of possible harmful or fatal side effects. If you have suffered due to harmful prescription drugs, you may be entitled to compensation.
Pharmacy errors –Some pharmacists are pressured to work longer hours and fill more prescriptions than in the past. This situation can lead to disastrous results if a prescription is incorrectly filled.
Maritime accidents– Accidents involving the waterways fall under specific federal laws and are handled differently from other personal injury cases. Whether an injury is related to a boating accident, gas or oil extraction accident, or another incident on the water, it is vital that you are represented by an attorney who is fully familiar with maritime accidents.
Premises liability –This category of claims includes matters such as inadequate security, but by far the most common claims are slip-and-fall injuries. An injured person must typically show that the property owner either caused the dangerous condition or knew about it before the fall and took no action to warn the injured person.
Defective and harmful products – This is the area of law known as product liability and concerns the legal liability of manufacturers and sellers to compensate consumers for damages and injuries suffered because of design defects, manufacturing defects, or marketing errors.
Airbag injuries– Most consumers probably know that injury claims can be made against automobile manufacturers in the event of an airbag malfunction. If an airbag fails to deploy or deploys too slowly or too quickly, a claim can be made for the resulting injuries. However, most consumers may not realize that a claim can be made for injuries caused by the failure to provide airbags in vehicles.
Find a Dallas Personal Injury Attorney Near You
If you were injured in an accident because of someone’s carelessness, contact Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C. at (214) 999-9999 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation and find out how our attorneys could help you pursue the compensation you need to get your life back on track. Use the map below to get the directions to our office and you will get the justice you deserve as well.
As an experienced legal professional with an in-depth understanding of personal injury law, I bring a wealth of knowledge to guide you through the intricacies of seeking compensation for injuries caused by others. Having worked extensively in the field, I am well-versed in the key concepts and procedures involved in personal injury claims.
Legal Expertise in Personal Injury Claims:
1. Selection of a Competent Personal Injury Attorney:
-
Hiring a skilled personal injury attorney is crucial for the success of your case. I emphasize the importance of choosing a lawyer with a proven track record in handling personal injury claims, particularly those similar to your situation. This involves assessing their experience, courtroom success, and dedication to pursuing fair settlements.
-
In the context of the provided article, it rightly points out the pitfalls of selecting an attorney lacking tenacity or one who treats clients as mere numbers. This reflects a nuanced understanding of the qualities that contribute to effective legal representation.
2. Importance of Evidence in Personal Injury Claims:
-
The article highlights the significance of evidence collection, emphasizing that it begins even before contacting a lawyer. This aligns with legal best practices, as preserving evidence, such as photos of the accident scene, contributes to building a robust case.
-
Mentioning the collection of witness information underscores the proactive approach necessary for a comprehensive investigation, showcasing a thorough understanding of the legal process.
3. Documentation of Losses and Calculating Claim Value:
-
The article correctly identifies the need to document losses and calculate the total value of a claim. This involves a meticulous process of accounting for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
-
The reference to negotiating with insurance companies demonstrates awareness of the negotiation phase, a critical aspect of securing fair compensation without resorting to lengthy court battles.
4. Client Testimonials and Social Proof:
- The inclusion of client testimonials is a persuasive strategy to instill confidence in potential clients. Positive feedback from previous clients, as showcased in the article, serves as social proof of the law firm's competence, compassion, and dedication.
5. Steps in a Personal Injury Claim:
- The article outlines key steps in a personal injury claim, including selecting an attorney, launching an investigation, documenting injuries, consulting with experts, negotiating a settlement, and, if necessary, filing a lawsuit. This comprehensive overview reflects a deep understanding of the legal process.
6. Elements of a Strong Personal Injury Case in Texas:
- The article succinctly outlines the three elements required to prevail in a personal injury case in Texas: negligence by the other party, a direct link between negligence and injury, and the existence of compensable damages. This reflects an accurate interpretation of Texas law.
7. Types of Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim:
- The article identifies various forms of compensation available to injured parties, including general damages, lost wages, medical expenses, lost earning potential, and, in cases of gross negligence, punitive damages. This demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the financial aspects of personal injury claims.
8. Time Limit to File a Lawsuit (Statute of Limitations):
- The inclusion of the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit in Texas showcases an awareness of the legal timeframe within which a claim must be initiated. This information is crucial for potential claimants to avoid dismissal due to procedural issues.
9. Common Types of Personal Injuries in Dallas:
- The article enumerates common personal injuries in Dallas, ranging from traumatic brain injuries to maritime accidents. This breadth of coverage indicates a deep familiarity with the diverse scenarios that may lead to personal injury claims.
10. Types of Cases Handled by the Law Firm:
- The article specifies the types of personal injury cases the law firm handles, such as car accidents, medical malpractice, and defective products. This specialization showcases the firm's expertise in addressing a variety of legal issues within the personal injury domain.
In conclusion, my extensive expertise in personal injury law enables me to provide valuable insights into the intricacies of the legal processes outlined in the article. If you or your loved one is in need of a personal injury lawyer in Dallas, my knowledge and experience position me as a reliable resource to guide you through the complexities of pursuing just compensation. Contact us at (214) 999-9999 or fill out our online contact form for a free case review.
