Personal Injury Lawyer San Antonio TX
Personal injury cases can be difficult because you need to show that the offending party was negligent in their actions. This means either having proof that the defendant did something directly that harmed you or that they ignored taking important safety precautions that, in turn, caused your accident. No matter what, it is important to have a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, Texas from the Law Office of John W. Shaw, PLLC on your side to help you throughout the process. Keep reading to see how a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX can help you.
What does a personal injury lawyer do during the course of a case?
Personal injury lawyers wear many hats throughout a personal injury case. First, we make sure you meet all filing deadlines. There is a statute of limitations in place for filing a personal injury case in Texas, so you need to make sure you do not miss any of the dates and get your case completely thrown out. Next, we will create a good argument for your case. We may hire a team of investigators to go to the scene of the accident to see what may have been a contributing cause. We may also hire expert witnesses to testify in court. Finally, we will speak to the other party — and anyone else involved — on your behalf so that you do not have to worry about anything and can focus on healing.
When should you hire a personal injury lawyer?
You need to call a personal injury law firm as soon as you get injured because you want to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. By retaining legal assistance you are ensuring you do not say anything that could jeopardize your case. You are also able to begin building an argument for your case as well as taking all the important steps necessary to try to win your case. Your lawyer can begin working on all the details — big and small — while you do your best to heal from your accident. Personal injury lawsuits can be somewhat traumatic, so it is helpful having someone on your side who can think logically and offer a sympathetic shoulder to lean on while still fighting for you to get the compensation you deserve. By retaining representation right away you do not jeopardize as much potential of things that could go wrong in your case.
What Types of Cases Do Personal Injury Lawyers Handle?
Automobile Accidents
A motor vehicle accident may involve, your personal vehicle, busses, motorcycles, bicycles or pedestrians. If you are involved in this type of accident, you will typically exchange insurance and submit your claim, but if you are injured or experience more damage than an insurance company will pay for, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX. In fact, you may not even consider contacting an attorney except under these circumstances.
However, in many cases, you want to contact a reputable law firm, such as John W. Shaw Law, at the scene of the accident. Every minute after an accident, evidence can be lost. You need someone to pursue witness statements, gather any security footage and evaluate the scene, including the road conditions. The amount of evidence your attorney can gather may determine the strength of your case.
Medical Injuries
If you have had a recent medical procedure that did not go right, you may be eligible to sue for medical malpractice. For example, if you were neglected by healthcare professionals or facilities and you experienced an injury or your condition got worse due to this neglect, you may deserve compensation. Misdiagnoses, surgical or anesthesia mistakes and incorrect prescriptions may be signs of negligence.
Medical malpractice suits are highly technical, and your personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX needs extensive resources to investigate, build and try these cases because the attorney must prove that the patient’s injury was a direct result of a medical error.
Product Liability Cases
The US has created consumer protection laws that ensure companies do not produce dangerous goods to sell to the public. However, there are times when defective products are released into the market. If you are injured by a product, you should consult a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX. These firms, including John W. Shaw Law, will fight for you to receive compensation for a personal injury caused by a faulty product. However, these professionals need extensive product liability experience, and if they have experience with the product that injured you, they will already have a relationship with opposing counsel and the company, which may improve your outcome.
Property Injury Cases
Property owners are required to protect the health and safety of those on their property, including homes, land and businesses. Premises liability covers every case where a property owner was negligent or had hazards or dangerous conditions on their property. These injuries may include poisonings, slips and falls, faulty wiring, poor lighting, negligent security and other accidents. If you have experienced an injury on another person or business’s property, you should contact a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX.
Do’s and Don’ts for Personal Injury Cases in Texas
Do Get Medical Attention Right Away
After an accident or injury, it’s smart to seek medical attention right away. This can prevent your injuries from getting worse and help you recover safely. Also, doctors can detect underlying injuries that you may not notice yourself, including head trauma and neck injuries.
In addition, visiting the hospital can make your personal injury case stronger. A personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX, can use medical records, hospital bills, X-rays and doctor testimony to prove your injuries. This evidence can help you avoid a rejected claim, and it may increase the size of your settlement.
Do Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer ASAP
Get in touch with our experienced team at John W. Shaw Law for assistance with your personal injury claim. If possible, you should try to contact a personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX, the same day or at least the same week as the accident. That way, you can avoid making mistakes that can hurt your case.
It’s never a good idea to wait months before approaching a lawyer. Texas has a statute of limitations for personal injury claims, which means you have to act quickly or lose out on the opportunity to sue. Also, the longer you wait, the more difficult it is to gather evidence related to the accident.
Do Tell Your Lawyer Everything
Be honest with your attorney when discussing your injuries and the accident. Sometimes, people hide details because they’re afraid of damaging their case, but the best thing you can do is tell your attorney about these details. The more information we have, the better we can prepare to defend you and represent you.
At John W. Shaw Law, we have a lot of experience with personal injury laws, so we can often recommend strategies you may not have considered. To make decisions that benefit you, however, we need all the facts.
Don’t Lose Evidence
Preserve anything that you think may be related to the accident, including photos and videos of the scene, pictures of your injuries and clothing items.
A common mistake is washing the clothes used during the accident. Instead, put clothing items in a bag and store them in case your personal injury lawyer in San Antonio, TX needs them as proof of cuts, burns, chemical spills or other injuries. In the case of car accidents, don’t have your vehicle cleaned or repaired until we have a chance to document the evidence.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Texas Today
If you need assistance in a personal injury case, you need to reach out to the Law Office of John W. Shaw, PLLC today. We can schedule a consultation to go over your case and see whether or not it is something worth pursuing. A consultation is risk-free, as you do not need to pay for it, so hiring one of our lawyers is still risk-free because we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we do not collect payment unless we help you win your case.