If you’ve been injured in McAllen, Texas (or anywhere else for that matter), you need to consider contacting a lawyer sooner rather than later. Injuries can be expensive, even putting aside the extra cost and time investment a lawsuit can represent.
A McAllen personal injury lawyer like Arturo Martinez can help you catch the common mistakes litigants make that may tank your case. Whether you’re suing or defending, you deserve a fair shot at the legal process. Now allow us to review more specifically some of the ways contacting a lawyer as soon as an injury occurs is in your best interest.
Reason 1: You’re On the Clock
While it can be a bit tough for the layperson to parse, Texas’ statute of limitation laws only permits people to sue for injury within two years of the injury occurring. This is even the case for serious injuries, including wrongful death.
Note that while much of the advice in this article can broadly apply, this is specific to Texas. Most states have a statute of limitations that is similar but you will still want to research the law specific to your area.
This all said, you will want a lawyer much sooner, whether you’re suing or being sued. The reason for this is simple: the case more or less began the moment the injury occurred.
There are mistakes you can make that may ruin your case far before you enter the courtroom. A lawyer will help you build up your own case and avoid strengthening your opponent’s case where legally permitted.
Reason 2: The Opposition Already Lawyered Up
Imagine you just got into a serious car accident. Once the appropriate emergency services have been called, you should call a McAllen car accident lawyer right away. The reason is pretty simple: in addition to the above, the other person in the crash has likely “lawyered up” as well.
This holds true for just about any serious injury incident. Unless the opposition is very naive (or, as is sometimes the case, forgiving), they will at least contact a lawyer, if not hire one.
You will need a lawyer to help you control the narrative and build your case. The more time you allow to pass as the opposition is talking to legal counsel, the bigger an advantage you’ve allowed them. A lawyer will advise you on the steps you need to take for the best shot at winning your case.
If this all sounds opportunistic, remember that you are competing for what may now be tens of thousands of dollars. You want to do everything in your legal power to either win or, if your case is weak, settle.
Reason 3: Injury Cases Are Expensive
Do you know the average cost of a medically consulted work injury is around $42,000 in the United States? Meanwhile, the average work-related death has an estimated cost of over $1,000,000. An injury case is no joke.
If you’ve been wrongfully injured, you deserve to be compensated. Whether your injury is permanent or temporary, the person at fault needs to bear the cost, not you. While money can’t heal all wounds, it certainly can help deal with them.
On the other hand, if you’re being sued in a case like this, you still deserve legal protection. Not every case is valid; sometimes a worker is at fault for their own injuries. A person’s mistake can have a serious, tragic outcome and still not be your fault.
It isn’t “greedy” to try and avoid paying tens of thousands of dollars out of your own pocket if the law suggests someone else ought to pay. Whatever side of the case you’re on, you need to lawyer up.
If you want to know when to hire an attorney after a car accident or other injury, the answer is “As soon as possible.”
Reason 4: The Law is Complex
For better or worse, the legal process in the United States is hard to navigate. We’ve touched a bit on how it’s easy to make mistakes without a lawyer, but the truth it is almost impossible to sue without the aid of a legal expert. The same goes for defending against a lawsuit too.
Personal injury law attorneys have spent years studying the relevant law and procedure to give their clients the best chance of winning a case. This is in addition to their experience working real cases like yours, often even learning the nuances of other lawyers and judges you may have to deal with.
We like to pretend the law is blind and ever fair, but that isn’t the truth. The law is complicated and, without a guide, you are not likely to win your case, even if you were in the right. Representing oneself is difficult for a variety of reasons and doing so successfully is an enormous undertaking.
Reason 5: Case Evaluations Are Free
Perhaps the single biggest reason people avoid contacting lawyers is they’re afraid it will be expensive. After all, most lawyer work is not done for free. At the same time, the Law Office of Arturo Martinez offers free case evaluations, meaning you don’t need to commit without a conversation.
The way this works is simple. We will talk with you, asking for details about your case to better understand the result you’re looking to achieve. Then we can discuss your options, rough probability of success, and how we may be able to help you.
From there, you can make an educated choice about how to proceed. The goal is to make sure that, whatever you decide, you don’t feel blindsided. At our law office, it is important clients feel informed.
Contact a McAllen Personal Injury Lawyer Today
A McAllen personal injury lawyer is essential if you’ve been injured. Navigating the Texan courts is hard enough that legal council is not optional. That is putting aside that you may be incapacitated and/or have thousands of dollars riding on the case’s outcome.
If you’re interested in hiring a lawyer, or want a better idea of how you should approach your case, contact us. Arturo Martinez has years of experience with injury cases and more, and both he and his staff are fully bilingual, able to help clients in either English or Spanish as best suits your needs.
