Baytown Personal Injury Lawyer

Getting hurt in an accident causes considerable personal and financial disruption, especially if your injuries are long-term or permanent. If you or a loved one endured severe harm, the effects could impact your entire life.

Regardless of the circumstances, it is always wise to consult a knowledgeable attorney after an accident. A Baytown personal injury lawyer could review your situation and assess whether another party’s negligence contributed to your injuries. If so, you could collect compensation for all your injury-related losses.

Negligence Leads to Liability for Damages

Negligence occurs when someone does not behave with a reasonable degree of caution and their lack of prudence causes an injury to someone else. When a party’s negligent conduct contributes to an incident that causes harm, the negligent party is liable for the injured party’s losses.

An injured party who can prove negligence is entitled to receive damages. Damages in an accident case could include:

• Loss of or damage to personal property
• Medical care including pharmaceuticals, rehabilitation expenses, home healthcare services, medical equipment, future injury-related medical intervention, and psychological therapy
• Lost wages, the value of fringe benefits used during recovery, and compensation for reduced future earning capacity, if applicable
• Incidental expenses such as travel to medical appointments and help for household tasks
• Home renovations if necessary to accommodate a permanent injury
• Compensation for scarring or disfigurement
• Funds to compensate for physical pain, disability, inconvenience, and lost enjoyment of life

In some cases, an injured person’s loved ones could claim compensation for the loss of their love, companionship, and guidance.

Sometimes, an injured person bears some responsibility for the incident that caused their injury. According to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.003, a plaintiff could claim damages from other negligent parties, but the judge will reduce the amount they collect by a percentage equal to the injured person’s degree of fault. A Baytown civil injury attorney could present evidence showing that other parties are more at fault for the accident and reduce the injured person’s liability.

Negligence That Can Cause Personal Injury

Negligence is sometimes obvious, like when drunk driving leads to a car accident. However, an investigation might reveal other parties like a vehicle manufacturer or the locality responsible for maintaining the road also behaved negligently. If so, they could be liable in a negligence lawsuit involving a defective product or premises liability.

A Baytown attorney handles cases arising from many types of personal injury incidents. Workplace injuries, slip and falls, truck collisions, pedestrian and bicycle crashes, and medical malpractice could result in a personal injury lawsuit.

It might not be clear to an injured person whether another party’s carelessness contributed to their accident or who the negligent party might be. Consulting a legal professional soon after the accident could provide clarity and ensure someone has the best chance of obtaining maximum compensation from the negligent parties.

How an Attorney Could Help

Insurance companies often make cash settlement offers to injured people soon after an accident occurs. Families concerned about financial hardship or who are unaware of their rights might accept an offer in hopes of resolving their immediate concerns quickly.

However, accepting an offer from an insurer without first speaking with a Baytown accident attorney is unwise. Insurers do not pay more than necessary, and injured people are at a disadvantage if they are not represented by someone with the experience to accurately value the claim and negotiate an appropriate settlement.

Sometimes injured people are reluctant to hire an attorney, believing it will slow down the settlement process and lead to less money in their pocket. In fact, when a lawyer handles negotiations it often results in a faster and more favorable conclusion.

Consult a Baytown Personal Injury Attorney if You Need Representation

When you suffered injuries in an accident and another party bears some responsibility, you could be entitled to compensation from them. A Baytown personal injury lawyer could review your case and explain your legal options.

There is no reason to shoulder the burden of your injury alone. Call today to speak with the team at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris.