Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Del Rio

Many accidents cause injuries, but a personal injury is primarily a legal concept. An accident is considered a personal injury when it is caused by another person or party’s negligence (causing harm through a careless mistake or inaction) or recklessness (intentionally causing harm or knowing their actions are likely to cause harm).

Some common examples of personal injury in Del Rio include:

• Suffering a spinal cord injury after tripping over a pallet carelessly left in a supermarket aisle.
• Sustaining whiplash when a driver with road rage intentionally crashed into you.
• Having a piece of gauze left in your body by a doctor during surgery.
• Suffering burns when defective flat irons fail to regulate the temperature.
• Breaking a bone in a car accident when a speeding driver rear-ends your vehicle.
• Suffering post-traumatic stress disorder after losing a limb in a work accident.

An individual can suffer any of these injuries in many scenarios, from crashing into a guardrail because they are using their cell phone while driving to tripping over themselves because they’re rushing down the street. What defines these scenarios as personal injuries is the role of another person or party (such as a company) in contributing to the accident. But for their actions, the individual would not have suffered harm — and that’s why they can be held accountable in a personal injury claim.

While hiring a Del Rio, TX, personal injury lawyer is not mandatory to recover an insurance settlement after your accident, you may find it challenging to navigate the complexities of the law and secure a fair payout without their support and expertise.

An advantage of hiring an experienced attorney is the potential for a better settlement. While you may consider handling your claim to avoid legal fees, having a lawyer in your corner can lead to a higher payout. Hiring an attorney also alleviates the burden of gathering evidence and communicating with insurance adjusters if you feel stressed about not working and are dealing with physical pain and emotional distress.

Our contingency fee arrangement ensures you will only pay legal fees when we win your case. You have nothing to lose from speaking to a personal injury lawyer and seeing where you stand. When speaking to a Del Rio personal injury lawyer at Patino Law Firm, we promise we will never pressure you to agree to representation and will give you as long as you need.

The value of a personal injury lawsuit for an accident in Del Rio varies based on several factors. These factors include the severity of your injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and other quantifiable losses, the strength of your evidence, and whether you are partly liable for your accident.

Personal injury awards can vary significantly, from five to seven figures. Therefore, no ethical attorney can confidently state you are entitled to a specific amount without a detailed understanding of your situation and evidence. 

However, it can help to understand the different types of compensation you are entitled to.

Economic damages are the verifiable monetary losses experienced due to your injuries, such as lost wages and income potential, property damage, and past and future medical expenses related to your accident.

Non-economic damages compensate you for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. These are harder to calculate as they are subjective — it is not easy to assign a monetary value to compensate a traumatic brain injury victim who suffers debilitating headaches daily or whose relationships deteriorate because they have slurred speech and struggle to communicate.

Non-economic damages correlate to the severity of your injuries. If you lose your independence and are reliant on others, have sustained a brain injury, permanent scarring or disfigurement, or are left with a permanent disability, you will likely receive a much higher award compared to a person who was unable to work for a few months and made a full recovery.

You may also receive a third type of damages in a personal injury lawsuit: punitive (or exemplary) damages. A jury can award these damages to punish the defendant for their reckless or intentional conduct or deter others from similar acts. A jury can award any punitive damages amount, but they are subject to a cap.

You can use our personal injury settlement calculator to estimate the value of your claim. However, you should consult a personal injury lawyer in Del Rio for an accurate assessment, as every accident is unique.

The sooner you hire an attorney, the sooner you can resolve your claim and get the settlement you deserve. But it is vital not to rush your decision. Picking the wrong law firm can result in constant frustration and uncertainty over whether your personal injury attorney has your best interests in mind. You may even end up represented by an attorney who urges you to settle as quickly as possible — even if you are entitled to more — so they can take their cut.

Take the following steps to find the best personal injury attorney in Del Rio, TX.

Seek recommendations: Ask trusted friends, family, and colleagues if they can recommend a reputable personal injury attorney near you.

Conduct independent research: Online legal directories are a valuable resource and may include client testimonials and areas of expertise in one place. However, some directories boost the visibility of firms that pay for premium profiles, so resist assuming one firm is better than another based solely on its placement.

Check qualifications and recognition: Look for a Del Rio personal injury attorney recognized by reputable organizations like Top Attorneys of North America and the American Institute of Trial Lawyers (AIOTL), which have strict criteria for selecting attorneys and ensure trust and credibility.

Book a free consultation: Complementary case reviews allow you to probe an attorney about your case and their strategy for securing maximum compensation. If you are unsure what to ask, read our blog post containing the top questions to ask a personal injury lawyer, with sample answers and red flags to consider.

Client reviews and testimonials: Look for genuine client reviews and testimonials on reliable platforms like Google to learn about the experiences of other clients and gauge the quality of service provided. The details matter here — was a client always able to reach their attorney, or did they speak to a different assistant whenever they picked up the phone? When looking at the number of reviews, consider the size of a firm. A national firm with 50 lawyers in each office may have thousands of reviews, but you might struggle to get an update or answer to your question when needed. A smaller firm may boast a modest number of reviews but offer a personalized service that makes you feel valued.