Your Personal Injury Lawyer in New Braunfels

You do not need a lawyer to negotiate a settlement or represent yourself at trial after an accident, but it is beneficial to have an attorney in your corner. Personal injury claims are complex, and even if you have a solid legal understanding, it can be challenging to deal with the process while you’re seeking treatment and in physical pain. Going over the details of the accident and being so close to the claim can stir up or exacerbate emotions that can be difficult to deal with.

Filing a claim independently also puts you at a disadvantage regarding liability and damages. Often, multiple parties are at fault and the most obvious party (such as a driver in a truck accident) is not the best party to hold accountable. You may also fail to include certain damages when determining how much compensation you’d be willing to settle for because you didn’t realize you were entitled to them.

Aside from the knowledge and experience of a New Braunfels personal injury lawyer, one of the biggest benefits of legal representation is that they handle the entire process. This arrangement can be a major stress reliever and give you much-needed time and space to focus on your recovery.

While pursuing your claim alone may seem like the best way to recover as much compensation in the long run, an attorney can help you recover more compensation even after paying legal fees.

The worth of a personal injury claim depends on multiple factors, including your injuries, how they affect you and for how long, the other party’s level of fault, and the evidence proving the other party is responsible.

The value of your claim and the offer you receive are not mutually exclusive, and many insurance companies will attempt to settle the claim for as little as possible, even if the sum they offer is not enough to cover your long-term costs. These offers can also vary by insurer, as each uses a unique formula to determine the value of a claim.

Because several factors influence a claim’s worth, it’s unhelpful to throw out numbers randomly. The same injury will impact two individuals in different ways, so the best way to get an accurate estimate is to speak to an attorney, who can advise you after gathering more information about how your accident occurred and the extent of your injuries.

However, you can use our personal injury settlement calculator for a rough guide to how much you might expect.

Our New Braunfels personal injury lawyer can help you determine how much you are entitled to so you don’t settle for less than you deserve.

Our New Braunfels personal injury law firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you will never pay upfront and we only take a fee if we negotiate a settlement or win your case at trial. You are in control throughout the entire process and have the final say on whether you want to accept a settlement offer or file a lawsuit.

We then take a pre-agreed percentage of your settlement or court award and will deduct any additional costs, such as payment for medical treatment you needed during your claim.

Most personal injury lawyers in New Braunfels, including Patino Law Firm, work on a contingency fee basis. This arrangement means you don’t pay any upfront costs or hourly rates. Instead, your attorney’s fee is a percentage of your settlement or court award if you win your case.

The typical contingency fee ranges from 33.3% to 40%, depending on the complexity of your case and whether you proceed to trial. This fee structure ensures everyone has access to quality legal representation regardless of their financial situation — you don’t have to worry about paying legal fees while you’re unable to work and facing ever-climbing medical bills.

We believe in transparency and will clearly explain our fee structure before you decide to hire us. We’ll also keep you updated on costs as your claim progresses.

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Texas is two years from your accident. Two years might seem like plenty of time, but you can still find yourself racing against the clock. Building a strong personal injury case requires extensive evidence gathering and preparation, and it can be a slow, delicate process.

Insurance companies often employ delay tactics during negotiations, hoping to run down the clock. If negotiations fail, you must leave enough time to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires. Evidence can also deteriorate or disappear over time — skid marks fade, surveillance footage gets deleted, and witnesses’ memories become less reliable, so the sooner you consult a New Braunfels accident attorney to explore your options and begin the process, the better positioned you’ll be to recover maximum compensation.

Our personal injury lawyers in New Braunfels handle a wide variety of cases involving injuries caused by someone else’s negligence, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle crashes
• Drunk-driving accidents
• Workplace injuries
• Construction accidents
• Slips and falls (including at H-E-B or Walmart stores)
• Product liability claims
• Dog bites and animal attacks
• Catastrophic injuries, including brain trauma and spinal cord injuries
• Wrongful death cases.

Each case type requires an in-depth understanding of relevant laws and regulations. For example, truck accident claims often involve multiple liable parties and federal trucking regulations, while premises liability cases require proving the property owner knew about or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused your injury. Our New Braunfels personal injury lawyers understand the nuances of each claim, allowing us to achieve results our clients are thrilled with.

Proving negligence in a Texas personal injury case requires you to establish four elements:

1. A duty of care: For example, all drivers owe others on the road a duty to operate their vehicles safely, while property owners or managers must maintain safe premises for visitors.
2. Breach of duty: Evidence must show the defendant breached their duty of care through action or inaction. Common examples include running a red light, failing to clean up a spill, or not following workplace safety protocols.
3. The breach caused your injuries: Medical records, expert testimony, and accident reconstruction reports often help establish the link between the defendant’s negligence and your injuries.
4. You suffered actual damages: You must have suffered harm because of your injuries, whether financial (treatment costs, loss of income, or car repairs), physical (the pain of your injury), or emotional (such as distress, frustration, or being unable to enjoy hobbies).

Our New Braunfels personal injury attorney works with accident reconstructionists, medical experts, and other professionals to gather evidence proving each element of negligence in your case.

While you’re not legally required to hire an attorney for your personal injury claim, even seemingly minor injuries can have unexpected long-term consequences. What appears to be a minor muscle strain might develop into chronic pain, or a slight headache could indicate a more serious traumatic brain injury.

Even if you’re not severely hurt, you might be left with a car repair bill totaling thousands of dollars — and you’re entitled to recover the cost from the at-fault party.

Insurance companies often try to settle minor injury claims quickly before you can understand their long-term impact. However, once you accept a settlement, you cannot pursue additional compensation if your condition worsens.

A personal injury lawyer can ensure you understand the potential long-term implications of your injuries and help you avoid settling prematurely. They can also identify all potentially liable parties and insurance policies to maximize recovery, even in seemingly straightforward cases.

A minor injury might heal quickly, and you might wonder if it’s worth filing a claim. But don’t forget that even minor accidents can have a devastating emotional impact that could persist long after you’ve physically recovered. Compensation for non-economic damages can turn a modest settlement into something more substantial — we can help you calculate how much you might receive.

Finding the right personal injury lawyer in New Braunfels can feel overwhelming, especially with so many firms vying for your attention and making grand promises about how they can win your case. The key to making the right choice is to research and take the time you need. You should never feel pressured to sign an agreement on the spot — this is a personal, important decision, as your choice of attorney can significantly affect the outcome of your case.

Experience should be your first consideration — look for an injury lawyer who has successfully handled cases similar to yours. Many personal injury lawyers advertise impressive settlements on their websites, but you should dig deeper by checking independent review platforms like Google. Unbiased reviews from past clients often provide valuable insights into how a firm treats its clients and handles cases.

You should also consider location. There’s a massive advantage in choosing a local attorney who regularly practices in local courts, understands the preferences of specific judges, and has built relationships with court staff, insurance adjusters, and medical providers in the area. This local knowledge can prove invaluable when negotiating settlements or presenting your case at trial. Patino Law Firm is proud to serve South Texas. We’re not a national firm with big offices across the country. We’re a homegrown firm that knows the community and its people.

Most firms offer free consultations, and you shouldn’t be afraid to take advantage of as many as possible. Speak to several firms and use the time to get opinions on the strength of your case and evaluate how each attorney makes you feel. Pay attention to how they communicate — do they explain things clearly? Are they patient with your questions? Be cautious of any lawyer who guarantees an outcome or pressures you to sign paperwork immediately. The right attorney will help you understand your options while setting realistic expectations about what you might recover and the challenges of your case.

You should also consider the firm’s resources and approach to litigation. Some personal injury lawyers spend most of their time sitting in the office negotiating settlements and resolving claims as quickly as possible. If you have severe injuries requiring long-term care and your case is backed by powerful evidence, you could recover much more by going to trial. Most attorneys never set foot in the courthouse, but we’re there every week, advocating for our clients and securing life-changing results.

Remember, you’re not just hiring someone to handle paperwork. You’re choosing an advocate who will protect your rights and interests during what might be one of the most challenging periods of your life. The best attorney-client relationships are built on trust and genuine concern for your well-being, not just how quickly they can secure a payday.