Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Pleasanton

You don’t need to hire an attorney to recover compensation, and you’re within your rights to pursue a claim independently. You may even prefer to go it alone so you can keep every cent you negotiate in a settlement and avoid legal fees. However, seeking legal advice provides many benefits. Plus, the most obvious party to pursue may not have the deepest pockets, which can make it challenging to secure maximum compensation.

Our personal injury lawyer in Pleasanton will explore every avenue available to identify the best party to hold liable and gather evidence to build your case — including crash reports, medical records, accident reconstructions, and CCTV footage — and calculate every loss you’ve suffered or might experience in the future. If your case goes to trial, we’re also familiar with judges and clerks in Texas courts, which can give you an edge when presenting your case.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of hiring a personal injury lawyer is that we will handle the entire process for you and protect you from lowball offers from insurance companies. Your health is paramount, and the stress and complexity of pursuing a claim can compromise your recovery. By allowing us to shoulder the legal burden, you can prioritize your well-being. And, because we can recover additional compensation for losses you might not realize you’re entitled to, many of our clients receive more compensation than they would when going it alone — even after paying legal fees.

The value of your personal injury claim hinges on several factors, including the extent of your injuries, your medical treatment, how long you are out of work — or if you can return at all — and your evidence. You are entitled to several damages in a claim, comprising your medical bills, lost wages, and property repairs. Your non-economic damages — for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment — are typically calculated by applying a multiplier to your tangible losses based on the severity of your injuries and their long-term impact. The insurance adjuster appointed to your case will likely make an initial offer to tempt you to settle your claim, but this often falls short of what you truly deserve. These factors can make it difficult to estimate how much you could receive without knowing the details of your accident.

You can use our Texas personal injury settlement calculator for a rough guide, but we advise speaking to an attorney for the most accurate estimate. We offer a free, no-obligation case review so you can see if you have a claim. Our Pleasanton, Texas, personal injury lawyer will negotiate the maximum settlement and isn’t afraid to take your case to court if the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer.

Your Pleasanton personal injury lawyer at the Patino Law Firm works on a contingency basis, meaning you never pay upfront and only ever pay legal fees when we win your case. We collect a percentage of your settlement or court award, so when you receive your settlement check, you can rest assured every cent is yours, and you won’t receive any nasty surprises. We work this way because we appreciate the financial consequences of being hurt in an accident and that paying for legal advice and representation can add stress at an already uncertain time, but we don’t believe you should have to compromise on having the best personal injury attorney in Pleasanton, TX, represent you.

Before accepting any settlement offer from an insurance company, consulting a personal injury attorney is crucial. Insurance companies often try to tempt injury victims into settling their cases for far less than they are entitled to so they can save money. A settlement offer might be tempting if you have bills to pay, no wage coming in, and a family to provide for, but accepting the first offer could leave you struggling to cover your future expenses, especially if you do not fully understand the long-term implications of your injuries.

As soon as you accept a settlement, you release the at-fault party from liability, so you cannot pursue additional compensation later should your condition worsen. Our personal injury lawyer can advise on the fairness of any offers you receive and negotiate a settlement that fairly compensates you for your losses. If you’re worried about immediate expenses, such as paying for surgery or a stay in hospital, we can issue a letter of protection to postpone payment until your claim is resolved.

Not all states allow injury victims to recover compensation if they contributed to their accident. Fortunately, Texas has modified comparative negligence laws. Put simply, this principle entitles you to compensation as long as you are less than 51% at fault for your accident. This scenario is more common than you might assume, such as when a driver’s brakes fail due to an auto defect. The manufacturer may be majorly liable, but you could also be partly responsible if you failed to get your car serviced regularly.

When you contributed to your accident and a settlement cannot be negotiated with the other responsible party, you can file a lawsuit, during which a jury will determine your percentage of liability. If the jury finds you between 1% and 51% at fault, your compensation is reduced accordingly. For example, if a jury awards $400,000 but you are 20% liable, you will receive the remaining 80% — $320,000.

The main takeaway is this: in Texas, you are not automatically prevented from claiming compensation if you contributed to your accident, but you must seek legal advice. Our Pleasanton personal injury lawyer can investigate the accident, determine who else is liable, and build a persuasive case that shows you are not majorly at fault.

We offer a free, no-obligation case review, so you have nothing to lose by contacting us to find out where you stand, even if you’re unsure whether you can claim.

The statute of limitations governs the deadline for filing a personal injury claim, and it varies by state. The statute of limitations in Texas is two years after your accident, although there are rare exceptions.

Two years may seem like plenty of time, but it doesn’t mean you should wait to contact a personal injury lawyer after being injured in an accident. There are many benefits to beginning the process as early as possible. Your personal injury lawyer in Pleasanton can:

• Recover physical evidence before it is cleared, disappears, or is intentionally hidden or destroyed by the at-fault party.
• Retrieve crucial eyewitness testimony while the accident remains fresh in their memories, making their evidence more credible.
• Ensure you get the medical treatment you need and document your injuries, preventing insurance companies from arguing you were hurt later on, not during the accident.
• Begin negotiations with insurance companies, giving you plenty of time to file a lawsuit before the deadline expires if the insurer refuses to make a fair offer.

The average settlement for a personal injury case in Texas is not really representative of how much most people will recover in a claim, as each settlement or verdict depends on the specific circumstances of each case. For example, an individual who suffers minor injuries and property damage might be entitled to tens of thousands of dollars, while a person who is permanently disabled after an accident and will need lifelong treatment and care might recover millions of dollars — the average of those two claims might sit at hundreds of thousands of dollars. How much you are entitled to depends entirely on the severity of your injuries and their long-term impact, the cost of medical treatment and how your injury affects your ability to work, and more.

That’s why we recommend consulting a free case review with our Pleasanton personal injury lawyer — we can provide an accurate estimate of how much your claim might be worth after learning more about your accident and who is responsible.

In Texas, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the injury. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, so it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident to ensure that your claim is filed within the applicable timeframe.

Our personal injury lawyers in Pleasanton handle a wide variety of cases, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Dog bites
• Construction accidents
• Wrongful death
• Medical malpractice
• Product liability claims
• Rideshare accidents
• Drunk-driving accidents.

We have a proven track record of success in handling all types of personal injury cases, and we are committed to getting our clients the compensation they deserve.

To prove negligence in a Texas personal injury case, you must establish the following elements:

• Duty: The defendant owed you a duty of care.  
• Breach: The defendant breached that duty of care.  
• Causation: The defendant’s breach of duty caused your injuries.  
• Damages: You suffered damages because of your injuries.  

An experienced personal injury attorney can help you gather the evidence necessary to prove negligence and establish your claim.  

Evidence can take many forms, including:

• Accident and police reports  
• Eyewitness testimony  
• Medical records  
• Expert testimony  
• Photos and videos of the accident scene  
• Physical evidence from the accident scene.

It is important to collect and preserve any evidence that may be relevant to your case as soon as possible after the accident. An attorney can help you identify and collect the evidence you need to prove your claim.

Your choice of personal injury lawyer can significantly affect the outcome of your case. Some attorneys will encourage you to settle quickly — even if you deserve more — so they can resolve the claim and pocket their fee. Others may not have experience litigating claims and will urge you to settle to avoid a lawsuit or pass your claim to another attorney, forcing you to begin a new relationship with a lawyer you are not familiar with.

With so many personal injury firms vying for your attention, it’s important to do your research and select an attorney who is the right fit for you and your unique circumstances.  

Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:

• Experience: Look for an attorney with a proven track record of success in handling similar cases to yours. An experienced attorney will have the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of your case and get you the best possible result.  
• Reputation: Choose an attorney with a strong reputation in the legal community. You can research an attorney’s reputation by reading online reviews, checking their qualifications and memberships, and speaking to past clients.  
• Local expertise: Local knowledge can be a significant advantage in a personal injury case. An attorney familiar with the local courts, judges, and insurance companies will be better equipped to handle your case effectively and secure the right result.  
• Communication: Larger firms may boast a stellar record of securing results but be unable to offer one-on-one attention, instead communicating with you largely via email or directing you to an assistant or paralegal for case updates. The level of communication you want from your attorney is a personal preference, so this is something you will want to consider — and question a prospective firm about — before hiring them.  
• Fees: Make sure you understand the attorney’s fee structure before hiring them. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, but it is important to discuss fees upfront to avoid surprises later on.
• First impressions: First impressions count, and if an attorney makes you feel uncomfortable or pressurizes you to make a decision before you’re ready, they might not be the right fit. You should feel comfortable with your attorney and trust that they are dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for your case. Your attorney will be managing multiple cases at any one time, but when they are speaking to you and working on your case, they should make you feel you are their only client. 

At Patino Law Firm, we are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal representation. We have a proven track record of success in handling personal injury cases, and we are dedicated to getting our clients the compensation they deserve.  

If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer near Pleasanton, Texas, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation case review. We will be happy to discuss your case with you and answer your questions.