You see and hear commercials all of the time that call on people to seek legal help after an accident that has resulted in injury. But what if you aren’t sure what personal injury law is or what the process of filing a personal injury lawsuit is like? Not knowing how to proceed when you and your loved ones are hurt in a negligent accident can be extremely stressful. But you don’t have to worry. Below, the McAllen lawyers of Fryer & Hansen will help you explore the basics of personal injury law and the ways it can help bring attention to your accident.
Fryer and Hansen is here to help address your legal issues regarding personal injuries and will fight for what you deserve.
What is Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law involves bringing legal action to a situation where one party’s negligence resulted in the injury and/or death of another. Different types of personal injury situations may involve:
- Reckless driving that resulted in an accident
- Workplace-related incidents
- Premises Liability
- Nursing home abuse
Of these, car accidents are the most common. Countless accidents occur in our state each year, with many resulting in serious injury, or in more extreme cases, death. When this happens, the injured party has the opportunity to seek legal help. While it’s common for personal injury cases to be settled out of court, others typically end with lawsuits.
From Us
Our own Brian Hansen details the most common forms of personal injuries his firm sees. “We see many personal injuries from auto accidents. The cause is usually negligence such as texting and driving. When we take on personal injury cases, we use all resources at our disposal to determine what happened and how can we get you the justice and financial compensation you deserve.”
The Facts
Since most personal injury cases result from car accidents, it’s important to understand exactly what the most common causes of car crashes are:
- Distractions involving cellphone use (texting and driving)
- Reckless driving, such as speeding
- Failing to drive safely during severe weather
- Drinking and driving
Accidents involving these factors happen every day on Texas roads and can have long-lasting and damaging aftereffects on your entire family. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, over 100,000 traffic crashes have occurred due to distracted driving. In 2015 alone, 38% of Texas drivers admitted to using a phone while driving.
Furthermore, 21% claim to have either used a phone to text or send emails while behind the wheel. With numbers this high, it’s easy to see why so many distracted-related accidents occur.
If you’ve found yourself to be the victim of a car crash where another’s negligence played a role, know that you have legal options with Fryer & Hansen to help your situation.
What Should I do After an Accident?
First and foremost, file a police report. One of the most important pieces of evidence in a personal injury case is a report filed by law enforcement. These documents will detail what caused the accident, the extent of damages and injuries, and who the guilty party is. Our personal injury attorneys will use this when formulating your case against those who are responsible. A lawsuit may then be filed. As we said before, most successful personal injury lawsuits are settled out of court, but few make it to trial.
What You Can Do
Currently, the Texas DOT works hard to educate all Texans about the dangers distracted driving imposes. Any type of behavior that diminishes or eliminates a driver’s attention from the road is dangerous. Doing simple things such as not using a phone while driving can prevent injuries and costly bills down the road.
Remember that medical care can last for years following a car accident. Bills can reach thousands of dollars and, as a victim, it would unfair for you to handle this burden on your own. Let our team of personal injury lawyers in McAllen help with your case.
Put Your Trust in Us
If you or someone you love has suffered injury due to someone else’s negligence, know that our firm can help your case. An accident at the hands of an inattentive individual can potentially put your entire family’s life in limbo, but you don’t have to fix things on your own. From sitting down with you to learn your version of events, to finalizing a lawsuit, we’ll be with you each step of the way. Get in touch with the lawyers of Fryer & Hansen in McAllen to learn about what we can do for you.