Personal Injury Lawyer El Paso, Texas

If someone else was at fault for an accident that caused you to suffer an injury, there are four elements that you must prove as part of a personal injury claim for compensation:

First, you must prove that the other person/entity owed you a duty of care.

Sometimes, this is very easy to prove. In a car accident, for example, it’s easy to prove another motorist owed you a duty of care because all drivers must act in a reasonable manner that keeps others safe. In other types of cases, however, such as premises liability cases, this can be a difficult element to prove. This is because property owners do not owe everyone a duty of care. Property owners do not, for example, have a duty of care to trespassers.

Second, you must show that the defendant failed to provide that duty of care.

This is known as negligence, or acting carelessly or recklessly. This is typically a difficult element of proof and one in which the assistance of an El Paso personal injury attorney can be extremely helpful.

Third, you must prove that the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries.

Even if there were other factors that contributed to the accident, the defendant’s negligence must have been a factor that caused your injuries.

Lastly, you must also prove that you suffered actual damages.

If you did not incur damages or losses, there is nothing to compensate for and, therefore, there is no claim.

There are many ways a personal injury attorney from the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC, can help with your case. Some of the most important include:

Knowledge of the law

This is perhaps the greatest value our attorneys will add to your case. Our attorneys have vast knowledge about the law and how it applies to your case. We can explain this in very clear terms and advise you of your legal options for seeking full compensation.

Gather records

After suffering an injury, you need to focus on your treatment and recovery. Although you will need certain documents such as medical records, you are likely not in a position to collect them. Our attorney will understand which records are most important to your case and obtain them to substantiate your claim.

Investigate

Our attorneys also have the necessary resources to investigate your case. We will visit the accident scene to collect physical evidence, ask businesses for video surveillance to serve as digital evidence, collect statements from eyewitnesses, and reach out to our own expert witnesses.

Evaluate your claim

Often, accident victims are not aware of the full extent of the damages they deserve. Our lawyers will accurately evaluate your claim so you are demanding the full amount of compensation you deserve and are not surprised later with expenses you must pay out of pocket.

Negotiation

Because most people don’t do this every day, accident victims also don’t know how to effectively negotiate for a fair settlement. Our attorneys, on the other hand, do negotiate with insurance companies and at-fault parties on a daily basis. We will use this experience to help your case and aggressively negotiate for the full settlement you deserve.

Litigation

When the other side is not willing to negotiate a fair settlement, the case will go to litigation, which is a trial heard by a judge and jury. Here again, the experience of our trial attorneys is invaluable, as we also know how to effectively argue your case and refute the statements of the defendants.

Unfortunately, there are many people working against you during a personal injury claim. However, our personal injury lawyer is always on your side and will act tirelessly as your advocate throughout the entire process.

The compensation available in a personal injury claim is known as damages. There are several different types of damages available in a personal injury claim. Some of the most common include:

Our Texas injury lawyers will aggressively pursue the maximum damages you need to make a full recovery.

Catastrophic injuries are generally those that happen suddenly and unexpectedly and that are life-changing for the victim. There are many different types of injuries that are classified as catastrophic and that require ongoing treatment for years to come. In many cases, accident victims never recover from these injuries. The most common catastrophic injuries include:

Do not try to handle a catastrophic injury claim on your own. The long-term damages from these injuries can be extremely costly, and a seasoned attorney will be able to help you calculate what fair compensation should be in your case.

Like all states, Texas has a statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits. This is the time limit you have to file your personal injury claim for compensation. Most personal injury claims in the state have a statute of limitations of two years. If you do not file your claim before this time expires, the courts will likely dismiss your claim and bar you from receiving any compensation.

It’s also important to know that building a strong case takes time, so the sooner you contact an El Paso injury attorney, the better.

The moments after any accident can be frightening. Most accident victims aren’t sure what to do next, or how their actions may affect a future claim. Still, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your legal right to compensation.