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Calhoun Meredith, PLLC

3801 Kirby Dr Suite 605,
Houston, TX 77098
(346) 258-5588

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Thousands of people in Houston, Texas, suffer personal injuries from various accidents. If you've been in an accident where you sustained injuries, you can file a compensation claim against the at-fault party. It would be best to call the law offices of Calhoun Meredith to represent you and get you a fair settlement for your wounds. Our Houston personal injury lawyers are available now!

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What Is a Personal Injury?

If you have been in a car accident and suffered an injury, you must understand the personal injury field. Understanding this concept will aid you in filing your case and choice of personal injury attorneys.

A personal injury refers to harm caused by someone's actions to another individual's body, mind, or emotions and can lead to loss of life. This is opposed to any personal property damage in the same accident. Personal injury claims are claims filed to recover compensation for emotional hurt from an accident.

The plaintiff in a personal injury claim is the wounded party. On the other hand, the defendant is often the person who caused the injury. If the accident resulted in a person's wrongful death, the plaintiffs would be the deceased's estate's representatives. 

From the above, it is clear that people suffer personal injuries from:

Clearly, accidents of any form are the primary causes of personal injuries in Texas. 

car accident injury

What Is a Fair Settlement?

After a crash, the direct damages clients want to recover are medical expenses because they must have spent their money treating their wounds. However, medical treatment bills aren't the only financial compensation you can recover.

Apart from medical bills, personal injury claimants can also recover:

  • Lost earnings 
  • Pain and suffering
  • Legal fees
  • Cost of medical equipment
  • Disability damages
  • Loss of earning capacity

The goal of personal injury damages is compensation, but they can also be punitive. At trial, a judge may award punitive damages where the other party's conduct was so appalling and deserving of punishment.

On the path to compensation for injuries, victims can either file a personal injury lawsuit or negotiate a personal injury settlement. The majority of American personal injury victims settle their claims without going through a trial. Law firms advise that payment is an excellent option for an injured plaintiff because you can escape the hassles and uncertainty of litigation.

Not every offer made by a responsible party is a reasonable settlement. Fair compensation would be one that covers most or all of your medical treatment and other losses you have incurred from the accident. For wrongful death claims, it must cover the funeral and burial expenses.

In some rare cases where an insurance company makes a fair offer for your injuries, it would be best to counter with a reasonable amount too. This way, the other party understands that you're trying to compensate for your injuries and not get rich. Finally, with the aid of an injury law firm, you can get help and guidance to obtain compensation for your case.

Is it Worth Getting a Lawyer?

Personal injury clients often wonder whether hiring a lawyer is worth their time and money. The high cost of getting a lawyer and their often bad reputations worsens this dilemma. However, it is best to hire a Houston personal injury lawyer because you lack legal experience.

Indeed an individual has the right to file a lawsuit or start settlement negotiations without a lawyer; however, this is an inadvisable move. The personal injury claims process is a technical one, and it requires specific resources especially, the experience and expertise of a lawyer.

Below are three instances where it would be best to retain a Houston personal injury professional:

  • You're Asking for a Large Sum of Money: If you're asking for more than a couple thousand dollars, it will help if you had a lawyer. For one, an insurance adjuster is unlikely to take you seriously if you ask for such large sums without a lawyer present. Then, they will employ all forms of tactics to ensure that you leave with less money than you deserve, or none at all. 
  • The Fault is in Issue: Where the fault party denies being the cause of the accident and your injuries, it would help if you had a lawyer. Excellent Houston attorneys can craft your argument intelligently and present evidence to absolve you of the fault and prove the other party's responsibility. This is more so if your case involves multiple negligent parties.
  • You Sustain a Severe Injury: Your type of injury is a significant indicator of whether you should hire an attorney. If you suffer a catastrophic injury, you need to recover past, present, and future medical expenses. Therefore, you need a lawyer to prove that the fault party breached their duty of care towards you so that you can recover financial damages for your medical care.
shoulder injury victim

Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Drop Your Case?

Yes, your Houston personal injury lawyer can drop your case after some time.. Although Texas law requires that lawyers represent their clients until the lawsuit's conclusion, in legal practice, a lawyer may withdraw from your case.

However, there are steps the lawyer must take. Firstly, they will have to inform you and the court of their decision to retire. Furthermore, the legal process requires that they turn in every data they have on your case.

A lawyer withdrawing from your case can affect your case adversely. So, there must be a good reason for such withdrawal. Below are some instances where Houston personal injury lawyers can leave your case.

  1. Conflict of Interest

Yours and your lawyer's interest may conflict at some point. In such a case, the legal profession's ethics mandate that the lawyer hands off your case. A conflict of interest could be financial, or that the defendant in your case was a former client of your lawyer. Your lawyer will also mandatorily withdraw if they become a crucial witness in your case.

  1. You Have Engaged in Criminal Activities   

The law requires that your attorney defend you to the best of his ability. However, your lawyer ought not to engage in any criminal activity while in your defense. If you also commit a criminal offense or persist in one, your lawyer can withdraw from the case.

  1. You Withheld Critical Information From Your Lawyer

It would be best if you never lie to your lawyer. It would also help tell your lawyer all they need to know about your case. The other party could spring a surprise on your lawyer with data they don't have. If you withhold sensitive information or evidence from an attorney, they may drop your case.

There are other reasons why a lawyer dropped your case. It could be that:

  • The case requires a lot of time.
  • The lawyer no longer sees the possibility of success.
  • The defendant may be unable to pay even if you win.
  • The case is too costly, especially if it's on a contingency fee basis.
  • You violated the legal representation contract.

Houston's Best Personal Injury Lawyers Can Represent You

Even if your lawyer drops your case, many other Texas personal injury firms can still take the case if it has merit.. At Calhoun Meredith, our legal team has an excellent track record and the required experience to win any personal injury claim. If you have a Houston personal injury claim that you want to win, call us today for a consultation and representation.

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