Austin Personal Injury Attorneys

• Bicycle Accidents
• Brain Injuries
• Car Accidents
• Construction Accidents
• Mass Shootings
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Truck Accidents
• Wrongful Death

What Clients Have to Say About Working With US

“The quality of this firm is completely matched by the quality of the people working there.  Sincere, dedicated, hard-working individuals with some of the best legal minds around.  You couldn’t ask for more genuine counsel.” - Brittney

"Michelle Cheng is one of the most honest, competent attorneys I’ve met. She went out of her way to help my mother during a rough time. I really appreciate Michelle and this firm and wouldn’t hesitate to refer anyone who needs counsel." - Kristine

How Do Personal Injury Damages and Settlements Work?

When you file a personal injury lawsuit, the objective is to secure financial compensation for all damages – financial and otherwise – resulting from the negligence, error, or wrongdoing of the defendant. In many situations, the defendant will attempt to settle the case without a trial to efficiently resolve the matter and reduce the cost of litigation. Depending on the offer and circumstances, accepting a settlement may be in your best interest, as you will receive compensation much faster. 

Our Austin personal injury lawyers have successfully negotiated favorable settlements for our clients, including the family of a man who was killed in a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler. Upon investigation of the incident, we learned the truck driver was using drugs at the time of the accident. We subsequently negotiated a pre-trial settlement with the driver’s employer for a total recovery of $2 million.

Not all cases will be settled without a trial, especially if the defendant refuses to negotiate in good faith. We will always be direct and transparent when discussing whether you should accept an offered settlement or whether going to court is the best course of action. 

The compensation that you may seek in personal injury litigation is divided into three categories:

• Economic damages, which include monetary losses for medical expenses (those already incurred and the cost of future medical care), lost wages (both past and potential future earnings), and damaged property 
• Non-economic damages, which include compensation for pain, suffering, mental anguish, physical or mental impairment, disfigurement, and other losses that are difficult to easily quantify
• Punitive damages, which are only rarely awarded but are meant to punish the wrongdoing for particularly flagrant or malicious conduct

What Are the Statutes of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Texas?

If you are hurt by another person or organization’s negligence, you must take legal action quickly. Personal injury litigation in Texas has a statute of limitations of two years. In other words, if you do not file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court within two years of the date of the accident or incident, you will lose your opportunity to obtain compensation for damages (unless special circumstances exist). 

It is important to note that there are some circumstances in which you will need to act even faster. For example, if you are hurt because of the negligence of the State of Texas, a Texas government agency, or a state government employee, you must initiate the legal process within six months of the date you were injured. You must first file a “Notice of Claim” with the appropriate entity within this timeframe before you can bring a personal injury lawsuit. Once this requirement is satisfied, the typical two-year personal injury statute of limitations typically applies. 

Because the statute of limitations is so short when a negligent actor is a government employee, you should get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible after an injury occurs. Our team is familiar with how to take legal action against the State of Texas and other government entities and is happy to discuss your case. 

If you are injured by an entity, agent, or employee of the federal United States government, an entirely different procedure is required. For information on how to obtain compensation in these situations, we encourage you to visit our page on the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), then give us a call. We handle cases against the U.S. government nationwide. 

Do not let deadlines destroy your compensation. Contact us at (833) 913-1885for a skilled, experienced personal injury attorney in Austin!