6 tips to find the best slip and fall lawyer in Texas
Slips, trips and falls are one of the leading causes of preventable accidents in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, these types of accidents sent more than 8 million Americans to the emergency room and resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths nationwide.
If you’ve recently suffered a slip and fall injury, chances are you want to find the best personal injury lawyer to help you win your case and fight for your rights. However, to find one, you must first define what “best” means to you.
Do you want a lawyer who has a reputation for winning a lot of slip and fall cases? Is your number one priority how much compensation you will get? Would you prefer a lawyer who charges contingency fees?
Undoubtedly, finding the right personal injury lawyer is a complicated yet important decision. For this reason, we’ll offer you some advice to help you make the correct decision.
Remember: the best lawyer for one case may not be the right lawyer for another!
1. Use reviews as a guide
Online reviews can provide you with a lot of excellent information about lawyers and law firms. With them, you can get a general idea of how past clients felt about their experiences and identify potential problems that show that particular lawyer isn’t the best fit for you.
2. Look for experience in cases like yours
Consider how much experience a lawyer has in handling cases like yours.
In Texas, different types of personal injury cases can be subject to different rules and laws. Some are quite complicated, so having an attorney who not only has experience with these types of claims, but also specializes in them, gives you a great advantage.
An experienced attorney already knows the parties who are regularly involved in these types of disputes and will have developed strategies to help their clients win.
3. Research their professional history
Before meeting with an attorney, find out if they have any record of disciplinary action. Attorneys must follow the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct in their practices. When they violate a rule, the state bar may penalize them through a no-confidence motion, suspension or disbarment.
Previous confrontations with the state bar may raise a red flag. Ethical violations can put your case at risk.
4. Schedule a free consultation and get to know the lawyer
Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations. This isn’t just an opportunity for them to learn and evaluate your case, but also your chance to ask questions and get to know the attorney.
What does your instinct tell you about the lawyer? Do you trust them and feel they are being honest with you about the case? Do you think your personalities would get along?
You shouldn’t underestimate your gut feeling. Trust your instincts.
5. Discuss rates ahead of time
Attorney fees can create friction. Avoid this problem by discussing fees during the free consultation.
Most personal injury lawyers in Texas work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you only have to pay them if they win your case. You should ask how the attorney’s fees are calculated into the compensation equation.
6. Take into account previous case outcomes
Past results don’t guarantee future success, but it’s important to consider a lawyer’s ability to get compensation for their clients.
What kind of results can they guarantee? Have they demonstrated an ability to win? Do they appear eager to settle or do they show a willingness to take the case all the way to trial, when necessary?
Case outcomes, beyond simply the compensation amounts, can tell a lot about a lawyer.
What is a slip and fall injury?
Slip and fall injuries are among the most common causes of hospital visits in the United States. This is a term used to refer to a case in which a person slips or trips and is injured on someone else’s property.
These events generally fall into the broader category of cases known as “premises liability” claims. Slip and fall accidents generally occur on property or premises owned or maintained by another person. For this reason, the property owner may be legally liable for incidents.
There are many potentially dangerous conditions, such as torn carpets, uneven floors, poor lighting, narrow stairs or wet floors, that can cause someone to slip and injure themselves. The same is true if someone trips on a cracked public sidewalk or falls down a flight of stairs.
Common causes of slip and fall accidents:
Some of the most common causes of a slip and fall in Texas are due to:
- Poorly lit stairways
- Unsafe construction sites
- Wet floors
- A poorly paved street
- Unstable elevated surfaces
- Unsafe parking ramps
- Unsafe stairs
If you’re dealing with pain, suffering and medical bills resulting from a slip and fall injury, and you believe that one of the reasons listed above may have contributed to the accident, contact a personal injury attorney.
What should I do after suffering a slip and fall injury?
Is your main concern getting compensation for the personal injuries you have suffered? If so, you must have proof that the party you’re suing was negligent or at fault for the conditions that caused your slip and fall injury.
If you have witnesses that prove liability under one of the circumstances described above, be sure to keep this evidence in a safe place and report it to a slip and fall injury lawyer.
Call a Texas slip and fall lawyer
If you’re injured due to a slip or fall, contact an attorney at George Salinas Injury Lawyers. We understand that a catastrophic accident can be life-changing. Schedule an initial consultation, so we can help guide you on the right legal path.
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