Frequently Asked Questions About Houston Personal Injury Law

Q: Why is my choice in attorney important for my injury case?

Every licensed attorney can lawfully accept personal injury clients. However, in order to receive the highest dollar settlement possible for your case, it is important that the attorney of your choice be an experienced Houston personal injury lawyer. The more experience your lawyer has in trying and settling personal injury cases the more valuable your case will be. 

Q: Does it cost more to have an experienced Houston personal injury attorney handle my case?

No. Personal injury attorneys all work on a contingency fee basis. That means the client pays nothing out of pocket for representation. The attorney gets paid, and only if a recovery is made. When a recovery is made the personal injury attorney will receive a certain percentage as a fee. Many experienced personal injury lawyers charge the same percentage for a fee as much less experienced lawyers.

Q: What is the usual course of plan for an injury case?

Each Houston personal injury case is different and its value (i.e. what its worth in dollars) is determined by how strong the evidence is in two different categories: (1) liability facts and (2) damage facts. Liability simply means fault. The stronger the facts are supporting liability, the greater value the case. Damages means the monetary amount to compensate the injured victim for losses suffered by the injury.

Q: What types of damages are recoverable in a personal injury case?

The personal injury victim can recover the following types of compensatory damages: (1) necessary medical expenses which have been incurred in the past and are likely to be incurred in the future; (2) loss of earnings in the past and loss of earning capacity in the future; (3) physical pain and mental anguish suffered in the past and will likely continue in the future; (4) physical impairment in the past and is likely to continue in the future; (5) physical disfigurement in the past and is likely to continue in the future. In some cases where there are particularly aggravating liability facts, a Plaintiff may also recover punitive damages. Punitive damages, also known as exemplary damages in addition to the compensatory damages described above.

Q: How long will it take to settle my personal injury case?

The time it takes to settle an injury case varies with the type of injury. Generally, minor injuries (those in which a full recovery is made) can settle in a few months. Serious injuries, such as those from which the victim will have some remaining disability, can take longer. Generally speaking, the more serious the injury the longer the insurance companies fight the case.

Q: How likely is it that my case will end up in court?

Most cases settle out of court. However, sometimes cases need to be prosecuted until the case is set for trial. Just as a criminal defendant sometimes pleas guilty on the verge of trial, often insurance companies will not pay fair value for an injury case unless they feel the need of a trial setting. The more experience your personal injury attorney has the more likely your case will settle out of court. Since Mr. Palermo has extensive experience in personal injury cases, over 90% of client cases settle out of court.