Austin Personal Injury Lawyer

Helping Injured Texans for Over 60 Years

Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, was established in 1959, and we are now the oldest personal injury law firm in Austin. Our lawyers have been selected for inclusion in the Texas Super Lawyers® list, awarded Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent* Rating, and named among the Best Lawyers® by US News & World Report as listed below. We have been doing first class work for more than 50 years, building a top tier reputation.

Our firm is dedicated to great client communication, attention to detail and hard work. We treat every case with the care and attention our clients deserve. Our history of success in the courtroom gives us leverage to negotiate fair settlements on behalf of our clients. When you need a seasoned and dedicated lawyer to represent you in a personal injury matter, contact us.

Experienced Austin Personal Injury Attorneys With A Successful Track Record

Injuries happen every day, and in every location imaginable, including in the workplace, the home, on the road, in hospitals, public parking lots and business establishments. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), unintentional injuries cost more than $790 billion a year. The NSC reports that prescription painkillers have made poisoning currently the number one cause of unintentional death in the U.S.

If you have been injured through someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to file a claim for damages. Since 1959, Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP has been helping injured people pursue full and fair compensation for the injuries they have suffered.

Personal Injury FAQ

How long will it take to file my claim?

This is a very popular question and the answer varies. It is difficult to generate a timetable for personal injury claims. Some claims that are not taken to trial take a few months to complete. However, some claims take years to complete. Every personal injury claim is unique, the circumstances are different as well as the parties involved.

What type of compensation can I receive?

The answer to this question depends largely on the details of the case. The severity of your injuries, type of insurance you have, and the actions of both parties that lead to the incident all hold weight when determining the outcome. Possible types of compensation include:

• Medical bills
• Current pain and suffering
• Future pain and suffering
• Loss of income

The attorney you hire will be able to predict the strength of your claim. They may also be able to offer a rough estimate of how much compensation you can receive. Other factors involved independent of the incident may influence the outcome. Factors such as your criminal record, employment history, age and lifestyle may be considered when determining your amount of compensation.

What is the cost of a lawyer?

When selecting an attorney to represent your case, it is always within your best interest to hire someone who works on a contingency basis. This means that your representative will not receive payment for their services until your case has been won. The actual cost of lawyer fess varies from firm to firm.

When should I file a claim?

The sooner you file, the better. Most states operate under a “statute of limitations.” This means that after an established period of time, you are not able to receive compensation for that particular incident. For this reason, immediately after the incident, contact a personal injury lawyer. Injured victims have a short window of time to file claims, so file as soon as you can.

If the incident was partially my fault, can I still file?

Once again this depends heavily on the laws of that state or jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions still allow you to file a claim if the incident was partially your fault. Very few places do not allow those partially at fault to file. Although some jurisdictions allow you to file the compensation may be reduced if you contributed to your injuries.

What Is the statute of limitations in personal injury cases?

The statute of limitations is the time limit placed on your right to file a lawsuit in a personal injury case in Texas. If you fail to file a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, you lose the right to take legal action. An experienced Austin personal injury lawyer can review your case and determine whether it qualifies for an exception that extends the time limit.

Every state sets its own time limits. In Texas, the statute of limitations in a personal injury case is two years from the date that a person’s injury occurred. If the case involves a wrongful death, the statute of limitations expires two years from the date of the death.

In some cases, you cannot discover an injury until after a significant period of time has passed. An example is mesothelioma from asbestos exposure.

If you are in that situation, the discovery rule may apply. The statute of limitations will start to run when you discover your injury or when you reasonably could have discovered it.

In medical malpractice cases, the discovery rule usually does not apply. There are some exceptions, but medical malpractice has a two-year statute of limitations like other personal injury cases.

However, if you can prove that the medical professional deliberately hid the malpractice injury, there may be an argument for applying the discovery rule.

Another way the statute of limitations can be extended in a personal injury case is if the conditions necessary for “tolling” are met.

If the injured party was a minor at the time of the injury, the time limits will be “tolled” until the child turns age 18. When the child reaches that age, the two-year statute of limitations will start to run. There is an exception to this rule for medical malpractice cases involving minors.

The same “tolling” rule applies if the injured person was not mentally competent to bring a case at the time the injury occurred. The statute of limitations can be tolled until the injured person is able to assist in the personal injury case.

You can count on the defendant in a personal injury case to raise the statute of limitations, and if possible, try to get your lawsuit dismissed. You should never assume the discovery rule or tolling will apply to your case.

For this reason, you should take action as soon as possible and get in touch with an experienced Austin personal injury lawyer. At Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, we can review your case immediately and help you to determine whether the statute of limitations has run and, if so, whether any exceptions apply to your case.

When should you contact a personal injury lawyer?

Here are some cases where you will need assistance from a lawyer in dealing with personal injury claims.

After a medical evaluation

When you have suffered from injury, it is advised that you see a medical practitioner right away. When you do this, you will not only get the necessary medication, you will also have a proof of the incident. Once you have been evaluated and the medical professional has issued a certificate or report about your health, it is best that you communicate with a personal injury lawyer so you can be able to determine if you will push through the case or not.

Once you have realized that you are a victim of an accident that can be easily prevented

There are times when a victim fails to understand or realize that the injury he is suffering from is somebody else’s fault. Oftentimes, it will take them months, weeks or days before they finally do. Evaluate your case as soon as you feel a bit better and gauge if you have the rights to file a legal complaint.

When the other party insists that you put the incident behind

Once you have finally realized that there is a case worth pursuing, the other party will surely fight back. This is why they would try to convince you that the accident was not their fault. If they fail to do this, they would threaten you or bribe you. Once you feel threatened, it is best that you call a lawyer so that he can help you out.

When the accident will cause permanent damage

No matter how minor an accident is, there are times when its effect will last for a very long time. Just take a look at simple falls and slips. The damage that it can create will surely bring pain and agony for many years to come. When the accident will lead to surgeries or disfigurements, it is best that you talk with a legal professional.

What makes a personal injury case?

Duty

The duty is a relationship between the plaintiff and the defendant that is recognized by law, and this relationship obligates the defendant to behave in a certain way toward the plaintiff.

As an example, a construction worker is loading bags of cement on a truck, and then accidentally hits a child while doing so. Building a negligence case requires that there is a neglect of duty from the worker to the child — that he failed to exercise reasonable attention and care that could have prevented the situation. If the worker was doing his job in a public area where there are people passing by, then he does owe a duty to the child (and everyone else around him). However, if it was found that the situation happened in a restricted area and the child was trespassing property, then it is possible that the court would deem the worker having no duty as the child was not supposed to be there in the first place, and it was possible that the worker was not aware that the child was present.

Breach of duty

If the defendant is found to have breached the duty that he owes to the plaintiff, then it is also grounds for a negligence case. A breach occurs when it is found that the duty was done with no reasonable care.

Following from the example above, a breach of duty means that the worker knew he had a responsibility to do, but did not do as such. He was doing his work in a public area, and yet did not exercise reasonable care to prevent hitting and injuring others.

Cause in fact

If it can be proven that it was the defendant’s breach of duty that caused the injury, then it also makes up a negligence case. If the defendant had exercised reasonable care, then the injury would not have occurred.

If the child can prove that if it wasn’t for the worker loading the bags of cement hitting him he wouldn’t have been injured, then this all the more strengthens his personal injury case.

Proximate cause

The proximate cause is all about the complete scope of the defendant’s responsibilities in a personal injury case. A defendant could be held responsible for proximate cause if something happens to the plaintiff that the defendant knew would happen as a result of being negligent.

Damages

The plaintiff must be able to prove a harm or injury that is legally recognized, to back his or her personal injury case. It can be damage to property, physical injury, or any other damages done to the plaintiff as a result of the incident. It is not enough to just prove that there was negligence in the part of the defendant, but that same negligence caused damages to the plaintiff.

Contact An Austin Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you are in need of a competent personal injury lawyer, the Austin accident lawyers of Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, are waiting for you. Contact us today.

Sources:
• National Safety Council: Press Release

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.