Q. Tell us about yourself and your practice.
A. Thank you for inviting me to share just a little about me, my law firm and personal injury law. I graduated with honors from West Texas A& M University in 1997 and graduated from Texas Tech School of Law in Lubbock, Texas in 2000.
I have been in private practice since then in Lubbock, Texas. I have handled cases all over the State of Texas and I have conducted many jury trials. My primary area of practice is personal injury and family law.
Q. Do you accept any of the pre-paid “ legal plans” that are offered to help with legal fees?
A. My office does not accept pre-paid legal plans. For personal injury cases, it is extremely rare to charge the client any out of pocket fees. Typically in personal injury cases the attorney works off a contigency fee. In a contingent fee the client agrees to pay the attorney a certain percentage of whatever sum is ultimately collected.
It is common for the contigency fee to start at 1/3 and increases, depending on whether or not the case goes to trial or if there is an appeal. For non-personal injury cases I do allow for payment plans. It is actually rare for me to charge by the hour. I prefer to quote flat fees. I find clients prefer this method of paying attorney fees.
Q. How should people contact your office in an emergency situation?
A. It is rare that an emergency requires my attention outside of office hours. I advise all clients to call 911 in emergencies. Otherwise, all matters can wait until I can be contacted during normal business hours.
Q. Does your office offer paralegal services for simple forms and filings?
A. No, we do not. All work product is prepared or reviewed by me personally.
Q. What is the process to file a personal injury lawsuit?
A. An original petition is prepared and filed in the court of proper jurisdiction. Although anyone can file a lawsuit, you can lose your lawsuit and potentially have to pay the other party' s attorney fees, if it is not done correctly. It is recommended that you retain the services of an attorney, who is experienced in this area.
Q. Does one need to hire a personal injury lawyer in their city or town?
A. I have always said a client should hire an attorney that they are comfortable with. Does the attorney listen to you? Will your calls be returned? Will you receive updates? Do you feel good about your relationship with your attorney? All of these issues are more difficult if the attorney is not in your hometown.
Q. From a legal standpoint what is the meaning of pain and suffering?
A. Damages is what a client has suffered. There are economic damages such as medical expenses, lost wages - things with fixed dollar amounts. There are also non-economic damages. These damages are to compensate the client for the pain of the event, scarring, post event pain, loss of use of physical members etc.
This is the most difficult part of determining damages. What is your right hand worth? What if you re a professional piano player? These are hard to determine but they are real damages that people suffer. I firmly believe that every victim should be compensated when they are damaged from another' s wrongful conduct.
Q. What are typical expenses in a personal injury lawsuit?
A. Typical expenses in a personal injury lawsuit will be the cost of producing and copying medical records and bills. Most people are unaware that health care providers, doctors and hospitals charge very large fees for the copying of medical records. I have had to pay $35.00 for a single page from a hospital.
Other expenses are court costs which are typically around $350.00 - $500.00. These cases can get very costly, if you get into depositions and experts. Deposition costs depend on how many and how long the depositions last. Two "typical" depositions can easily cost $650.00. Experts can cost several thousand dollars.
Q. How soon should one file a lawsuit?
A. In Texas, a person typically has two years from the date of the event to file a lawsuit. Hiring a good attorney early might negate the necessity of having to file a lawsuit. A good lawyer could help you get a fair settlement without the need of having to file a lawsuit. Once a lawsuit is filed it could ltake at least two to three years to get to court.
Thank you, for this opportunity. My best advice is to call an attorney, if you are involved in a personal injury. Most attorneys will visit you without charge. Good luck. |
