At Thomas J. Henry, we understand the days and months following a personal injury accident can be confusing and hectic, especially when faced alone. We want you to have the opportunity to discuss and understand your legal rights as soon as your accident occurs. This is why we offer all injured individuals an opportunity to consult with an attorney at no cost. To speak with an attorney, simply contact our office via phone or through our website’s contact form. The details of your accident and injury will be recorded and forwarded to an attorney for review. That attorney will explain to you what legal recourse you may have. More than that, if you choose to have our firm represent you in your personal injury claim, your case will be handled on a contingency fee bases. This means you will not owe us anything unless and until your case is successfully resolved.

Many people view contacting an attorney as a last resort – an action that should be taken if the insurer of the negligent party fails to offer fair compensation. This is an unfortunate misconception. While you are taking the “wait and see” approach, the insurance company has representatives and lawyers actively working to limit their financial liability. Insurance companies do not have your best interest in mind. While they may seem cooperative while on the phone, behind the scenes they are doing everything they can to undermine your claim. A common example of this is the “recorded statement.” The adjuster will claim that providing a recorded statement for reference will help them resolve your claim faster. What they won’t tell you is that they will compare the recorded statement to future conversations for inconsistencies, nor will they tell you that the recorded statement you are providing can be used against you in court. Providing a recorded statement without consulting with an attorney can often result in: Unintentional inconsistencies – Accidents that result in injury are hectic and disorienting. As time moves on, you will likely remember less and less about the events leading up to and following an accident. When an insurance company goes back to compare all the statements you made over a period of weeks or months, they will claim that any inconsistencies were attempts by you to mislead the company and label them as lies before a judge or a jury. Exposure to trick questions – Representatives often ask trick questions or word their inquiries in a way meant to trick or trap you. You may even be pressured into agreeing to facts that are not completely accurate just to get the representative off your back. Even an aggravated response of “I don’t know, maybe” or “I guess” can come back to haunt you later. Exposure to leading statements – Even a statement that seems innocent on its surface can damage your claim depending on your response. For example, by giving a positive response to statements like “I hope your back is starting to feel a bit better” or “Wow, it’s a miracle you weren’t more seriously injured”, you could be tricked into understating the severity of your injuries. Failure to report undiagnosed injuries – Most doctors agree that the full extent of any injuries suffered in an accident may not be evident until several days after the accident has occurred. If a claims adjuster contacts you within 24 hours of an accident and asks about your injuries, chances are you will not be able to provide a complete list of injuries. This will not stop the insurance company from questioning and attempting to dismiss any injuries that became symptomatic after that initial recorded statement was made. Provide material for cross-examination – By the time deposition or trial occurs, chances are the defense counsel will have reviewed your recorded statements dozens of times. They will craft questions for cross-examination with the understanding that you likely don’t remember everything you said or agreed to in that recorded statement. And when you misremember or contradict yourself in a moment of confusion, they will try to claim your misstatement proves your testimony is not credible.

During your initial meeting with an injury attorney, you will be asked many questions regarding the accident and the injuries you sustained. You should also be prepared to ask the attorney questions of your own. It can be helpful to create a list of questions you have for the attorney prior to the meeting so you don’t forget anything when you get there. Important questions to ask your prospective accident attorney include:

• How long have you been practicing law in this practice area?
• What is your track record of succeeding in these cases?
• Do you have trial experience?
• How much will it cost to hire you?

One of the most important questions to ask your lawyer is how they charge for services and if a consultation costs you anything upfront. Our firm offers free case reviews and charges on a contingency basis.

In order to win your personal injury claim, your attorney will need to develop your case in a way that accurately demonstrates any economic and non-economic damages you have incurred. This will require legal expertise, financial resources, and knowledgeable support staff. Thomas J. Henry has the legal and financial resources necessary to properly develop and handle your case in the most effective and efficient way possible. Client satisfaction is paramount, and our attorneys make sure every client is treated with respect, is kept informed with the most up-to-date information on their case, and is made comfortable throughout the entire legal process as we work to secure the compensation they deserve. We are constantly exploring and implementing new and innovative solutions in the areas of case management, client interaction, and information security. Through satellite technologies, live streaming, and jet services, our lawyers are accessible to clients from anywhere in the world. Can’t make it to one of our Texas law offices? No worries — our lawyers can come to you at your home, workplace, or hospital. Case files and information can also be accessed at the click of a mouse, allowing information to be expedited between our team and to other legal professionals. In personal injury cases, it can be extremely important to retain expert witnesses with specialized knowledge on a subject related to the case. Thomas J. Henry has spent years finding the best expert witnesses across the United States. Our firm retains the most qualified experts for each individual case, from accident reconstruction experts to medical professionals. Every expert undergoes a rigorous and in-depth examination process before ever being involved in a client’s case.