The risks of not contacting an attorney after an accident cannot be overstated. Simply put, you are risking your entire claim to recovery as well as future financial stability. Insurance adjusters are familiar with claim procedures and liability. When an insurance adjuster calls you with questions concerning your accident, they are looking for information that limits the liability of their client and information that can be used to downplay the extent of your injuries. Further, adjusters will often ask that you provide a recorded statement concerning your accident and injuries. While they may say that the sole purpose of the recorded statement is to gather information needed to move your claim forward, the statement can actually be used to erode your case and right to recovery. It is the adjuster's job to limit your recovery and save their company money. An attorney will help you protect your rights and your claim to fair compensation.

A successful personal injury attorney will utilize their legal expertise, resources, and knowledgeable support staff to develop your case in a way that accurately demonstrates liability as well as any economic and non-economic damages you have incurred. The ultimate goal is to take care of the client's claim so that the client can focus on their health and physical recovery. Thomas J. Henry Law has the legal and financial resources necessary to properly build and handle your case in the most effective and efficient way possible. Your attorney will make sure you are treated with respect, are kept informed with the most up-to-date information on your case, and that you are comfortable throughout the entire legal process as we work to secure the compensation you deserve. We will also work with medical providers to ensure you receive proper medical treatment for all of your injuries. Experienced attorneys also have access to 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.

If you have been involved in an accident or suffered injury due to negligence, speaking with an experienced Austin injury attorney will help protect your rights and your claim to financial compensation. Failing to contact an attorney can leave you open to tactics insurers use to limit their liability and diminish your financial recovery. These tactics include:

• Unintentional inconsistencies – Crashes and accidents are hectic and disorienting. As time moves on, you will likely remember less and less about the events leading up to and following your 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 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 a crash 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.

The cost associated with hiring a personal injury attorney and how payment is collected may vary from firm to firm. At Thomas J. Henry, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that we don’t charge our clients a penny unless and until we win their case.

Working on a contingency fee basis allows clients access to resources and legal representation they might otherwise struggle to afford. The more serious a case is, the more money it costs to take to trial. This is because complex litigation tends to take longer to resolve and the entities involved fight harder.

This is especially true if your lawsuit is against a large company, as would be the case in a trucking accident or on-the-job injury. Such companies employ teams of lawyers and have seemingly unlimited financial resources. You need an attorney who has the same. Thomas J. Henry employs a team of more than 100 attorneys and has the money to fight your case out to the end.

Finally, by collecting any fees and expenses after a verdict or settlement is secured, Thomas J. Henry can help ensure his clients are able to focus on healing. “The client’s job is to heal. We will handle the rest,” says Thomas J. Henry.

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In Texas, a personal injury case is only worth what a jury is willing to award you. This is why you need an attorney who can not only prove the economic damages you have sustained due to your accident, but can also demonstrate the value of non-economic damages you may have sustained, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium. Learn more about how to estimate the value of your personal injury claim here.