Fort Worth Stockyards Personal Injury Lawyer
Have you or a loved one been hurt in an accident in the Stockyards district of Fort Worth, TX? Texas law protects your right to hold the responsible parties accountable for the harm you have suffered. A Stockyards personal injury lawyer from Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, can help you protect your legal rights and seek the compensation you deserve.
You don’t deserve the financial uncertainty, legal bills, and lost wages that can come from a personal injury.
Contact our Fort Worth personal injury office today by calling (817) 420-7000 to schedule your free consultation with a personal injury lawyer to explore your legal options.
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How Stephens Law Firm, PLLC Can Help After You’ve Been Hurt in the Fort Worth Stockyards
After an accident in Fort Worth Stockyards, you can be left with extensive injuries, some of which can’t be seen. You may struggle with a difficult recovery involving surgery and rehabilitation with chronic pain and costly medical bills. While you recover, you are out of work and facing a frightening and uncertain financial future.
An accident can leave you with many questions about when and if you will be able to return to work, how you will afford the medical treatment you need, and how you will support yourself.
Under Texas law, injury victims have the right to hold the at-fault party financially accountable for their behavior. Unfortunately, this usually means making a claim against a for-profit insurance company that uses claims adjusters and attorneys to fight claims and minimize payouts.
Jason Stephens of Stephens Law Office, PLLC has decades of experience as an award-winning trial lawyer in Fort Worth. Stephens has secured some of the largest verdicts ever in the U.S. and Texas and has earned numerous titles and awards. He has earned the highest AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a Superb 10.0 AVVO rating, and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer.
Your Fort Worth personal injury attorney at Stephens Law Firm, PLLC will not push you to accept an unfair settlement offer from the insurance company. He is not afraid to fight for you inside a courtroom when necessary to seek full compensation that makes a difference in your life.
The insurance company isn’t on your side, but Jason Stephens is. Contact Stephens Law Office, PLLC today to schedule your initial free consultation to find out how Stephens can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.
Past, Present, and Future of the Stockyards in Fort Worth
Fort Worth is a large city with many diverse and vibrant neighborhoods. That includes the historic Stockyards district, which is located northwest of the city’s center. The Stockyards neighborhood is a monument to the cattle industry in Texas and its roots in Fort Worth.
It was formally designated as an historic district on the National Register in 1976. It’s home to some of the city’s most notable and loved landmarks, including the Livestock Exchange Building, the Thannisch Block Building, the Stockyards Hotel, and the Cowtown Coliseum.
In 2011, the history-rich neighborhood underwent a modern transformation. So, it’s no surprise that it’s a hotspot for tourists in search of Cowtown memorabilia and memories, as it boasts countless entertainment venues and shopping centers. Most don’t make a trip to the historic Stockyards district without stopping at M.L. Leddy’s or the Maverick Fine Western Wear and Saloon.
As the city of Fort Worth continues to grow, more and more people are venturing into the Stockyards district.
What Is a Personal Injury?
Under Texas personal injury or tort law, victims who are hurt by the negligence or wrongdoing of someone else have the right to seek fair compensation through the civil court system. While criminal courts hold people accountable for criminal behavior with legal punishments, civil court is designed to reimburse victims for the damages they have suffered.
The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies code governs personal injury cases in Stockyards. This area of law covers everything from duty of care owed to people, liability, and negligence to damages and recovery limits.
Under this law, you must prove four elements in a personal injury case to recover compensation:
- You were owed a duty of care by the defendant.
- The duty of care was breached.
- The breach was responsible for your accident.
- You suffered damages as a result.
In most cases, proving duty of care is simple. All people owe a duty of care to others to avoid putting them at risk of harm. This applies in many areas of life.
For example, all motorists owe a duty to obey the law and avoid risky behavior on the road. Negligence, or failing to behave with the amount of care that a reasonable person would display in similar circumstances, is at the heart of most personal injury cases in Stockyards.
In some situations, a special or higher duty of care is owed. Physicians, for example, owe patients a duty to provide a standard of care based on the accepted methods used by other medical professionals in similar conditions with patients in a similar position. Product manufacturers and businesses may also owe a higher duty of care to customers, employees, and consumers.
Common Types of Stockyards Personal Injury Cases
Virtually any accident or wrongdoing can give rise to a personal injury claim when someone is injured. Most personal injury lawsuits in Stockyards deal with accidents, such as traffic collisions, but they can also be brought after intentional acts like assault.
Stephens Law Firm, PLLC represents personal injury victims in all types of cases:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Lyft and Uber accidents
- Aviation accidents
- Boating accidents
- Train accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Dog bites
- Slip and fall accidents
- Product liability
- Wrongful death
- Assault
These types of accidents lead to tens of thousands of injuries every year in Texas, all potentially a personal injury claim. Between just 2000 and 2004, there were over 6,200 medical malpractice claims in Texas alone. Almost 16,000 people were seriously hurt in a traffic accident in the state in 2019, many by negligent drivers.
If you have been injured in any of the above types of accidents or another situation in which someone else was responsible for your injuries, Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is here to help.
How Comparative Negligence Works in Texas
During your personal liability case, you and your attorney will need to show the other party was at fault for the accident or incident and their negligence directly caused your injuries. Each state has its own way of determining liability. Texas uses the shared fault rule or modified comparative negligence.
Under this rule, you can recover damages for your injuries as long as you are not 51% or more at fault for the accident. If you are assigned some liability, your damages will be reduced by your share of fault. This system also allows multiple people to be held accountable for damages as the court can assign each a percentage of fault.
As an example, suppose you were in a car accident and suffered $20,000 in damages. The court finds the other driver was 70% at fault because they were making an unsafe lane change. You are found 30% at fault because you were distracted and could otherwise have avoided the accident.
In this case, your damages are reduced by 30% ($6,000) which makes your total recovery $14,000. If you were found 51% or more at fault, you could not recover anything.
This system makes it important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Stockyards as soon as possible. Every percentage of fault that is assigned to you directly reduces the compensation you can receive. Your lawyer will gather evidence and build your case to show that the other party was at fault.
Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in Stockyards, TX
All personal injury cases in Stockyards are subject to a statute of limitations. This is the legal deadline you have to file a claim. If you do not file a claim before the statute of limitations expires, you lose your legal right to compensation.
Most types of Texas personal injury cases have a 2-year statute of limitations, including assault, car accidents, and medical malpractice.
This statute of limitations may be reduced to just 6 months if the negligent party is a government entity. If the case involves injuries to a child, the statute of limitations is extended until the child is 18 or otherwise a legal adult — but only for the damages they have suffered.
What Damages Are Available in a Personal Injury Case in Stockyards?
When you are hurt due to someone else’s negligence, you may have the right to recover compensation through a personal injury claim. These damages you can receive are divided into two primary categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are damages with a clear monetary value. This includes:
- Medical expenses, including future medical costs you will face due to the accident
- Lost wages
- Reduced or lost earning capacity if you are unable to work
- Property damage
Non-economic damages are those without a clear monetary value. Your personal injury lawyer in Stockyards will show the extent of the damages you have suffered. The insurance company will make a settlement offer for these damages or a jury will decide.
Non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
These non-economic damages are capped at $250,000 in medical malpractice claims.
If your case goes to court, a jury may also award you punitive damages. These uncommon damages are awarded in cases involving gross negligence or malicious behavior to punish the defendant.
Contact a Stockyards Personal Injury Lawyer Today
A personal injury claim can arise from any situation in which you are left injured by someone else’s negligence or dangerous behavior. When you are struggling with pain, serious injuries, and financial uncertainty, fighting an insurance company is the last thing you should be worried about.
Stephens Law Office, PLLC is here to help you protect your legal rights and fight on your behalf for the full compensation you deserve. Call the Stockyards personal injury lawyer at Stephens Law Office, PLLC today to schedule a free consultation to review your case.