One of the top questions we get is “Do I need a Texas personal injury attorney or not?”

As far as you’re concerned, you’ve got a case, so why take less than 100% of what you can negotiate on your own?

I recommend you take some time to do your own research before you sign any forms with either a personal injury lawyer or an insurance company. Make sure the attorneys you contact have a book available to guide you, such as the ones we offer for free on this site.

In certain circumstances, you can certainly settle your case by yourself provided you can answer yes to two different questions. First, was your medical care of limited duration. By that, I mean you were in an accident and went to the hospital or saw a doctor shortly after the accident, but ultimately had a full recovery after a few days or weeks. Second, is there no real dispute as to who is at fault. If the liability was 100% clear and your treatment was minimal, then you can probably settle your case by yourself.

On the other hand, the more complex the personal injury is, the more likely it is that you will need a Texas personal injury attorney who can add value to your case. Here are some scenarios where we’ve been able to greatly help our clients and where you might need a lawyer:

• You don’t have health insurance
• Your injuries are severe
• Your injuries just aren’t going away, even after treating for a few months
• You have a head injury
• You have a broken bone or a fracture
• A fatality was involved
• Liability is not admitted by the insurance company
• Multiple cars were involved
• You’ve lost a lot of time from work
• You’ve been demoted or lost your job as a result of the crash
• You can’t perform the same job as before the crash
• You can’t perform at the same level at your job as before the wreck
• You have a pre-existing condition that was made worse by the accident
• You were hit by a truck
• The other driver was drunk, stoned, reading a book (yes it happens), or on the phone
• You needed surgery as a result of the wreck
• You’re not sure what type of doctor to see

In most of the cases I just listed, it makes sense to hire a specialist than to try to settle the case on your own because there are a lot of pitfalls you can fall into. Look for an experienced personal injury attorney who has lots of experience evaluating and handling cases like yours in your geographic area. It really doesn’t matter what your uncle in Arizona got for his personal injury.

Remember, when you settle your claim, that’s it. There’s no second bite at the apple so it’s very important to get it right the first time. So if you need surgery or lose your job after you settle, you won’t be able to ask for more.

So the bottom line is no, you don’t need a personal Injury Attorney to handle every case. With smaller cases, we will meet with you and coach you through the process at our hourly rate if you like. Most personal injury attorneys will meet with you for an initial consultation basis for free and you should take advantage of that. That’s a terrific resource for you!

For everyone of course, we’ve got free videos about accident claims and a ton of information on this site and you can order our consumer guides for free, including “The Seven Deadly Sins That Can Wreck Your Injury Claim,” to learn more about personal injury claims in Texas.