Have you been injured on the job? If so, then you should contact a work injury attorney in Houston to help you build a case and win compensation.
However, you may be wondering how long you can wait before you call an attorney and begin building your case. You’ll find all the information you need on the topic below.
When Should You Call a Work Injury Attorney in Houston?
You should ideally call a work injury attorney as soon as possible after you have suffered your injury. That doesn’t mean you have to call somebody the second you trip over loose wiring or fall off a ladder.
However, finding an attorney should be one of the main things on your mind as soon as you complete any immediate treatment for your injuries.
You only have one year to file a workers’ compensation claim from the time your injury occurs. If you are an independent contractor, then you have two years to file a personal injury claim against your temporary employer.
This may seem like a lot of time, but it can take weeks to find an attorney with the right experience to take on your case. Ideally, begin your search as soon as you’re physically able. Ask a family member to help you look for attorneys if needed.
How Do You Choose a Work Injury Attorney?
Choose Someone with the Relevant Experience
Hiring an attorney who has experience working on cases like yours will be an asset to helping you win your case.
For example, construction accident lawyers in Houston, TX have a different skill set than lawyers who only work with injured office workers.
Experience working on cases as similar to yours as possible is always a must when you’re choosing an attorney.
Choose Someone with a Good Case History
Make sure you pick an attorney with a long history of wins. Don’t pick somebody who regularly works on cases similar to yours but frequently loses.
Also, ensure that your attorney not only has lots of wins in their case history, but they have highly successful wins that made their clients happy.
Don’t work with an attorney who regularly tries to win a $1 million settlement but ends up only winning $250,000 or something similarly low.
Work with an attorney who wins settlements that are close to the amount they sought out to win in the first place. You deserve to win as close to the full value of your claim as possible.
Choose Someone with Good Listening Skills
Suffering an accident at work is jarring, and it can leave you shaken for months to come. This is why you need to ensure your attorney will listen carefully to you as you attempt to work with any of the stress that may be impacting your ability to keep facts straight.
Good listeners also pick up on little details surrounding the circumstances of your accident, and these details can help them build a case that wins you a large settlement.
Choose Someone Compassionate
Compassion and emotional maturity are a must in an attorney dealing with a work accident case. They need to understand that you’ve been through a great deal of emotional distress, so they should be patient with you as you move through your case together.
They don’t have to be your best friend or your therapist, but they should be highly understanding of how traumatic the accident may have been for you and your family.
Choose Someone Who Charges a Contingency Fee
Most work accident lawyers charge a contingency fee. This means that you don’t have to pay them upfront while they’re working on your case.
They’ll take their legal fees out of your settlement. They may even be able to get your employer to pay the contingency fee on top of the settlement you’ve already won for your economic and noneconomic damages.
If you don’t win your case, then you don’t have to pay your legal fees.
Should You Always Work with the First Attorney You Speak to?
You may find that you get along well with the first attorney you speak to. They might have relevant case experience and all the skills necessary to win your case.
By all means, work with this person if that’s what makes you comfortable, but be aware that the first person you speak to may not always be the attorney you end up working with.
It’s best if you choose a specific law firm to work with, as that way you can consider several attorneys within the firm.
Calling an attorney as soon as possible after your accident is always the best call. You have a limited amount of time to file a claim. Plus, it’s often easier for your attorney to investigate your case if you hire them shortly after your accident occurs.
