A meeting with a Houston personal injury lawyer.

Abraham Watkins has served personal injury victims in Texas for more than 70 years, making us one of the longest-serving personal injury law firms in the state. We are committed to serving personal injury victims, regardless of the circumstances that led to their injuries, including car accidents, slips, and falls, workplace injuries,product liability, trucking accidents, and explosions.

We are committed to the needs of our clients, which means striving for maximum compensation. We will take over the entire legal process so that you can focus on your recovery. We will take the time to keep you informed so that you can rest easy with the knowledge that everything possible is being done for your case.

At Abraham Watkins, we believe that all personal injury victims deserve high-quality legal representation. That is why we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we take a percentage of your settlement if we succeed at securing compensation in your case. If your claim is unsuccessful, we will not be paid anything, and you will never be left out of pocket simply for pursuing justice.

Our phone lines are open 24/7, and we offer a free consultation. So contact us today and gain clarity about your next steps.

Give us a call at 713-535-9319 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Common Reasons to Hire a Baytown Personal Injury Lawyer

Thanks to our long history of success, it is likely that we have represented victims faced with similar struggles to you in the past and have a wealth of skills, experience, and resources to draw upon.

The most common reasons why victims seek our help include:

Product Liability

If you suffered an injury because of a defective product, or improper instructions, labeling, or warnings, then you may be owed compensation.

Manufacturers have a duty to ensure that their products are safe for consumers and that any potential dangers are properly labeled. Products that have the potential to cause preventable injury include food, medical equipment, cosmetics, electronics, children’s toys, mechanical parts, and more.

Premises Liability

If you suffered a preventable injury on private or public property, then you may be able to claim compensation in a premises liability lawsuit. Property owners have a duty to keep their property safe and free from any potential hazards. If there are any hazards that cannot be dealt with right away, then visitors should be warned of the potential danger.

Some common examples include slipping on a wet floor in a store or a fall accident as a result of a broken sidewalk.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

fatal Car accident.
Car Crash with police

The most common cause of personal injuries is motor vehicle accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents, and pedestrian accidents.

All road users have a presumed duty of care to other road users; this means that they must take reasonable measures to keep those around them safe. If a driver breaks the rules of the road or acts recklessly, then they could be liable for your damages.

There are a lot of commercial trucks in Texas, and due to their weight and size, they have the potential to cause serious injury. Accidents involving trucks are not always the fault of the driver. Often, the trucking company holds some liability. Trucking companies have been known to encourage drivers to work for dangerously long hours or carry too much weight. They also sometimes fail to maintain their vehicles, which contributes to accidents.

Dram Shop Claims

If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver, then you may be able to make a claim against the venue that served the driver alcohol.

Dram shop applies to venues that serve alcohol, and they have a duty of care to their patrons to ensure that they do not over-serve alcohol. If they served a patron alcohol when they were clearly intoxicated, and that individual gets in their car and causes an accident, then the dram shop could have liability.

Dram shop laws are not reserved for auto accidents; if an intoxicated individual caused your injury, and they were overserved alcohol, then you may have a dram shop claim. Venues that over-served patrons are also liable for any damages caused by a minor they serve any alcohol too. Unlike adults, minors do not need to be obviously intoxicated for the dram shop to be held liable.

Dram shop claims are notoriously difficult to win. In fact, many personal injury lawyers will not take these cases on. However, at Abraham Watkins, we are uniquely prepared to navigate dram shop claims.

Workplace Injuries

Texas workers’ compensation laws enable workers who are injured while in the scope of their employment to claim compensation without filing a traditional lawsuit. You do not need to prove negligence or fault; they must only prove that the injury occurred within the scope of your employment.

However, if a company is non-subscriber or your injuries were causes as a result of a third party’s negligence, then you may be entitled to both worker’s compensation and a workplace injury lawsuit.

Wrongful Death

Losing a loved one because of the negligent actions of another party is incredibly frustrating. While no amount of money can begin to heal your grief, you should not be left financially struggling as a result.

Family members of someone who died because of the negligent actions of another party may be able to claim compensation for their losses. Including lost income to a family household, medical bills, funeral expenses, and pain and suffering damages in order to compensate you for your loss of companionship and emotional suffering.

What Is Comparative Fault in Texas?

Texas is a comparative fault state, meaning that more than one party can be at fault for an accident.

For example, if a motorcycle driver was speeding but the party driving the car failed to check their blind spot, and this caused a motorcycle accident, then both drivers could share fault. If the car driver was found to be 60% at fault for the accident, then they would need to pay the motorcyclist 60% of their damages. So if the motorcyclist’s damages were $100,000, the car driver would pay $60,000.

Texas has a modified comparative fault law, which means that if you are found to be 51% or more at fault for the accident, then you cannot claim any compensation.

Your attorney will fight to establish that you had no or little liability for the accident, to protect your right to compensation.

How Much are Baytown Personal Injury Claims Worth?

The amount you receive in compensation depends on how clear the liability is, the quality of your representation, and the value of your damages.

An experienced personal injury lawyer will know how to evidence your damages so that they are difficult to argue with. While some expenses, such as your past medical bills, are simple enough to establish, it is also important that you are compensated for your future losses.

Often the most contentious damages are non-economic damages, such as mental anguish, pain and suffering in the past and future, and permanent disfigurement. A good attorney will take the time to understand your situation so that they can fight for a settlement that is truly representative of your experiences.

Potential damages you may be able to claim include:

Pain and Suffering Damages

Pain and suffering is the legal term for your emotional suffering after an accident That includes the stress caused by being in physical pain, not being able to participate in the same activities you did before the accident, and mental health issues such as PTSD.

If your personal injury case involves serious injuries, then your pain and suffering damages could have the highest value. They are often calculated using a multiplier based on the level of suffering. For example, if your economic damages equaled $50,000, then using a multiplier of two, your pain and suffering damages would be worth $50,000. However, if you have lifelong injuries, then a multiplier of up to five can be used, making your pain and suffering damages worth $250,000.

Pain and suffering damages are notoriously difficult to prove and often create a lot of back and forth between the involved parties. That is why it is important to have a skilled attorney who is able to fight for fair compensation.

Lost Wages

If you have suffered serious injuries, then time off work is inevitable, depending on your contract, and this may result in lost wages. A successful personal injury claim will compensate you for lost wages as well as loss of earning potential if your injuries are likely to prevent you from returning to work in the same capacity.

Property Damage

Any property that was damaged in the accident should be compensated for. You should keep hold of any recipes for repair or replacement and take photos of your broken belongings to use as evidence.

Medical Expenses Past and Future

Medical expenses quickly accumulate, including medical bills, transport to and from appointments, physiotherapy, medication costs, childcare costs while you are recovering, and more.

If your injuries were caused by another party’s negligence, then you should be compensated for your medical expenses, both past, and future. Determining the costs of future treatment accurately is an important job of your attorney. Otherwise, you could be left with inadequate compensation.

Punitive Damages

The majority of personal injury cases are settled outside of court. This is usually preferable for both parties as it saves time and money on drawn-out court proceedings. However, if a settlement cannot be reached, then a trial or the jury case may be necessary.

If a case is heard in court, then the Judge may decide to award punitive damages. These damages are reserved for cases involving intentional recklessness or gross negligence and are a way for the Judge to punish the liable party or discourage similar behavior in the future.

How to Deal With Insurance Companies in Baytown, TX

Most personal injury claims in Baytown, TX, will involve negotiations with insurance companies. It is important to remember that insurance companies are profit-driven companies that will do what they can to reduce the amount of compensation they are made to pay to victims.

If an insurance company offers you a quick settlement, then you should seek advice from an attorney before you accept. Once you accept a settlement, you give up your right to fight for more. A quick settlement offer could be a strategy to pay out less than what you deserve.

When speaking with an insurance company, it is important to take great care, as anything you say could be used against you. They may try to get you to reduce the severity of your injuries or admit fault in some way. Once you have representation, you are under no obligation to speak with insurance companies. Therefore, the best thing you can do is simply tell them that your attorney will be in touch.

Following a car accident, you may be required to speak with an insurance company about what occurred. If you have not yet made a decision about representation, then you can simply inform them that there has been an accident. But avoid giving any details and simply tell them that you plan to speak to an attorney.

At Abraham Watkins, we offer a free consultation, so you can always call us to get some initial advice before you speak with an insurance company. You are under no obligation to continue the representation with us and will, at the very least, be more informed than before.

Baytown Personal Injury Lawyers FAQ

Will I Have to Appear in Court?

Most personal injury cases don’t go to trial. However, it is still important that your attorney is skilled in personal injury trial law. Insurance defense attorneys often know which lawyers are willing to go to court and which are not. This can have a big impact on how much they are willing to offer you in a settlement.

Can I Claim Compensation if I Have a Pre-Existing Injury?

If you have a preexisting injury, it does not prevent you from being able to claim compensation. However, cases involving preexisting injuries can be highly complex as it is necessary to establish the extent to which your injuries were preventable. The best thing you can do is hire an experienced Texas lawyer.

How Will I Pay For An Attorney?

At Abraham Watkins, we believe that all victims of personal injury deserve access to high-quality legal representation without an upfront cost. That is why we work on a no-win no fee basis. We will take an agreed-upon percentage of your settlement if you are successful in your claim, and if you are not, you will not pay us anything out of pocket. To find out more about how our fee structure works, contact us for a free case evaluation.

How Long Will it Take to Secure Compensation?

If your case is relatively straightforward and the at-fault party is willing to offer a fair settlement, then your case could be over in a matter of months. However, more complex cases that require thorough investigation and drawn-out negotiations could take two years or more. It is important that your Baytown personal injury attorney knows when it is beneficial to fight for a quick settlement and when to go the distance to secure you maximum compensation.

What If I Was in a Car Accident With an Uninsured Motorist?

If you were in a car accident with an uninsured driver, then you should first check if you are covered by your insurance policy. If you are not, then securing compensation can be very challenging. However, you should seek a free consultation with our law firm so that we can explore your options.

Speak to One of Our Baytown personal injury Attorneys Today

Abraham Watkins has been serving personal injury victims in Texas for more than 70 years. We have a long history of success in a broad range of personal injury cases, giving us a wealth of resources to draw upon.

Although we are a large law firm with a comprehensive team of skilled attorneys, we offer a personalized approach. We will assign an attorney to your case who is most suited to your needs. Your representation will fight tirelessly to secure the highest amount of compensation possible.

Give us a call today for a free consultation with a Baytown TX, personal injury lawyer at 713-535-9319.

Additional Questions?

Schedule A Free Consultation Today.

If you have additional questions about your accident or injuries – or if you wish to speak to one of our attorneys about your legal options – please complete our online contact form or call our Houston law office at 888-261-8831 or 713-244-5486.

Real trial lawyers, real results

Our Record of Success

$250+

million

Drug Litigation

$201+

million

Plant Explosion

$88

million

Automotive Defects

$60

million

Drug Litigation

$60

million

Chemical Plant Fire

$35

million

Premises Liability

Our Awards

Best Law Firms - Badge 2024
Best Lawyers Best Law Firms US news 2023.
Abraham Watkins Best Lawyers Award for 2022.
Best Lawyers Best Law Firms US news 2021.
Best Lawyers Best Law Firms US news 2020.
Best Lawyers Best Law Firms US news 2019.
Best Lawyers Best Law Firms US news 2018.
Top 10 Wrongful Death US 2022.
Top 20 Motor Vehicle Accidents - 2022.
Top Verdict Top 50 Personal Injury
Top Verdict US 2022 Top 100
Number 1 settlement for wrongful death in Texas 2022.
Number 1 for Pedestrian Accident Settlements in TX for 2022.
Number 1 for Wrongful Death Settlements in TX for 2022.
Firm Award - Top 10 Motor Vehicle Settlements in Texas 2022
Best Premises Liability Lawyer Award.
Top 20 Best Lawyer Award for Abraham Watkins.
Top 100 Best Lawyer Award 2021 for Abraham Watkins.
2021 Top 10 Practicing Lawyers in Texas Award.
2021 Top 10 Personal Injury Verdict Award.
2020-top50-personal-injury-verdicts-us-abraham-watkins.
2020-top100-verdicts-us-abraham-watkins.
2020-top20-verdicts-tx-abraham-watkins.
2018-top100-motor-vehicle-accident-verdicts-us-abraham-watkins.
2018-top100-premises-liability settlements us abraham watkins.
2018-top50-verdicts-tx-abraham-watkins.
2018-top50-verdicts-tx-abraham-watkins.