Resources
Texas Personal Injury Resources
Short, plain-English answers to the legal terms and questions that come up in a Texas injury claim.
Each guide explains one term or question under Texas law, with the statute where one applies. For the law in a specific type of case, see our Fort Worth and Bedford practice areas, the blog, or videos.
Damages: What You Can Recover
- Economic DamagesEconomic damages in a Texas personal injury case are the measurable money losses an injury causes: medical bills, lost wages,…
- Non-Economic DamagesNon-economic damages, sometimes called non-pecuniary or general damages, compensate for harm that has no bill or receipt:…
- Types of Damages Available in Texas Personal Injury CasesTexas personal injury damages fall into three types.
- How Are Pain and Suffering Damages Calculated in Texas?Texas has no formula for calculating pain and suffering.
- Loss of Earnings/Diminished Earning CapacityLoss of earnings is the income you have already lost because an injury kept you from working.
- Out-Of-Pocket ExpensesOut-of-pocket expenses are costs you pay yourself, with your own money, because of an injury.
- Quality of LifeQuality of life damages compensate you for how an injury limits your everyday life: the activities, hobbies, independence, and…
- Property DamageIn a Texas car accident claim, property damage covers the cost to repair your vehicle or, if it is a total loss, its actual cash…
- Punitive Damages in Texas Personal Injury CasesPunitive damages, called exemplary damages in Texas, are money a defendant pays to punish especially harmful conduct, not to…
Fault and Liability
- NegligenceNegligence is the failure to use the care a reasonably careful person would use in the same situation.
- What Is Breach of Duty in a Texas Injury Case?A breach of duty happens when someone who owes you a legal duty of care fails to act as a reasonably careful person would in the…
- What Is Causation in a Texas Personal Injury Claim?Causation in a personal injury case is the link between the defendant's careless conduct and your injury.
- Understanding Liability in a Texas Injury ClaimLiability is legal responsibility for harm.
- Contributory FaultContributory fault is the share of blame an injured person carries for their own accident.
- Res Ipsa LoquitorRes ipsa loquitur is Latin for "the thing speaks for itself." In Texas, it is a rule of evidence, not a separate claim, that…
- Burden of ProofThe burden of proof is the duty to prove your case to the required level of certainty.
- Mitigate DamagesThe duty to mitigate damages means an injured person must take reasonable steps to keep their losses from growing.
- What Is a Third-Party Claim in a Texas Injury Case?A third-party claim in a Texas injury case is a claim against someone other than the injured person and their own employer or…
Insurance, Claims and Hiring a Lawyer
- Insurance AdjusterAn insurance adjuster, also called a claims adjuster, is the person an insurance company assigns to investigate a claim, decide…
- What Is PIP?PIP, or personal injury protection, is auto insurance that pays your own medical expenses and up to 80% of lost income after a…
- Is It a Mistake to Admit Fault After a Car Accident in Fort Worth, TX?Yes.
- Car Accident Settlement TimelineA car accident settlement timeline in Texas usually runs from a few months to more than a year.
- NegotiationNegotiation in a Texas personal injury case is the back-and-forth between the injured person, usually through a lawyer, and the…
- What Is a Contingency Fee?A contingency fee is a payment arrangement in which a lawyer is paid only if the client recovers money through a settlement or…
- When Should I Hire a Fort Worth Personal Injury Lawyer?You should hire a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after an injury that needs ongoing medical care, causes…
- Six Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer During a Free ConsultationA free consultation with a personal injury lawyer is a no-cost meeting to review your case and decide whether to hire that lawyer.
Lawsuits and the Legal Process
- What is a Personal Injury Case?A personal injury case is a civil claim in which someone hurt by another party's negligence or intentional act seeks money for…
- What Should I Do if Someone Sues Me After a Car Accident in Texas?If someone sues you after a car accident in Texas, notify your auto insurance company right away, do not ignore the court…
- DefendantThe defendant in a Texas personal injury case is the person, company, or government entity being sued for allegedly causing the…
- What Is Evidence in a Personal Injury Case?Evidence in a personal injury case is any document, object, image, or testimony that helps prove who caused an injury and how…
- What Is an Expert Witness?An expert witness is a person with expert knowledge, training, or experience who gives opinion testimony to help a judge or jury…
- AppealAn appeal in a Texas personal injury case asks a higher court to review a trial court's judgment for legal errors.
Types of Injuries
- Back InjuryA back injury is damage to the muscles, ligaments, discs, vertebrae, or nerves of the spine, such as a herniated disc, sprain,…
- Broken BonesA broken bone, or fracture, is a crack or break in a bone caused by force greater than the bone can absorb, such as a crash,…
- Concussion InjuryA concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow, bump, or jolt that makes the brain move quickly inside the skull.
- Nerve Damage Injury ClaimsNerve damage is an injury to the nerves that carry signals between the brain and the body, often caused by cutting, stretching,…
- Spinal Cord InjuryA spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord or the nerves at its base that disrupts signals between the brain and body,…
- Whiplash InjuryWhiplash is a neck injury caused when the head is suddenly thrown backward and forward, straining the muscles, ligaments, and…
- Amputation InjuryAn amputation injury is the full or partial loss of a limb or body part, either severed in an accident or surgically removed…
- Chest InjuryA chest injury is any harm to the ribs, sternum, lungs, heart, or chest muscles, often caused by a seat belt, steering wheel, or…
- Anesthesia InjuryAn anesthesia injury is harm caused by a mistake in giving, monitoring, or managing anesthesia before, during, or after a…