Injured Texas oilfield workers need to understand lawsuit basics to find the best legal representation to pursue their claims. If you’re an injured oilfield worker, you may feel overwhelmed by the options. Not only are you dealing with serious injuries and having to take time off work, but you also have no idea where to find an upstanding and hardworking personal injury lawyer who will take your case seriously. You may not have much experience with personal injury lawsuits, so it can be tough to know where to start.
At Allen & Nunnally, our team of former Marines understands that you need help and guidance during this time. We’re here to explain everything you need to know about personal injury lawsuits. We can get started on your case from scratch or assist if your previous lawyer refers the case to us due to our knowledge in the oil and gas area of law. Here are the lawsuit basics you need to know as we work on your case.
What Is a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
When you suffer a serious injury caused by someone else acting unreasonably or intentionally, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against that other person. Unlike criminal cases, these lawsuits are filed in civil court and do not involve a district attorney or D.A. Instead, you (the plaintiff) pursue civil charges such as negligence against the person or company who caused you harm (the defendant).
Civil cases like personal injury lawsuits have judges assigned who decide legal issues in the case and handle pre-trial issues. If a civil case goes to trial, a jury or the judge may decide if the plaintiff is entitled to damages. The judge or jury could award you money damages if you win your lawsuit. Damages are intended to pay you back for the harm you suffered and will suffer in the future due to the injury. For example, you could recover money for medical expenses and lost wages.
What Happens During the Lawsuit?
During a personal injury lawsuit, your lawyer helps you prepare a complaint to file with the court. A complaint is a legal document that explains the claims you are making against the defendant and why you are entitled to relief. The document gets legally served on the defendant to notify them of the lawsuit. After the complaint is filed, the defendant has the opportunity to respond to the complaint. Typically, the discovery process then begins.
During the discovery process, you and your lawyers have the opportunity to request documents and information from the defendant. The defendant can request documents and information from you as well. Each side may take depositions, which are in-person question-and-answer sessions under oath. Your legal team may need to file motions requesting certain things from the court. The court may need to address legal issues or hold hearings on motions.
After the discovery process ends, your lawyers will continue preparing your case for trial. If the case goes to trial, you will need witnesses and evidence on your side. Lawsuits often settle before trial. A settlement means that a plaintiff agrees to drop the lawsuit in exchange for something from the defendant, typically a monetary payment. No matter what happens with your case, the only way to maximize the settlement value of your lawsuit is to aggressively prepare a strong case from the start. Preparing a strong case starts with your legal representation.
How Can Allen & Nunnally Help Me?
When you hire us to work on your personal injury lawsuit, we start off strong. Before filing the complaint, we analyze the facts, who can file the lawsuit, how long we have to file it, the strongest and weakest arguments in the case, the needed evidence to support your claims, and possible damages that could be recovered. We review any weaknesses in the case and how we will address them with you.
Our strategy is to prepare like we are going to trial, even if the case later settles. We fight for our clients in court and during the discovery process, approaching each situation with preparation, discipline, and hard work. You need a good lawyer on your side if you want to file a personal injury lawsuit. Allen & Nunnally’s lawyers are the first to fight for you. Our goal is that you will not feel alone with us on your side.
“No Better Friend” “No Worse Enemy”
Are you an injured Texas oilfield worker struggling to figure out how to file a personal injury lawsuit after a serious injury on the job? At Allen & Nunnally, our high level of preparation, discipline, and hard work today stems from our time in the Marines, where we learned what it takes to be successful. We have a steadfast commitment to client service. That’s why hardworking Texans trust us to fight for the compensation they deserve. To schedule a consultation with one of our Houston-based attorneys, use our convenient Contact Form, call (713) 955-2217, or email us at info@allen-nunnally.com.