FAQs

Evidence is essential in order to get top dollar for an injury case. This means there must be proof of who was at fault for the accident and that the accident caused your injuries. Police reports and witness statements go a long way to proving fault while detailed medical records from qualified doctors (many times orthopedics or neurologists) are used to show the cause and extent of the injuries. We work to build a solid case in order to seek maximum compensation for our clients’ injuries.

Most of the time in an accident injury situation, an insurance company will be your opponent. Insurance companies are very skilled at denying or minimizing injury claims – that’s how they make money. Insurance adjusters regularly deny claims that should be paid, or they offer only a small percent of the fair value of a claim. Our goal is the opposite. We develop a settlement package presenting our client’s case that often can result in our client receiving 10 to 20 times more compensation than what the insurance adjusters might offer for their injury claim. In such cases, even after legal fees, our clients can net more money in their pocket. Even better, we work on a completely contingent basis, so there are no legal fees unless we are successful in collecting compensation for our clients.

Do not talk to anyone at the insurance company. This includes their insurance adjusters and defense lawyers. Insurance companies frequently record phone conversations during which they ask leading questions designed to produce testimony that they can use to deny your case. If we are your lawyers, we will do the talking for you so you do not fall into the insurance company traps that are designed to decrease the value of your claim.

Medical bills can be paid through various manners such as health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Personal Injury Protection insurance funds, deferred billing, and letters of protection. Depending on all of the facts surrounding your case and the insurance companies involved, we produce a strategy that we believe will best benefit our clients. Also, even if our clients do not have access to health insurance, we can assist them with getting medical care that is paid at the end of the case – which means no upfront medical bills.

Even if an injured person is not able to work after an accident, insurance company tactics are to disagree and assert that the person could work so the insurance companies can deny the claim for lost income. It is important to have a qualified doctor’s medical documentation that proves the inability to work for a certain period of time due to an injury. We work with our clients’ doctors and employers to prove the medical reason for not working and the calculation of lost earnings. This frequently results in a fight with the insurance company, but we believe that with solid evidence we are ultimately able to win the fight and collect our clients’ lost income.

You should collect the names and phone numbers of any witnesses, if you are able. You should write down the police officer’s name and try to get the crash report number, if the police are involved. If you’ve been involved in a car, truck, motorcycle or pedestrian accident, you should take photographs of the vehicles and accident scene. If the other person caused the wreck you should ask him or her to write out a statement or give you a recorded statement on the voice recorder on your phone that they were at fault. However, your first priority should be getting the medical attention you need even if this prevents you from getting the information listed above.

Yes. You should contact the police immediately so the evidence can be documented and the driver’s names and insurance companies can be obtained.

Yes. You must cooperate with all law enforcement to the extent requested of you. However, if you are medically unable to talk you should request that you talk to the police officer at a later date so you can get medical attention. If you have time to talk to your lawyer before giving the police a statement that is preferred.

You will have an opinion regarding who was at fault, but ultimately this is a decision for a judge or jury. Accident claims are settled or litigated based on how parties predict a judge or jury will decide a case. You should relate the facts of your accident to your attorney and let your attorney guide you on the best way to present your case.

Yes. Many times when someone is seriously injured or incapacitated a family member or friend steps in and represents the injured person.

Yes. In a situation where someone has died somebody has to represent the estate of the deceased and make the claims the deceased person would have made if still living. Additionally, certain people related to the deceased, such as the spouse, children, or parents may have individual claims against the person who caused the death.

You should absolutely seek medical attention from a qualified physician right away. Initially, this may be medical care from an emergency room. It is also a good idea to see a specialist for more detailed attention. We can assist you with seeing a specialist.

You have an obligation to report a car accident to your own insurance company even if you believe you were not at fault. We prefer to report the claim for you to prevent you from being questioned outside the presence of your lawyer which could hurt your case.

First and foremost try to remain calm so that you can make clear decisions about what your next steps should be. Typically, the first priority is to move yourself to the safest place possible so you are not hit again. Next, you should make sure that you and your passengers receive medical attention if you have been injured. The next step should be to call the police and your lawyer immediately for assistance. Finally, get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses and take photographs if possible.

We handle many other personal injury case types, including:

  • Wrongful death accidents and fatality cases
  • Accidents involving large truck collisions such as 18-wheelers / tractor trailers
  • Accidents involving motorcycles, bicycles, ATVs and other small vehicles
  • Boats, jet skis, and other watercraft accidents and injuries
  • Aviation and aircraft accidents and injuries
  • Work-related accidents or on-the-job injuries and fatalities
  • Construction accidents and fatalities
  • Oilfield injuries or drilling accidents
  • Roofing falls, burns, and nail gun accidents
  • Taxi, cab, shuttle and transportations accidents
  • Injuries caused by faulty, malfunctioning or defective products
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Train collision accidents
  • Crane accidents and fatalities
  • Accidents due to unsafe properties or premises liability cases
  • Cellular or cell tower accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents
  • Accidents caused by intoxicated or drunk drivers
  • Garbage and dump truck wrecks
  • Mine and mining fatalities and accidents
  • Heavy machinery accidents and fatalities
  • Dog bite and dangerous animal injuries
  • Medical malpractice injuries.

We have represented injured people for over 20 years. We care about putting our clients in the best position possible and we strive to get our clients medical attention from medical specialist and collect maximum compensation for the injuries our clients suffer.

Tate Law Offices, P.C., handles cases within the entire state of Texas. In certain cases like interstate trucking and fatality cases we work in all states throughout the US. Our primary office is located in Dallas Texas. We have worked with many clients from states outside of Texas and we will be happy to speak with you about your case no matter where you are from.

We file many personal injury cases every month. Some cases have more value with a lawsuit being filed and some have more value outside of litigation. We use our many years of experience to determine how to add the most value to your case.

  • Follow the recommendations of your lawyer and your doctor.
  • Don’t talk to any insurance company or insurance adjuster.
  • Let your lawyers do all of your communication for you to outside parties and insurance companies. You can talk to your doctor and the police when appropriate, but not to anyone else.

Fault is a particularly difficult thing to determine in many cases. And, you should never suggest that you have any part in the fault to any other party. Tate Law Offices, P.C., will look at the facts surrounding your case to try and determine fault. Ultimately only a court of law can conclusively determine fault.

No. You should never communicate with an insurance adjuster. You should only request that they contact your attorneys. Insurance adjusters have one goal: to deny or minimize your claim. The lawyers at Tate Law Offices, P.C., will handle all communications for you.

No. Never give anyone, from the insurance company or otherwise, a recorded statement regarding your accident. This could prove to be a major detriment to your injury claim. Let your lawyers handle all communications and recorded statements.

You should politely request that the insurance company contact your lawyer and decline any further communication. You should never speak to an insurance company about anything regarding your accident. We will take care of this for you. No matter how much they try to talk you into talking with them refuse to do so and end the conversation.

Our primary focus as a firm is on victims of accidents where innocent parties are injured. We represent people who were injured in an accident through no fault of their own. Many of our cases are based on the legal concept of negligence where the actions or inactions of someone caused someone else to be injured.

No. You should never sign any forms you receive from any insurance company or its representatives. All forms and legal documents should be handled by your attorney.

Who will pay my medical bills?

The answer to this question can vary depending on the different types of insurance involved. If you have a medical health insurance policy, PIP, Med Pay, workers compensation, etc., we may be able to use one or more of these policies. If you do not have any of these policies, we can issue a letter of protection to the doctors so you can be treated without any upfront money paid by you, and the doctors get paid when the case settles. We will conduct a full analysis of your case to best determine how to get medical bills paid. Ultimately, we will seek to have the at fault defendant be responsible for your medical bills.

This is certainly one option, but it may not be the best, depending on what coverage exists in other policies. The personal injury attorneys at Tate Law Offices, P.C., will help you make the best decision in regard to where to file your claims and seek coverage.

Depending on coverage, you may have access to health insurance policies, auto insurance policies, personal injury protection policies, Med Pay, workers compensation, umbrella policies, commercial policies, and other possible policies. It takes a thoughtful analysis to determine how to navigate various insurance policies.

Doing so could prove to be a huge mistake. The law in this area is very complex and you will have professional insurance adjusters and lawyers working against you to deny or minimize your case. One wrong step can destroy your case. We believe that you are far more likely to receive the maximum amount of compensation if you let experienced personal injury attorneys handle your case.

We charge the standard legal rate which is around one third of what is collected on your case. We advance the costs to develop your case and are only reimbursed if we are successful in winning your case. In most cases we can collect enough additional money to more than pay for the legal fees and put a greater sum of money into your pocket.

The case must be fully developed to answer this question. It is dependent on the amount of medical bills and the degree of injury reflected in the medical records. It also depends on the facts surrounding how the injury occurred and the size of the insurance policy of the defendant. We take into account all factors in advising you the value of your case.

Basically, Tate Law Offices, P.C., will handle everything regarding your legal case. All you have to do is concentrate of recovering from your injury and following the doctor’s orders.

This depends on how long it takes for you to recover from your injury. You need to heal from your injury or at least be in a position where the doctors can render a good opinion regarding your injury. The harm you incurred must be able to be measured. After you have recovered we can many times have your case settled within 60 days if a lawsuit is not required or 12 months if a lawsuit is required. We typically only recommend a lawsuit if the insurance company is not offering to pay a fair value and we believe that litigation will add additional money to your settlement.

Yes. We will evaluate your injury case for free and give you our best advice regarding how we believe your case should be handled.

What is the process?

We will assist you in getting medical treatment for your injury. We will preserve the evidence needed to prove your case. We will handle all communications and negotiations with the insurance companies and their lawyers. We will try to get your case settled without a lawsuit, however, if the insurance company will not pay the fair value for the case we will file suit against them in order to hold them accountable in court.

This can depend on the type of injury claim and who caused the injury. Generally, the statute of limitations in Texas for an injury accident is two years from the date of the injury. However, each case needs to be looked at individually because in some situations the time period can be much shorter.

The general rule in Texas is two years from the date of the injury. However, each case needs to be analyzed individually because the time period can be much shorter. An experienced personal injury attorney needs to consider all of the facts surrounding each case.

We have a free consultation where we evaluate injury cases at no charge to accident victim.

We regularly meet with people outside of our office. We will gladly come to you at the hospital or anywhere else.

Yes. We will travel to you if you prefer. Sometimes our clients are in the hospital or unable to travel easily. We are happy to meet with you at any location.

If you wish to speak to someone immediately regarding a personal injury case, it is best to give us a phone call at 888-769-1092. Other options include using our online chat or email form on our website at tatelawoffices.com. We are available 24/7 by phone, email or chat. Our offices hour are Monday – Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Standard Time.

We handle many car accident cases and other types of personal injury cases. We have deep experience in personal injury law, with over 75 years of combined experience within our firm. We handle all of the case types listed below, and many other kinds of injury cases:

  • Car / auto accidents and collisions (whether car-to-car, truck wrecks, and any type of vehicle accident
  • Accidents involving motorcycles, bicycles, ATVs and other small vehicles
  • Accidents involving large trucks, tractor trailers, fleet trucks, transport trucks and trucking collisions
  • Boat, jet ski, or watercraft accidents and injuries
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Hit-and-run accidents and injuries
  • Train and mass transit accidents
  • Aviation, plane, helicopter, jet and aircraft accidents, injuries, and fatalities
  • Work-related accidents or on-the-job injuries and fatalities
  • Oilfield, oil rig, or oil well or drilling injuries and accidents
  • Roofing and accidents involving falling from a roof
  • Explosion accidents and injuries
  • Injuries caused by falling objects
  • Hazardous chemical and waste accidents
  • Accidents due to dangerous building or construction
  • Taxi, cab, shuttle and transportation accidents
  • Injuries caused by faulty, malfunctioning or defective products
  • Wrongful death accidents and fatality cases
  • Accidents caused by intoxicated or drunk drivers
  • Construction accidents and fatalities
  • Refuse, waste and garbage collector or collection accidents
  • Mine and mining fatalities and accidents
  • Heavy machinery or industrial equipment accidents and fatalities
  • Dog bite and injuries caused by pets or animals
  • Crane accidents and fatalities
  • Accidents due to unsafe properties or premises liability cases
  • Cellular or cell tower accidents
  • Slip and fall accidents or falling injuries.

It is a fee paid to the attorney after the case has been successfully settled or litigated. It is usually based on the gross amount collected. The attorney does not charge for his time or expenses unless he is successful in collecting compensation for the client. This type of fee allows the client to pay nothing upfront and to transfer the risk to the attorney regarding the outcome of the case. Most clients highly prefer a case to be on a contingency fee basis.

Yes. If we take on a case our clients pay nothing unless we collect compensation for them.