MCALLEN, Texas, Aug. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More Americans than not hold a favorable view of personal injury lawyers, believing they're invaluable in helping to get them more financial compensation after an accident, the results of a new survey commissioned by Patino Law Firm of McAllen and San Antonio, Texas, show.
In a poll conducted by Google Surveys, 42.7% of respondents said a personal injury attorney was vital to getting the best settlement for injuries and property damaged in an accident or incident. Just 9.9% said they didn't believe this kind of specialist lawyer would be able to get them more money after an accident.
Personal injury law covers a wide area, ranging from automobile accidents to slips and trips in public places like malls and workers' compensation following an accident on the job. In Texas, oilfield accidents are another area that personal injury attorneys work in, given the high number of oil wells around the state.
It's not legally required to have a personal injury lawyer to handle a case, but as most work on a contingency fee basis - meaning there's no upfront payment to hire a lawyer and they only charge a fee if they win a case - there's no financial outlay or risk.
A total of 40.9% of respondents to the survey, which was carried out in Texas and other southern states in July and August, said they would "for sure" hire a personal injury lawyer to represent them. That compares to 12.5% who said they would handle their own case and 46.6% who didn't know either way - perhaps because they've never been in such a situation.
Insurance companies often make quick settlement offers, in the hope that the injured party will accept because they want to get on with their lives - but such offers are usually low, and many personal injury lawyers will fight to get a better settlement for their clients.
Asked if they would accept a quick settlement in a personal injury case or battle for a higher figure, 19.8% of those who took part said they would "definitely fight for more," 17.3% would be "tempted to take the first offer," and 8.4% agreed that "quick would be good, even if it's low." The majority (54.5%), however, didn't have an opinion, most likely again because they haven't had to bring a claim.
As for respondents' overall view of personal injury attorneys, most (59.9%) didn't have an opinion, 21% said they are "just after the money", 15.3% believed they help get victims of accidents justice and compensation, and 3.8% said you really need one after an accident.
For further information, please contact:
Louis Patino
Principal Lawyer, Patino Law Firm
drpatino@patinolawoffice.com
