If you have been injured in an accident involving a big rig and are looking for a lawyer, you may be confused about exactly what type of lawyer you need. There are thousands of attorneys throughout the state of Texas that practice in the area of personal injury law, which is the area of law through which people who are hurt in accidents may recover compensation.
There are some attorneys who advertise themselves as “truck accident attorneys,” while others simply call themselves “personal injury lawyers.” For a legal consumer, this can be extremely confusing. Below is some information designed to help you navigate the process of finding a lawyer to represent you.
All Attorneys (and Lawyers) are Licensed to Practice Law in All Areas – First of all, there is no difference between a “lawyer” and an “attorney” in the U.S. legal system. Anyone using either of these terms in the state of Texas has graduated from law school and passed the Texas bar exam. Consequently, they are licensed to provide legal counsel and advice in any area of law.
Attorneys Do Specialize in Certain Areas – As attorneys get further into their practice, they tend to specialize in particular areas of law. For example, some lawyers will only take personal injury cases, while others like to limit their practice to transactional work like contract drafting or estate planning. Furthermore, Texas is one of several states that allows lawyers to become board-certified in certain areas, which means that they have been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) as specializing in certain areas of law. There is no requirement in Texas to become board certified, and some lawyers who are not board certified may have more experience or skill than another attorney that is board certified.
So, is There a Difference Between a Personal Injury Lawyer and a Truck Accident Lawyer? While TBLS does not recognize truck accident attorneys as a distinct specialization, there are attorneys who choose to focus their practices on representing people injured in truck accidents. Truck accident cases often raise complicated issues that are not present in “regular” motor vehicle crash cases and implicate federal and state regulations that many lawyers may be unfamiliar with. Furthermore, trucking companies are ready to defend against personal injury claims at the drop of a hat and have many resources to do so. As a result, attorneys who focus on representing truck accident victims must be ready to take cases to trial when it becomes necessary.
Contact a Houston Semi Wreck Lawyer Today to Discuss Your Case
Personal injury cases arising from truck accidents can raise complicated legal issues with which many attorneys may be unfamiliar. As a result, semi crash accident victims should look for an attorney who has experience with this type of litigation. To schedule a free consultation with attorney Stewart J. Guss, call our office today at 800-898-4877 or contact us online.
1http://www.americanbar.org/
2http://www.tbls.org/Default.aspx
