McAllen Personal Injury Lawyers

Table of Contents

McAllen Catastrophic Injury Lawyers

A catastrophic injury will change your life. It will change your family’s life. Temporarily or permanently, it will affect your ability to earn a living, do the things you once loved, and perform normal, day-to-day activities. It may even affect your outlook on life. You will face new challenges after an injury, but our team at Arnold & Itkin is here to help. 

We represent people who have been seriously injured because of the carelessness, negligence, and wrongdoing of others. We hold corporations responsible for placing more importance on money than on the people they employ and the consumers who use their products. Our McAllen catastrophic injury attorneys are here to help you get the care and compensation you deserve—so you can reclaim your future.

We fight for victims of catastrophic injuries in McAllen, Hidalgo County, and nationwide, including:

A catastrophic injury settlement or verdict may include compensation for all financial, emotional, and physical hardships and losses associated with the injury. This may cover medical expenses, ongoing treatment and therapy, medical devices and supplies, lost wages, loss of future earnings, emotional trauma, and even punitive damages.

Accidents don’t "just happen." They have specific causes and parties that should be held responsible. Our trial attorneys know how to recognize fault and build the cases that help our clients see justice served.

Back to Top

McAllen Wrongful Death Attorneys

Losing someone we love in an accident is the worst experience we can endure. This loss leaves us without the comfort or company of a loved one's presence, robs us of the financial security they provided, and saddles us with the medical debt they left behind. You deserve answers and to see at-fault parties held accountable.

When a person dies in an accident, our legal experience tells us that their loss was preventable. Whatever the accident—an oilfield accident, a truck accident, a plant explosion, a drowning in an apartment pool—the cause will be linked to a negligent choice or inaction. In order to break the cycle, we need to hold the at-fault parties accountable. That’s what Arnold & Itkin is known for: getting companies and people to answer for the pain they've caused.

How Wrongful Death Claims Work in Hidalgo County, TX

Civil law and law treat a person’s death differently. In criminal law, individuals are charged with manslaughter by the state for causing someone’s death. If a person is found guilty, it does nothing to provide for the family of the deceased victim. And if a company is responsible for someone’s death? Companies virtually never face criminal charges.

However, a wrongful death claim is a civil claim. That means plaintiffs can sue their wrongdoers directly, demanding that defendants compensate them for medical costs, lost wages, and other financial damages. Moreover, plaintiffs can sue companies and organizations as well as individuals. If an employer was responsible for your loved one’s death, a wrongful death claim may be the only significant accountability they’ll ever face.

Wrongful death claims can demand compensation for losses due to:

Wrongful death claims also allow plaintiffs to receive punitive damages—damages awarded to punish defendants for gross negligence and deter similar conduct. In Texas, punitive damages are capped at the larger of two figures: $200,000, or twice the amount of economic damages plus non-economic damages (up to $750,000).

Filing a Wrongful Death Claim in McAllen, TX

Strictly speaking, wrongful death claims are for the sake of the people left behind. Settlements and verdicts for wrongful death are intended to provide for grieving families, giving them the chance to grieve in peace while they figure out how to provide for themselves later. As a result, not everyone is eligible to file a wrongful death claim.

In Texas, the following parties may file a wrongful death claim:

Arnold & Itkin is the law firm of choice for people who have lost loved ones for a simple reason: we get results. For instance, we filed a wrongful death claim against a company for allowing our client’s loved one to fall to his death while working in a parking lot. We found that the guardrail for the parking lot was missing, in violation of OSHA standards.

The initial offer was $200,000. After trying the case for 6 days, Attorney Jason Itkin got a verdict of $2.9 million.

Back to Top

McAllen Burn Injury Attorneys

Burn injuries can occur in many situations. Your vehicle may have caught fire after a car accident. You may have been involved in an explosion or chemical spill in your work offshore or at a plant. You may have had an appliance malfunction in your home. You may have been burned by an ungrounded wire. The causes can vary, but the outcome is almost always the same: you are left with life-changing injuries.

At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we understand the financial, emotional, and physical toll that a burn injury can have. Our McAllen burn injury attorneys want to help you rebuild your life. Let us fight for the compensation that you need.

Here are some of the results we’ve secured in burn injury lawsuits:

• $92.7 million for a client who was seriously burned in a work accident.
• $87 million for a young man who suffered life-threatening burns in a refinery accident.
• $39.7 million for a worker who was severely burned in a plywood plant fire and explosion.
• $12.5 million for a refinery worker who suffered electrical burns.
• $12 million for a worker who was burned when a safety valve malfunctioned at a plant.

Each of these verdicts represents a family whose lives were changed for the better. They walked into the future with financial security after the darkest moment of their lives.

What Causes Burn Injuries?

Exposure to heat, fire, chemicals, electricity, or even the sun are some of the ways burn injuries can happen. Burns can be minor, severe, or even life-threatening. Serious burns can affect your muscles, nerve tissue, and bone. Infections and other complications are common, so it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible.

Some common causes of burn injuries include:

Back to Top

McAllen Brain Injury Lawyers

After a traumatic brain injury, it may feel impossible to rebuild your life or to recover any sense of normalcy. You are left trying to make important decisions about healthcare, insurance, and more while medical bills continue to add up. Whether your injury was caused by a workplace accident, car accident, fall, or another type of accident, Arnold & Itkin can help you pick up the pieces of your life. Our McAllen brain injury attorneys can help you pursue the justice and compensation you deserve after another person’s negligence has caused such serious harm. 

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often the result of:

Filing a TBI Claim in Hidalgo County, TX

A lawsuit is the best way for you to secure your future after a traumatic brain injury. These injuries often require a lifetime of care and the victims can rarely earn an income. You’ve been through enough. You need an advocate to fight for your financial future. We handle brain injury cases resulting from all types of accidents, such as trucking collisions, construction falls, workplace accidents, maritime accidents, plant explosions, railroad accidents, and more. 

Back to Top

McAllen Work Accident Attorneys

Every single day, thousands of workers throughout the nation go to their jobs without knowing that tragedy will strike before the day is up. At Arnold & Itkin, we have seen it happen time and time again. Commercial drivers who are involved in vehicle crashes through no fault of their own. Construction workers who experience catastrophic injuries when companies who corners. Oilfield workers who are not protected against disaster. 

What makes these situations worse is the fact that, far too often, these accidents could have been prevented had the companies involved taken the necessary precautions. Instead, companies too often prioritize their own profits—risking the safety, well-being, and even lives of those who work for them. If this has happened to you and your family, we encourage you to contact our McAllen work accident law firm as soon as possible.

We handle a wide variety of work accident, injury, and death cases in Hidalgo County, such as:

If you have been injured while working, it is important to contact an experienced work accident attorney in McAllen, TX. Employers who have caused injury through negligence may use frustrating tactics to prevent employees from obtaining the recovery to which they are entitled. Some employers, and their insurance companies, will purposely litter the claims process with obstacles to frustrate injured employees and force them to settle for less than they deserve.

Work Injuries in McAllen, TX

McAllen is no stranger to workplace accidents and fatalities:

• In 2013, a Mission Home Depot worker was killed when large metal doors fell from a forklift, crushing him.
• In 2017, a man was killed when the forklift he was operating at the McAllen produce terminal fell from a platform.
• OSHA fined McAllen company Lineage Logistics $58,000 after it found numerous violations at the business’s worksite. The company received nine violations for neglecting health and safety standards.
• OSHA fined Cinch Connectors Inc., a McAllen telecommunications company, for neglecting employee safety. The fines totaled $41,000 and came after an employee was injured while working.

What Are the First Steps I Should Take After a Work Accident?

The first thing you should do after a workplace accident—or any accident—is seek medical attention. Call 911 if someone has been seriously injured and requires emergency care. If injuries are moderate, an emergency room visit may be in order. For minor injuries, you can schedule an appointment with your doctor or visit your local urgent care clinic.

After you've seen the doctor, make sure your employer knows of your work accident. In McAllen and across the state, you have 30 days to report an on-the-job injury to your employer. Make your report in writing and keep a copy.

If you were seriously injured or are having problems getting the care and support you need, you should talk to an attorney. An experienced McAllen work accident attorney can protect your rights and interests if your employer or their insurance company is trying to pressure you to return to work, delay your claim, or deny the benefits you need.

Back to Top

McAllen Construction Accident Lawyers

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists construction as being the most dangerous job in the private sector. OSHA regulations are designed to protect workers from harm. Since 1970, these regulations have successfully helped lower the death rate for workers from 38 workers a day to 14. However, with a small group of OSHA inspectors managing 8 million workplaces, employers must take responsibility for the safety of their workplaces. When an injury or death occurs, it is often a direct result of employers neglecting important safety regulations.

That's when workers call Arnold & Itkin. Our construction accident attorneys in McAllen make sure negligent employers provide for their injured workers, paying for the damage they caused.

We can help after all types of Hidalgo County construction accidents, such as:

Causes of Construction Site Accidents

Construction workers spend their days in a hazard-filled environment. Working underground, on high buildings, around deep trenches, or next to busy streets are examples of the dangerous conditions that construction workers face each day. Compounding these dangers is the presence of dangerous equipment, hazardous materials, and heavy objects. However, just because construction is inherently dangerous does not mean that accidents are acceptable. 

Since these hazards are a known issue, employers have a duty to mitigate their risks. To save costs, however, managers and business owners sometimes ignore safety issues that they consider too expensive to fix. Cutting corners has a dramatic effect on the culture and health of the worksite, from encouraging new workers to embrace unsafe practices to putting workers at risk with defective or poorly-maintained equipment.

Common construction safety violations include the following:

• Poor worksite design
• Improperly secured equipment
• Failing to mark hazards such as holes or trenches
• Malfunctioning and improperly maintained equipment

Back to Top

McAllen Maritime Law Attorneys

The maritime industry is one of the most important economies in Texas. Each day, the men and women who work offshore face treacherous conditions to support the economy and make an honest living for themselves and their loved ones. When one of these people suffers from a preventable accident, everything is at stake for them.

This should never happen.

At Arnold & Itkin, our McAllen offshore injury lawyers are focused on making a difference for workers suffering after a preventable accident. Time and time again, we’ve heard it before: the accident wasn’t preventable. Yet, over the years, we’ve recovered billions of dollars for clients after showing it was. We help clients recover the finances that accidents have taken away and hold companies accountable, so they don’t make even more people suffer.

Important United States maritime laws include the Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act, Limitation of Liability Act, and Longshoreman & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. The existence of the laws means one important thing: employers must prevent accidents or face accountability for the damage they cause to workers. Injured harbor workers, seamen, and other workers shouldn’t be left to handle the financial burden of accidents they didn’t cause.

Why Offshore & Maritime Injuries Are Serious

When a person sustains an offshore injury, it isn’t something that goes away after a little time and minimal medical treatment. The injuries offshore workers suffer when something goes wrong are often very serious. In fact, they’re so serious that many workers face a lifetime of medical care, lost wages, and the inability to make a living as they once did.

Common offshore injuries include the following:

Oil and gas companies have a responsibility to protect their workers from these injuries. In a perfect world, when an injury does happen, these companies would do what’s right and provide the compensation that injured offshore workers deserve. Yet, they often try to shift blame and protect their profits by paying survivors little to nothing.

The Jones Act & Recovering from Offshore Injuries

In 1920, a law that would forever change the maritime industry was passed. Among other things, the Merchant Marine Act, commonly known as the Jones Act, protected offshore workers from negligence. For the first time in the history of the nation’s offshore economy, employers became accountable for financial damages their employees suffered because of their negligence. The Jones Act continues to protect workers to this day.

Damages that can be recovered by the Jones Act include:

What Accidents Do Your Maritime Lawyers Handle?

A maritime lawyer can help with almost any type of accident that involves vessels or work that involves bodies of water. They also help people who support the maritime industry such as longshoremen and harbor workers. Common accidents our McAllen maritime law firm helps people recover from include: diving accidents, vessel collisions, slips and falls, explosions and fires, lift accidents, blowouts, and harbor accidents.

What Is a Jones Act Vessel & Seaman?

Simply put, a Jones Act vessel is one that operates in navigable waters between United States ports. A Jones Act vessel can be a fishing boat, cargo ship, or even an offshore oil rig. Jones Act seamen are the people who work on these vessels and contribute to their overall function and mission. For example, an engineer who works on an offshore oil rig would be considered a Jones Act seaman because they contribute to the vessel’s mission.

Our Hidalgo County Maritime Law Firm Fights for What's Right

Unfortunately, offshore work is dangerous, and accidents are a constant threat to safety. Inherent dangers in offshore work do not excuse serious accidents, however. Vessel owners and maritime companies must maintain seaworthy vessels, implement proper safety training and procedures, and maintain all equipment and machinery.

Back to Top

McAllen Motor Vehicle Accident Lawyers

Texas is huge, and much of it is covered with highways and roads that connect its 29,000,000 residents. Texas leads the nation in total lane miles. Texas has a lot of space for cars and trucks—and that means a lot of risk for motor vehicle accidents. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, Texans were in a traffic accident every 59 seconds in 2017. 3,721 people lost their lives and 254,853 people were injured in just 1 year.

After an accident, recovery can be a long and difficult process. Injuries sustained from the collision can cause physical pain, inhibit a person’s ability to work, and saddle families with enormous medical debt. If you’ve been injured, the McAllen car accident lawyers of Arnold & Itkin may be able to help you get back on your feet.

Injured in an accident such as the following? Contact our McAllen injury lawyers for help!

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Hidalgo County

Every car accident is unique. There are a wide variety of factors and components that cause each car accident; many of those factors are preventable. Examples include improper vehicle maintenance, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, poorly maintained roads, distracted driving, and committing traffic violations.

Symptoms to Watch for After a Motor Vehicle Accident

The tricky thing about car accidents is that they can cause serious injuries that are not immediately apparent to a victim. Whiplash is the most common, followed by brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. You may feel sore after a crash and think that you just need a day or two to rest, and then you'll feel better. However, you could be suffering from a serious injury that requires medical attention. For this reason, it's important to see a doctor after any accident.

The following are potential symptoms of a motor vehicle accident injury:

How a McAllen Injury Lawyer Can Help

Insurance companies promise to be a "good neighbor." They say you're in "good hands." But when push comes to shove, they frequently undervalue, delay, and deny car accident claims, leaving people wondering how they'll pay their bills and move on with their lives. A lawyer who has experience with car accident cases can protect your interests, putting pressure on the insurance company to pay your claim fairly. And if you've been treated in bad faith, you may even be able to recover the full value of your claim plus additional damages.

While you focus on healing, your McAllen personal injury attorney can handle every part of your claim—and maximize your recovery.

Back to Top

McAllen Truck Accident Attorneys

Large commercial vehicles only make up 5% of the vehicles on U.S. highways, but they're involved in 11% of fatalities each year. Weighing in between 10,000 and 80,000 pounds, these road behemoths are often driven by tired truckers. Tired drivers are more likely to make mistakes, and shipping companies have designed it this way.

When big rig crashes cause catastrophic injuries, post-traumatic stress, or wrongful deaths, our McAllen trucking lawyers at Arnold & Itkin help the victims pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives. Our clients have won billions of dollars with our team's help because we poured our resources and experience into getting answers and holding trucking companies accountable. We know hundreds of victims of trucking accidents are truck drivers themselves so we represent all injured parties—from employees to independent contractors to innocent bystanders.

Trucking Companies Have a 'Problem' They Won't Solve

Drivers are overworked, underpaid, and putting themselves—and others—at unnecessary risk. Shipping companies know it; in fact, that's how they designed the industry. New drivers come in, knowing nothing about trucking, and leave trucking 'school' thinking that a.) getting paid by the mile is fair pay, b.) federal regulations only get in the way of making good money, and c.) they need to bend or break the rules to make ends meet.

Carriers encourage this culture of "hard driving," putting drivers' health and public safety at risk—all while drivers struggle to make ends meet. As a result, new drivers quickly learn to keep two logbooks to flout hours of service regulations while operating for far longer than the daily limit of 14 hours. That has a serious effect on the safety of our roads—the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration suggests that 13 percent of truck crashes are caused by fatigue, while 25 percent occur when a driver was hauling for longer than 17 hours.

Truck accidents we've represented include:

Find out how often trucking companies get into accidents on the FMCSA website.

One Free Consultation Could Change Everything

Truck accidents are major traffic events—which means the shipping company has already sent its own investigator to gather evidence that puts everyone but the company at fault. Injured people deserve the same resources that massive companies utilize. Our firm puts our own trucking investigators and experts on the case, putting pressure on trucking companies to do right by the people they hurt. If we can help you, our firm covers the cost of the case. If you don't win, we absorb the costs. If you do, we make sure everything is paid for while ensuring you get enough money for medical care, replacement income, groceries, and whatever else you need to rebuild your life.

Back to Top

McAllen Train Accident Attorneys

Trains have been instrumental in shaping the United States into an economic powerhouse. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Americans developed an extensive network of railroads that drastically improved travel speeds and transformed the economy by revolutionizing the transport of goods.

Starting in 1836, Texans embarked on building railroads to address their transportation needs, laying the groundwork for a legacy that we still benefit from today. Services like the Texas Eagle continue to connect Texans across the state and facilitate travel nationwide. As one of the largest states, Texas relies heavily on its railways to move goods and materials across its expansive territory. However, the significant role of railways comes with a high responsibility for safety. Train companies must prioritize the safety of their employees and passengers, as accidents can have catastrophic consequences, affecting not just those on board but also bystanders due to the trains' massive size.

After a train crash, it is important to hold those at fault accountable. Doing so provides for those who are suffering from an accident and prevents future railroad accidents from happening. At Arnold & Itkin, our McAllen train accident lawyers have won billions of dollars for the injured and wronged. Our knowledge and experience with train collisions make us the ideal advocate for you after a railroad accident.

What Causes Train Accidents?

Train accidents are often caused by maintenance issues with the track. Railroad companies are required to keep tracks free of debris, vegetation, or defects that might cause a train to derail. Railroad accidents are also often caused by a combination of defective tracks and excessive speeds.

Common causes of railroad accidents include the following:

Claiming Compensation for a Hidalgo County Train Accident

Operating a train is a multi-person operation. Trains require mechanics, engineers, conductors, railroad operators, and many other individuals that work together to make rail transportation possible. If you’ve suffered because of a train accident, it’s very likely that someone could have prevented it and failed to do so. Hiring an experienced railroad accident attorney will help you fight for the compensation that you deserve from at-fault parties.

When you have an attorney, they will be able to navigate the investigation of your railroad accident. Whether the incident is the fault of a parts manufacturer, train owner, track owner, train operator, or a combination of all these, an attorney can build your case in a way that seeks the proper amount of compensation from all negligent parties.

Back to Top

About McAllen

McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, located close to the United States-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley at the southern tip of Texas. As of July 2021, McAllen’s estimated population was 143,920; the city encompassed 48.34 square miles of land. McAllen is known by the nickname “The City of Palms” because of the numerous palm trees located throughout. While McAllen was first established as an agricultural and rural area, today it is a bustling metropolis and is recognized as a hub for international trade and commerce. The implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 contributed to McAllen becoming a primary gateway to Mexico and Central America.

McAllen is known for its rich history and culture, and tourists and residents can enjoy the city’s many restaurants, museums, and galleries. McAllen is also known as a prime birdwatching location because it lies in the migratory path of birds flying between North and South America. The historic site Quinta Mazatlan serves as one of the locations of the World Birding Center. Some of McAllen’s other main attractions include La Plaza Mall, the International Museum of Art & Science, the McAllen Nature Center, Nuevo Santadar Gallery, and the 17th Street Entertainment District.

McAllen, TX Resources & Links

Put Your Case into the Hands of Proven Courtroom Warriors: (888) 493-1629

Through the years, our firm has earned a reputation for being unafraid of a challenge. We don’t back down from a fight, and we’re not scared to take a case to trial. Although we are skilled negotiators and are often able to reach premium settlements for our clients outside of the courtroom, we also know that trial is one of the most effective places for us to represent our clients’ rights. If the other side is unwilling to listen and is unwilling to do what’s right, they know that we’re willing and able to prepare for court to let a jury of our client’s peers decide what’s just.

Call (888) 493-1629 to schedule a free consultation!