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FAQ

Q:

What should I do if I have been in an accident?

A:

The first thing you should do is obtain medical care, either at the emergency room or with your family doctor. The second thing you should do is contact us.

Q:

What if I don’t feel hurt?

A:

It is very common for a person to not “feel” an injury for several hours. Or in some cases, several days after an accident due to adrenaline or shock. If you think you might be hurt, give yourself the benefit of the doubt and go get checked out.

Q:

I don’t really have a family doctor. Can you recommend a doctor for me?

A:

Yes. We maintain an extensive list of competent doctors practicing in all areas around Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Including doctors who are specially trained to treat accident victims. If you live outside Dallas and Fort Worth, we can assist in finding a doctor in your hometown.

Q:

What should I do in the event of an automobile accident or car wreck?

A:
It is very important to collect the information that will help prove your claim later. For a good checklist of the things, what you should do and not do at the scene, see our Glove Box Accident Information Form, which you can print out and carry in your car.
Q:

Someone representing a personal injury lawyer came to my home and said I should “sign up” with their attorney. Should I?

A:
In most states, including Texas, it is a felony offense for a lawyer or lawyer’s representative, to call you on the telephone. Nor to come to your home, hospital room, or anywhere else without your invitation and attempt to solicit your business. It is also a felony for an attorney or attorney’s representative to pay, or for any person to receive, money, gifts, or other compensation for referring a case to a lawyer or for becoming a client of a lawyer. Any person committing such acts should be reported to the state bar association and the District Attorney’s office.
Q:

What about these personal injury lawyers I see advertising on TV?

A:
Any lawyer can go on TV and make huge claims about how good he/she is. How much money he/she has collected for others, and what a great job he/she will do for you. The problem is, there is no state agency, governing board, or even bar association committee that checks up to see whether what is advertised is true. It has been our personal experience that, unfortunately, much of what is advertised is not delivered. In many personal injury law firms, you never even meet the “celebrity,” but your case is instead handed off to a much less experienced lawyer or even a secretary or paralegal (a so-called “case manager”)!
At the Messina Law Firm, you will meet with your lawyer at every significant stage of your case, and all legal decisions in your case will be made by your lawyer and not by an unlicensed “case manager.” You are paying for an experienced personal injury lawyer, and that’s exactly what you’ll get at Messina Law Firm.
Q:

The insurance company keeps calling me and wanting to take a recorded statement. Should I give one?

A:
In short, No! It is common practice for insurance adjusters to call injury claimants and attempt to record a statement before the victim has an opportunity to talk to an attorney. Often, the victim is still in shock or under the influence of medication and is not thinking clearly. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS! Under NO circumstances should you talk to an insurance company without having an attorney at least on the telephone with you to protect your rights. You are not required to give a statement, regardless of what the insurance company may tell you to the contrary.
Q:

But do I really need a lawyer?

A:
For small, property-damage-only claims with no personal injury, you probably do not need a lawyer. However, for ANY claim involving personal injury, it is foolish to attempt to handle your own claim. Just remember that insurance companies do not make their profits by paying claims, but by NOT PAYING. They are very skilled at getting from you the information they need to deny your claim.
Q:

But I don’t have the money to pay a lawyer.

A:
The legal staff at the Messina Law Firm take every case on a “contingency fee” basis. That means that you do not have to pay a penny unless we collect money for you. Our fee is based on a percentage of the recovery. We advance all expenses up front, and if we do not collect for you, you do not owe us one penny.
Q:

What makes your law firm different from the others?

A:
There are three primary areas where the Messina Law Firm has distinguished itself from other law firms handling personal injury and wrongful death cases. First, personal injury law is our only business. We do not attempt to handle divorces, wills, traffic tickets, criminal cases, or any other type of case other than personal injury and wrongful death. When you do one thing all day every day for over three decades, you get very good at it. Second, we adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards.
The Messina Law Firm is held in the highest esteem by their past clients, by judges and by other members of the legal profession. You will never see our faces on television, billboards or backs of buses, and we do not solicit cases unlawfully. Finally, the Messina Law Firm has proven its success through a record of over 10,000 settlements and jury verdicts for its clients. Furthermore with only 9 cases lost in over 35 years. Tens of millions in compensation and benefits have been collected for our personal injury clients and their families, and we have received thousands of referrals from satisfied clients.
Q:

May I talk to a lawyer with no obligation?

A:
Of course! You may contact us by telephone, fax or e-mail. If you have a case we can help you with, we will schedule an appointment that suits your schedule. We will even meet with you at night or on the weekend if that is more convenient for you. You can even call us concerning legal matters other than personal injury. If we can’t answer your questions, we will be happy to refer you to a competent attorney who can.
The overwhelming majority of our personal injury clients come from referrals from our previous clients. We are grateful that many of our clients and friends feel confident in recommending our firm. In fact, the Messina Law Firm has received over 5,000 referrals from satisfied clients. This concludes our list of Frequently Asked Questions. However, should you have any questions not covered on this page, please contact us at your earliest convenience.