Handle a claim with or without a lawyer

By Jacob Alford

Can I handle this claim without a lawyer?

You can ask questions before deciding whether to hire a lawyer. Jacob Alford’s firm, Injured Texan PLLC at InjuredTexan.com, offers a free, no-obligation conversation about what happened and what the insurer is asking you to do, even if you do not want to hire a lawyer. Call 210-512-2222. A call does not mean the firm has accepted representation or responsibility for a deadline.

Collect policy and claim information, evidence about responsibility, each loss’s amount and basis, the insurer’s written position, and deadlines. Keep a dated communication log. Vehicle damage and Insurance denials and complaints explain routes for valuation and claim-handling disputes.

Reassess if new symptoms, disputed fault or coverage, limited insurance, repayment demands or a broad release complicate the claim, even if it seemed to involve only the car. A consultation can address a particular decision without a commitment to a full lawsuit. If you consult another office, ask what its consultation covers and whether there is a charge.

Sources: TDI dealing with the other driver’s insurer; Texas State Law Library legal help.

Which facts make individual help more urgent?

Get individual review promptly when a mistake could be difficult to undo or when the claim needs proof you cannot obtain alone. Examples include a serious or uncertain injury, a child, a death, possible government responsibility, an approaching deadline, lawsuit papers, disputed coverage, several injured people competing for limited coverage, or a release you do not understand.

Help can also be useful when fault is contested, a commercial vehicle or employer is involved, your earlier statement is being challenged, or medical reimbursement could consume much of a settlement. These facts do not guarantee a valuable case or require the same solution. They tell you what needs a closer look.

Your own capacity matters too. Recovery, caregiving, language barriers, and work can make an otherwise manageable claim hard to handle. Bring the immediate problem to the consultation and ask what must happen next. You are looking for a useful explanation and a clear scope, not a promise that hiring someone changes a particular percentage or guarantees payment.

Sources: Texas State Law Library self-help and assistance; Texas government-notice rules. See Fault and responsibility, Recorded statements, Settlement and release review, and the deadline discussion.

What should I bring to a consultation?

Bring what you have, not a perfect file. Start with the wreck date and location, names of the people and insurers involved, the immediate concern, and any deadline or lawsuit paper. Tell the office about a time-sensitive issue when arranging the meeting.

Useful materials include photographs, witness details, the crash report if available, claim numbers, insurance cards and policies, insurer letters, recorded-statement information, medical provider names, bills, work records, and any offer or release. Explain prior injuries, later events, unfavorable evidence, and anything already signed. Surprises are easier to address before a decision than afterward.

Ask how to send photos and documents securely and who will review them. Do not assume an intake upload means the firm has accepted the case or agreed to protect a deadline. Leave knowing whether representation was accepted, what work is included, and what you still need to do.

Source: State Bar guide to selecting a lawyer.

How do I compare scope, communication and fee terms?

Compare the actual agreement, not only the percentage in an advertisement. Ask who handles the case, who will answer questions, how often you should expect substantive updates, and what happens when the responsible lawyer is unavailable.

Clarify whether the work includes property damage, injury claims, PIP, UM/UIM, reimbursement disputes, filing suit, trial, and appeal. A firm may accept only part of the problem. Ask about contingency percentages at different stages, expenses, whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee calculation, and what you owe if there is no recovery or you change lawyers.

Texas’s professional rules require a written contingent-fee agreement explaining the method of calculation and expense treatment. Ask for an example using hypothetical numbers and time to read it. A larger gross recovery is not the same as more money in your pocket. The settlement accounting explains the final accounting; Working with your lawyer addresses the ongoing relationship.

Sources: Texas professional conduct rules, Rule 1.04; State Bar fee guidance.

An attorney-fee percentage tells only part of the story. In the Jacobsen fee comparison, Jacob Alford uses a clearly labeled hypothetical at InjuredTexan.com to show why the settlement amount and deductions must be considered together. Allstate’s historical comparison involved gross settlements; it does not promise a larger take-home amount in your case.

What if a lawyer declines the case?

Ask whether the decision concerns the legal merits, available insurance, the cost of pursuing the claim, a conflict, the firm’s workload, or its practice focus. A declined case does not automatically mean you have no claim, and it does not mean another lawyer will take it.

Confirm that the firm is not representing you and ask for any documents you provided. Do not assume it will send notices, file suit, or monitor deadlines while you keep looking. Seek another opinion promptly if the issue is substantial or time-sensitive.

The State Bar’s referral resources, local bar associations, legal-aid organizations, and the Texas State Law Library can help identify other routes. Ask about limited-scope advice where available. For a suitable smaller dispute, the justice-court discussion explains how to assess justice court. Continue preserving evidence and addressing medical, vehicle, and policy tasks while you look for help.

Sources: State Bar Lawyer Referral and Information Service; Texas State Law Library self-help.

What if a lawyer, clinic or referral service contacts me before I asked for help?

Pause before signing anything or sharing medical or identifying information. Ask for the person’s full name, organization, role, who requested the contact and how they obtained your information. Verify the office through a source you find independently, rather than a link or callback number in the message. For a lawyer, start with the State Bar of Texas directory.

Save the original texts, direct messages, emails, voicemails, phone numbers and any documents sent. Note whether you had asked for contact, who else was present and what was promised. Do not pay a referral charge or accept a rushed appointment or representation agreement merely because someone knows details of the wreck.

Texas Rule 7.03 restricts certain lawyer solicitation, including live or electronically interactive contact, and prohibits coercive communications. Its definitions and exceptions matter. An unsolicited advertisement, a requested response and a clinic’s contact are not automatically the same legal category. Texas Disciplinary Rule 7.03.

If you already signed or the contact concerns you, bring the messages and agreement to an independently selected lawyer or the assistance route in Working with your lawyer. Get the effect of the agreement reviewed rather than assuming it is void. Use the medical-information discussion before granting medical-record access. Keep necessary care and crash-claim deadlines moving while the contact is evaluated.

Attorney reviewed by Jacob Alford · November 11, 2026