A personal injury lawyer helps you recover compensation when someone else’s negligence caused your injury. The work can include an insurance claim, a lawsuit or both.
The deadline to file and the rule on shared fault come from state law.
You pay nothing unless we win. Zinda Law Group offers a free consultation about your injury at (800) 863-5312.
Article summary
Key things to know
- Many personal injury claims rest on proof of negligence and proof that it caused the injury.
- Compensation can include medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
- Each state sets its own filing deadline, and exceptions can change it.
- Clients decide whether to settle. A lawyer advises and negotiates.
Free case review
Hurt because someone else was careless?
Call and describe what happened. We will explain whether you may have a claim and which deadline to watch.
What a personal injury lawyer does
A personal injury lawyer represents accident victims and other injured people in claims against the person or company that caused the harm. Personal injury law is part of the civil justice system. It lets you seek compensation from whoever is responsible.
Your lawyer investigates the accident and works to gather evidence, including photos, records and witness statements. The lawyer also takes the calls from the insurance company and explains your legal options at each step.
A serious injury deserves a careful investigation. Once the losses are known, the lawyer sends a demand and negotiates. If no fair compensation is offered, a personal injury attorney can take the case to court and to trial.
What counts as a personal injury case
A personal injury case usually starts with negligence, which means failing to act as a reasonably careful person would. Some personal injury claims rest on other grounds, such as a defective product.
In a negligence case the party you blame must have owed you a duty of care. You then have to prove that it was negligent, that the negligence caused your injury and that you had losses. The burden of proof is on the injured party, so evidence and knowledge of the law both matter from the first day.
Types of personal injury cases we handle
Personal injury cases include car accidents and slip and fall accidents. Medical negligence, which includes surgical errors and missed diagnoses, is another kind.
Our motorcycle accident lawyer page covers crashes that injure riders, and our bicycle accident page covers cyclists hit by drivers. A separate page covers claims after a drunk driving accident.
Injuries on the water are on our boat accident page. Falls on property someone else controls are on our premises liability page, and claims over an unsafe product are on our product liability lawyer page.
Each link below opens the page for that injury or accident.
- Serious injuries. catastrophic injuries, spinal cord injuries, soft tissue injuries, herniated discs, concussions, post concussive syndrome, broken bones, broken bone injuries, burn injuries, scarring and disfigurement, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, silicosis lung damage
- Fires, explosions and utilities. fire injuries, gas explosions, natural gas leaks, pipeline explosions, powerline accidents, cell phone tower accidents, blackout accidents, ERCOT accidents
- Roads and recreation. traffic accidents, ATV accidents, Bird scooter accidents, ski accidents, zipline accidents, hunting accidents, accidental shootings, exercise equipment accidents
- Pools, beaches and property. slip and fall accidents, swimming pool accidents, drowning accidents, beach injuries, glass injuries
- Children and people in care. child injuries, child abuse, nursing home abuse, sex trafficking
- Work, drugs and devices. meatpacking injuries, vape lawsuits, Zantac claims, Elmiron claims, CPAP injuries
What to do after an injury
The steps below help accident victims protect their health and their claim.
- Seek medical attention. See a doctor the same day.
- Report the accident. Call the police after a crash, or tell the property owner or your employer.
- Gather evidence. Take photos and get contact details for witness statements.
- Keep your records. Save medical bills, pay records and repair estimates.
- Follow your doctor’s plan. Your records should show your medical treatment from start to finish.
- Talk to a lawyer first. The other side’s insurance company may ask for a recorded statement. You can discuss it with a personal injury lawyer before you answer.
Compensation in a personal injury claim
The law of your state and the evidence decide which losses you can recover compensation for. Economic damages are compensation for the losses with a dollar figure.
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses the evidence supports
- Lost wages and damage to your ability to earn money in the future
- Property damage, such as vehicle repairs
Non-economic damages are compensation for harm that has no receipt. Pain and suffering is the best known, and emotional distress and a lower quality of life count too. A lasting disability can be part of the claim, because it changes daily life and your ability to work.
Some states allow other damages in limited cases, such as punitive damages.
When a loved one dies because of someone else’s negligence, state law decides who can bring a wrongful death claim. It can be a family member or the estate’s representative. Our wrongful death lawyers page covers who can file.
No lawyer can promise an outcome or an amount. Fair compensation reflects the losses the evidence supports, and we help injury victims pursue the compensation they deserve.
State deadlines and fault rules for injury claims
The statute of limitations is the time limit to file a lawsuit. Missing it has serious consequences, because a claim filed late can be barred.
Your own share of the blame matters too. It can reduce what you recover, and in some states a large enough share bars the claim.
Personal injury claims generally follow the rules below in the states where Zinda Law Group regularly handles them.
| State | General deadline for an injury lawsuit | Shared fault rule | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Generally two years | Damages are reduced by your share. No recovery above 50 percent | Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003 and 33.001 |
| New Mexico | Generally three years | Your share of fault lowers the award and does not bar the claim | NMSA 1978, 37-1-8 and Scott v. Rizzo (1981) |
| Arizona | Generally two years | Damages are reduced in proportion to your fault and the claim is not barred | A.R.S. 12-542 and 12-2505 |
| Colorado | Generally two years, and three years for most motor vehicle injury claims | You recover only if you were less than 50 percent at fault, and damages are reduced by your share | C.R.S. 13-80-101, 13-80-102 and 13-21-111 |
| Florida | Generally two years for a negligence claim that arose after March 24, 2023 | Your share of fault reduces the damages. No recovery above 50 percent, except in a medical negligence claim | Fla. Stat. 95.11 and 768.81 |
The table gives general rules for injury claims as of October 2026. Every statute of limitations and fault rule in it has exceptions, and a wrongful death claim can have a different deadline.
A claim against a government body can need notice much sooner.
State-specific deadlines
Questions about how much time you have?
Dealing with the insurance company, from claim to trial
The legal process usually begins with a claim to the other party’s insurance company, because a liability policy may cover the loss. Your lawyer first works to gather evidence and adds up your losses.
The other party’s insurance company does not represent you. An early offer can arrive before anyone knows the extent of your injuries, so an offer deserves a careful look. One made before your medical treatment ends can leave out compensation for care you have not had yet.
Many cases settle at this stage, because a trial costs both sides time and money. Our article on negotiating with insurance companies describes how those talks work.
If the insurer will not make a fair offer, your personal injury lawyer can file a lawsuit before the deadline. A lawsuit moves the claim into the civil justice system, where each side exchanges records and takes sworn testimony. The case can still settle before trial. If it does not, a judge or jury decides the outcome.
The decision to settle stays with you. Professional conduct rules require a lawyer to follow the client’s decision on a settlement.
How to choose a personal injury attorney
An experienced personal injury attorney who handles cases like yours is the right place to start.
Trial attorneys try cases in front of a jury. Not every firm does, so it helps to know whether a firm’s trial lawyers go to court when a fair offer never comes.
Four questions are worth an answer before hiring a law firm.
- Has the firm handled personal injury cases like mine
- Which of its attorneys will handle my case
- How often will I hear from my legal team
- How are fees and case costs paid
Recognition from other lawyers says something about a firm. It does not predict the outcome of your case.
Knowledge of the law matters, and so does a lawyer who explains the details in plain words. Your questions deserve plain answers. Our article on the benefits of hiring a lawyer lists what legal representation adds to a claim.
Cost should not keep you from seeking justice, and our article on personal injury case costs covers that question.
When you are ready
Talk through the next step.
Personal injury lawyers by state and city
Zinda Law Group’s personal injury attorneys represent injured clients in the states below.
- Texas. Texas personal injury attorneys, Houston injury attorneys, El Paso injury attorneys, Texas motorcycle accidents
- New Mexico. New Mexico personal injury attorneys, Albuquerque injury attorneys
- Arizona. Arizona personal injury attorneys, Phoenix injury attorneys
- Colorado. Colorado personal injury attorneys, Denver injury attorneys, Denver brain injuries
- Florida. Florida personal injury attorneys, Miami injury attorneys
Start with a free consultation
An injury is a difficult time for a family, and the consequences can reach every part of life. A free case evaluation with Zinda Law Group, a personal injury law firm, gives you answers about the legal process before you decide anything. General information is not legal advice, so we look at your own facts.
If you hire us, our legal team handles the claim while you focus on your recovery.
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to secure the legal representation you need.
