Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I pay for my legal fees?
A: We charge what is called a "contingency fee". This means The Callahan Law Firm gets paid only if a recovery is made. The contingency fee is a percentage of the total recovery. If a recovery is not made, then you pay us nothing. So when we accept a case, the client can be confident that we are in it to win.
Q: How do I pay for the expenses in my case?
A: We charge what is called a "contingency fee". This means The Callahan Law Firm gets paid only if a recovery is made. The contingency fee is a percentage of the total recovery. If a recovery is not made, then you pay us nothing. So when we accept a case, the client can be confident that we are in it to win.
Q: How do you decide if you will take my case?
A: We carefully evaluate the facts and law that apply to each case in deciding which cases The Callahan Law Firm will accept. We accept only the cases where we believe we can help the client.
Q: Will my case go to trial?
A: At the outset, there is no sure way to know whether your case will go to trial or not. The majority of our cases are resolved at some point before trial. Whether the case gets settled or goes to trial depends on a number of factors including the facts of the case, the law, the injuries, the damages, the way the case is developed, the story of the case and the people whose lives it has affected, and the skill, aggressiveness and reputation of the handling attorneys. Some defendants will do the right thing early in a case and settle based on our investigation and the facts we work aggressively to discover. There have been times we have fully developed a case and are days away from trial or on the courthouse steps when the defendant(s) finally offers a settlement that is acceptable to our client. Given the seriousness of the cases we handle and the fact that our clients have one chance to get justice, we assume every case we accept will be tried in front of a jury and we prepare with that in mind. It is our experience this strategy maximizes recoveries for the people we represent.
Q: How much is my case worth?
A: The value of each case is different. Various factors such as the facts of the case, the law, the injuries, the damages, the way the case is developed, the story of the case and the people whose lives it has affected, and the skill, aggressiveness and reputation of the handling attorneys all make a difference in determining your case's value. There is no guarantee that you will recover anything from your case. But keep in mind that we do not accept cases if we don't believe a recovery can be made for the client. The lawyers at The Callahan Law Firm have years of experience evaluating and handling serious and personal injury case. Our goal in every case we accept is to maximize the justice we get for our clients.
Q: How long will my case take?
A: Each case is different. Some cases take longer than others to resolve or get to trial. Our goal is to develop each case in a timely manner to get it resolved whether by settlement or trial and in a way that results in a satisfied client.
As a general rule, we work hard to develop cases with the goal of getting them resolved by settlement or by going to trial before the statute of limitations expires. As an example, the statute of limitations in the state of Texas for most negligence cases is 2 years from the date of the incident or injury.
There are cases, however, where this is not possible because of factors such as how long after the date of the incident or injury was The Callahan Law Firm hired, the complexity of the case, whether the client has reached a point medically so that the treating doctors can determine what kind of future medical care will be required and the cost of that treatment, and the trial schedule of the Court in which the case is filed.
Q: What happens if I don't want to have a court trial?
A: The Callahan Law Firm will develop the case and work hard to obtain a settlement satisfactory to the client.
Q: Will I be consulted before my case settles?
A: Absolutely. We cannot and will not settle your case without your approval. Although we will provide you with legal advice throughout your lawsuit, the final decision regarding settlement belongs to you, the client.
Q: How long will the trial last?
A: Each case is different. Factors such as the number of parties involved in the trial, the complexity of the case, the number of witnesses, whether it's a jury trial or bench trial, and the Judge's schedule all affect how long your trial will last.
