1. Wood Law Firm, LLP
Focus Area: Personal Injury and Catastrophic Injury Litigation
Practice Areas: Motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, construction site accidents, defective medical devices, defective products, dangerous drugs, wrongful death, bodily injuries
Background: Over 40 years of combined experience representing injured Texans. AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for over 15 years, indicating outstanding ethical standards. Attorney Channy Wood is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a Board-Certified Civil Law Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Member of Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and featured in Top 100 Trial Lawyers list. Multiple selections to Super Lawyers list.
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Contact: https://www.woodlawfirm-tx.com/
Consultation: Free consultation; contingency fees (no attorneys’ fees unless compensation is recovered)
2. Lovell, Isern & Farabough, LLP
Focus Area: Complex Civil Litigation and Personal Injury
Practice Areas: Catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, fire damage claims, truck and car accidents, workplace injuries, product liability, medical negligence, oil and gas disputes, business litigation, condemnation/eminent domain
Background: All three name partners are Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Certifications include Oil, Gas and Mineral Law, Civil Trial Law, and Personal Injury Trial Law. Multiple attorneys rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. Recognized with Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars and Texas Super Lawyers awards. Licensed to practice in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Deep roots in Amarillo with demonstrated record of life-changing results in personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Contact: https://www.lovell-law.net/
Consultation: Confidential consultation available
3. Tormey & McConnell
Focus Area: Personal Injury and Civil Litigation
Practice Areas: Car accidents, trucking accidents, product defects, firearm accidents, oilfield incidents, assault claims, insurance claims, wrongful death
Background: Over 50 years of combined experience in personal injury law. Attorney Jeff Tormey earned his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1995 and is certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury. Attorney Ed McConnell received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech School of Law in 1979 and has represented clients since the day of his admission to the Texas Bar Association. Practice serves Amarillo, Hereford, Dumas, Pampa, and Borger areas.
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Contact: https://tmcattorneys.com/
Consultation: Free case consultation available
4. Hernandez Law Group, P.C.
Focus Area: Personal Injury Litigation
Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, misdiagnosis, dog bites, slip and fall accidents, catastrophic injuries
Background: Attorney Juan Hernandez is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only two percent of Texas attorneys. Member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Firm receives consistent recognition for combining compassion with professionalism. Clients report regular feedback and prompt case updates from attentive legal professionals.
Location: Amarillo, Texas (additional offices across Texas)
Contact: https://www.juanlaw.com/
Consultation: Free case review available
5. Hilliard Law
Focus Area: Personal Injury and Complex Civil Litigation
Practice Areas: Auto accidents, trucking accidents, ATV accidents, golf cart accidents, oil field injuries, medical malpractice, surgical errors, birth injuries, nursing home abuse, premises liability, slip and fall accidents
Background: Over 30 years of experience representing wrongfully injured Texans. Nationally recognized firm with proven track record of results. Lead trial attorney Robert Hilliard obtained a $25 million jury verdict in a premises liability case in Nueces County, Texas in May 2013. Firm maintains offices across Texas with representation available throughout the Amarillo area. Demonstrated commitment to community involvement and client advocacy.
Location: Amarillo, Texas (headquarters in Corpus Christi with statewide presence)
Contact: (361) 882-1612 | https://www.hilliard-law.com/
Consultation: Free consultation available
Personal Injury Laws in Texas
Statute of Limitations
Texas law establishes specific deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits. Under Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code § 16.003, most personal injury claims must be filed within two years from the date of injury.
The two-year limitation applies to:
- Motor vehicle accidents (cars, trucks, motorcycles)
- Slip and fall incidents
- Product liability cases
- Workplace accidents (outside workers’ compensation)
- General negligence claims
Special deadlines apply in certain situations:
Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years from the date of death, not the original injury date, under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 16.003(b).
Medical malpractice claims follow the two-year deadline under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 74.251(a), starting from the later of the injury date or when the injury should have been discovered. Minors under age 12 have until their 14th birthday to file. A 10-year statute of repose creates an absolute cutoff regardless of discovery.
Defamation claims allow only one year for filing.
Sexual assault claims provide an extended five-year limitation period. For childhood sexual abuse, victims have 30 years after their 18th birthday.
Tolling provisions may extend deadlines for minors (until age 18) and persons with mental incapacity under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 16.001.
Negligence Rules
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule with a 51% bar under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 33.001. Key principles:
- Injured parties can recover damages if they are 50% or less at fault
- Recovery is reduced by the injured party’s percentage of fault
- If found 51% or more at fault, the injured party recovers nothing
- Example: If damages total $20,000 and the injured party is 25% at fault, recovery is limited to $15,000
The at-fault determination in Texas can significantly impact recovery, as exceeding the 50% threshold eliminates all compensation rights.
Damage Caps
Texas imposes caps on certain categories of damages:
Medical malpractice damages are capped under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 74.301. Non-economic damages (pain and suffering, mental anguish) are limited to:
- $250,000 per claimant against physicians/healthcare providers
- $250,000 per claimant against healthcare institutions
- Maximum combined cap of $500,000 against multiple healthcare institutions
Government liability is capped under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 101.023 at:
- $250,000 per person
- $500,000 per incident
Punitive damages are limited under Tex. Civ. Pract. & Proc. Code § 41.008 to the greater of:
- $200,000, or
- Two times economic damages plus an amount equal to non-economic damages up to $750,000
General personal injury claims against private defendants have no caps on compensatory damages outside the medical malpractice context.
Auto Insurance Requirements
Texas is an at-fault (tort) state, meaning the driver who causes an accident is financially responsible for resulting damages.
Minimum liability coverage requirements (commonly called 30/60/25 coverage):
- $30,000 per person for bodily injury
- $60,000 per accident for bodily injury (all persons)
- $25,000 per accident for property damage
Texas law requires insurance companies to offer Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage with minimum coverage of $2,500. PIP is automatically included in policies unless specifically rejected in writing. PIP covers medical expenses regardless of fault.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage must be offered but can be declined in writing.
Texas uses the TexasSure database, allowing law enforcement and state agencies to verify insurance status electronically. Driving without insurance can result in fines of $175 to $350 for first offense, vehicle impoundment, and license suspension for repeat offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What highways in the Amarillo area see the most serious accidents?
U.S. Highways 27, 40, and State Highways 60, 87, and 287 have become some of the most dangerous roadways in West Texas. Interstate 40, which runs through the Amarillo area, carries substantial commercial truck traffic traveling between major metropolitan areas. The combination of high-speed limits, heavy truck traffic, variable weather conditions including dust storms and ice, and long stretches of open road contribute to serious and sometimes fatal collisions. Accidents involving tractor-trailers and commercial vehicles on these routes often result in catastrophic injuries due to the size and weight of the vehicles involved.
How does Texas’ modified comparative fault rule affect my personal injury claim?
Texas uses a 51% bar rule, meaning you can recover compensation only if your share of fault is 50% or less. If determined to be 51% or more responsible, you recover nothing regardless of injury severity. Your compensation decreases proportionally to your fault percentage. For instance, if your damages total $100,000 and you are found 30% at fault, you would receive $70,000. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys frequently argue for higher fault percentages against claimants, making accurate documentation of the accident circumstances particularly important.
Are oilfield and industrial accident claims handled differently in Amarillo?
Oilfield and industrial accidents in the Texas Panhandle region often involve multiple potentially responsible parties, including drilling companies, contractors, equipment manufacturers, and property owners. These cases may require investigation into OSHA violations, equipment maintenance records, and industry safety standards. Workers may have claims both through workers’ compensation and against third parties whose negligence contributed to injuries. The Amarillo area’s significant oil and gas industry presence means local attorneys often have specific experience with the unique circumstances and regulations governing these workplace accidents.
What is the deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit in Texas?
Texas provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims arising from car accidents, running from the date of the accident. If the accident resulted in a fatality, the wrongful death claim deadline runs from the date of death rather than the accident date. While two years may seem sufficient, evidence can deteriorate, witnesses become harder to locate, and insurance companies may become more aggressive in disputing claims as time passes. Starting the claims process promptly typically strengthens your position.
What should I know about Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage in Texas?
Texas requires insurance companies to offer PIP coverage with all auto policies, and it is automatically included unless you specifically reject it in writing. The minimum PIP coverage is $2,500. PIP covers your medical expenses after an accident regardless of who was at fault, making it valuable for covering immediate treatment costs while fault determination and liability claims are processed. Unlike liability coverage, which only pays third parties, PIP provides direct benefits to you and your passengers. Many drivers carry higher PIP limits for greater protection.