Scanes Yelverton Talbert, LLP
Somerville Personal Injury Lawyers

Trusted Advocates for Injury Victims Across Somerville
Helping Injury Victims Rebuild After Serious Accidents
At Scanes Yelverton Talbert, LLP, we understand how quickly an accident can change your life. A serious injury can leave you dealing with medical bills, lost wages, insurance companies, and uncertainty about the future. Our team is committed to helping injury victims across Somerville pursue the compensation and justice they deserve while providing the guidance and support they need during difficult times.
With decades of combined litigation experience, our attorneys have built a reputation for aggressive advocacy, strategic representation, and personalized service. Whether your case involves a car accident, trucking collision, workplace injury, wrongful death claim, or another serious accident caused by negligence, we are prepared to stand by your side from start to finish.
Our Practice Areas
We specialize in larger personal injury and wrongful death cases, taking cases to both state and federal courts. Whether pursuing a fair settlement or confidently taking your case to trial and appeal, we are committed to doing what’s best for you. These are some areas we focus on.
How a Somerville Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You
FAQs
We have addressed many of the most common questions we receive about personal injury cases, but we understand that every situation is unique. If you still have questions that were not answered here, we encourage you to fill out our online form. A member of our team will reach out to help you understand your options, answer your questions, and provide the guidance you need moving forward.
If I get hurt, what should I do?
If you are injured in an accident, your first priority should always be your health and safety. Seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if your injuries seem minor at first. Some injuries take time to appear, and early documentation can be important for both your recovery and your legal claim. If you are able, report the accident to the appropriate authorities and ensure an official report is created.
Once your immediate needs are addressed, consider reaching out to our team of personal injury attorneys at SYT. Early legal guidance can help protect your rights, preserve evidence, and prevent common mistakes that could affect your claim. Our team can step in quickly to handle the legal aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on healing while we work to protect your future.
How do I know if I have a personal injury case?
If you were injured in an accident caused by someone else’s actions or negligence, you may have a personal injury case. These cases can arise from car accidents, truck accidents, unsafe property conditions, defective products, or other preventable incidents. Because every situation is different, the best way to know for sure is to speak directly with an experienced personal injury attorney. By filling out our online contact form, our team can review the details of your accident, explain whether you may have a valid claim, and discuss your legal options at no cost to you.
What Is negligence in a Personal Injury Case?
Negligence is the legal foundation of most personal injury claims in Texas. At its core, negligence occurs when someone fails to act with reasonable care, and that failure causes harm to another person. In everyday terms, negligence means that an accident could have been prevented if the responsible party had acted responsibly.
To establish negligence in a personal injury case, four key elements must generally be shown. First, the at-fault party must have owed a duty of care. For example, drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and operate their vehicles safely. Property owners have a duty to maintain premises that are reasonably safe. Second, that duty must have been breached through careless or reckless behavior, such as speeding, distracted driving, or failing to fix a known hazard. Third, the breach must be the direct cause of the accident. Finally, the injured person must have suffered actual damages, such as medical expenses, lost income, or physical and emotional pain.
Insurance companies often try to dispute one or more of these elements to avoid paying full compensation. They may argue that their policyholder acted reasonably, that the injuries were preexisting, or that something else caused the accident altogether. At SYT, our team understands how these defenses work and how to counter them. We investigate accidents thoroughly, gather evidence, consult experts when necessary, and build strong cases designed to clearly demonstrate negligence and accountability.
Proving negligence is not just about assigning blame; it is about securing the resources injured individuals need to recover and move forward. Our attorneys take the time to understand each client’s situation, explain how negligence applies to their case, and pursue compensation that reflects the full impact of the injury on their life.
How long do I have to file a claim in Texas?
In most personal injury cases in Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. However, there can be exceptions depending on the circumstances of your case, especially if a government entity is involved or if the injured person is a minor. Because missing a deadline can permanently bar your claim (meaning you will not be able to ever receive compensation), it is important to contact our team as soon as possible so we can confirm the applicable time limits and protect your rights.
What if I’m partially at fault for the accident?
Texas follows a comparative fault system, meaning you can still recover compensation as long as you are not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. However, your recovery may be reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies often attempt to exaggerate a victim’s role in an accident to minimize payouts. Our team works diligently to investigate the facts, challenge unfair blame, and pursue the maximum compensation available under the law.
Who can be held responsible in a personal injury case?
Depending on the circumstances, responsibility may fall on a negligent driver, a vehicle owner, an employer, a property owner, a manufacturer, or even a government entity. Identifying all responsible parties is a critical part of maximizing compensation, and our attorneys conduct thorough investigations to ensure no potential source of recovery is overlooked.
What types of compensation can I recover?
The compensation available in a personal injury case is designed to address the full impact an accident has on your life, not just the immediate expenses. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to recover compensation for current and future medical costs, including emergency treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, physical therapy, medications, and any ongoing care your injuries require.
Injuries can also affect your ability to work, both in the short term and long term. Compensation may include lost income for time missed from work, as well as reduced earning capacity if your injuries limit your ability to return to your previous job or advance in your career. Beyond financial losses, Texas law recognizes the physical pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life that often accompany serious injuries. These damages reflect the very real ways an accident can disrupt daily routines, relationships, and overall quality of life.
In cases involving severe or catastrophic injuries, compensation may extend even further to account for long-term disability, permanent impairments, future medical care, adaptive equipment, and modifications to your home or vehicle. When an injury changes a person’s life, the legal strategy must reflect that reality.
Our team works closely with medical professionals, vocational experts, and financial specialists to fully understand the scope of your injuries and losses. We take the time to look beyond the immediate aftermath of the accident and fight for compensation that reflects not only what you have already endured, but what you will need to move forward with security and dignity.
Do I need a lawyer for a personal injury case?
While you are not required to hire a lawyer, having experienced legal representation can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. Insurance companies have teams of adjusters and attorneys working to limit what they pay. Having SYT on your side helps level the playing field and ensures your case is handled with the seriousness it deserves.
If the insurance company offers a settlement, why do I need a lawyer?
An early settlement offer from an insurance company may seem appealing, especially as medical bills and other expenses pile up. However, these initial offers are often far lower than the true value of a claim. Insurance companies frequently make quick settlement offers before the full extent of an injury is known, and once a settlement is accepted, you typically cannot seek additional compensation later.
Having a lawyer ensures that any settlement offer is carefully evaluated with your long-term needs in mind. At SYT, we assess not only your current expenses but also future medical care, lost earning potential, and the overall impact the injury has on your life. Because we prepare every case as if it will go to trial, insurance companies know we are serious about pursuing full and fair compensation, which often leads to stronger negotiation outcomes.
Get Started Today
Don’t wait to get the justice you deserve. Take the first step today by reaching out to our team and letting us review your personal injury case.

