Corpus Christi & Coastal Bend Personal Injury Attorneys · 30+ Years

Corpus Christi Personal Injury Lawyer

Hurt in a wreck on I-37 or SPID, on the docks of the Port of Corpus Christi, on an offshore platform, or in a refinery accident? Patterson Law Group has recovered $100 Million+ for injured Texans. Free phone or Zoom consultation. No fee unless we win.

★ 5.0 on 483+ Google reviews $100 Million+ recovered Maritime · Jones Act · Offshore

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How we serve Corpus Christi clients

Patterson Law Group does not maintain a brick-and-mortar office in Corpus Christi. We serve the Coastal Bend from our Fort Worth and San Antonio offices, about two hours north on I-37. The initial case review is by phone or Zoom — at no cost — and our attorneys travel to Corpus Christi, Portland, Rockport, Kingsville, and the surrounding counties for depositions, mediations, court hearings, and trial. Signed retainers, medical authorizations, deposition prep, and settlement signings can all be handled remotely when that is what works best for you.

Cities and counties we serve in the Coastal Bend

Patterson Law Group represents personal injury clients across Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, Kleberg, and the surrounding Coastal Bend counties:

Corpus Christi Portland Rockport Aransas Pass Kingsville Robstown Ingleside Sinton

Counties covered: Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, Kleberg, Refugio, Bee, and Jim Wells.

Why injured Coastal Bend clients choose Patterson Law Group

Real trial lawyers

We try cases. Three decades of trial practice in Texas state and federal courts, including against refinery operators, vessel owners, and offshore contractors. Every case is built for the courthouse from the start — depositions, expert workups, mediation — whether it ultimately settles or goes to verdict.

$100 Million+ recovered

Three decades of trial-tested results, including the highest Wrongful Death Settlement in Texas in 2024 — an 8-figure recovery.

No fee unless we win

You pay nothing up front. Free phone or Zoom consultation, available 24/7. Se habla español.

What to do after an accident in Corpus Christi

If you or someone you love has just been hurt in the Coastal Bend, the next 24–48 hours matter:

Get medical care immediately. CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi - Memorial is the only Level II trauma center between San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline and CHRISTUS Spohn South handle a significant share of local emergency care, and Bay Area Hospital and Doctors Regional Medical Center are also in the rotation. For offshore and refinery cases, helicopter transfer to a higher-level trauma center is common. Document every visit.
Report the crash or incident. Corpus Christi PD handles crashes inside the city; surrounding cities have their own departments. Nueces County Sheriff handles unincorporated Nueces County. DPS handles crashes on I-37, US-77, US-181, and SH-358. For maritime incidents, the U.S. Coast Guard takes the initial report, and OSHA opens an investigation on serious refinery injuries.
Preserve evidence. For a refinery, plant, or vessel incident, ask for a copy of the OSHA Form 301 (or the equivalent), the JSA (job safety analysis), and any vessel/equipment logs before they get sanitized. Photograph everything.
Do not give a recorded statement. Insurance adjusters, refinery investigators, and vessel-owner safety reps are not on your side. You are not required to give a statement before talking to a lawyer.
Do not accept worker's comp without knowing your rights. Some refinery and offshore employers are "non-subscribers" or carry their own settlement programs that ask you to waive Jones Act or third-party claims. Call us first.
Call a lawyer before you sign anything. Early offers are almost always low.

Texas and maritime law — what Corpus Christi clients should know

Two-year Texas statute of limitations

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 gives you two years from the date of the injury for most personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Three-year maritime limitations

Jones Act and general-maritime claims have a federal three-year limitations period under 46 U.S.C. §30106 — but earlier action is critical to preserve evidence on the vessel or platform.

Modified comparative fault

Texas state-court cases follow the 51% bar under §33.001. Maritime cases follow pure comparative fault — any percentage of contributory fault only reduces, never bars, recovery.

Paid or incurred medical bills

§41.0105 limits state-court medical damages to amounts paid or incurred. Maritime cases include "maintenance and cure" — the vessel owner's duty to pay a daily living allowance and medical care for an injured seaman.

Wrongful Death Act and DOHSA

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71 governs Texas wrongful death actions. For deaths on the high seas (more than 3 nautical miles offshore), the Death on the High Seas Act governs and limits recovery to pecuniary damages — a different and narrower remedy.

Refinery liens and worker's comp

Many refinery contractors carry worker's comp; many do not (and are "non-subscribers" with substantial common-law exposure). The third-party case against the plant owner or another contractor often exists in parallel with the comp claim. Sorting through subrogation is part of the job.

Corpus Christi's most crash-prone corridors

I-37. The primary route between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Heavy commercial truck traffic and long open stretches produce high-speed crashes.
SH-358 (South Padre Island Drive / SPID). The main east-west arterial through Corpus Christi, connecting the airport area to Padre Island. High-volume retail traffic and frequent merging crashes.
US-77. Connects Corpus Christi to Kingsville and the Rio Grande Valley to the south. Long rural stretches with severe head-on and rollover crashes.
US-181. Across the Harbor Bridge to Portland and the San Patricio County refineries.
SH-44. Connects Corpus Christi to Robstown and the inland farm communities.
Crosstown Expressway (SH-286). Cuts north-south through the city, feeding I-37.
Ocean Drive / Shoreline Blvd. Scenic bayfront routes that see heavy weekend and tourist traffic.
Staples St, Weber Rd, Saratoga Blvd, Everhart Rd. The major surface arterials — frequent intersection T-bones.
Port of Corpus Christi access roads. Heavy 18-wheeler and hazmat traffic feeding the largest crude-export port in the country.

Where Coastal Bend personal injury cases are heard

Nueces County

Civil cases in Nueces County are heard at the Nueces County Courthouse, 901 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi. The 28th, 94th, 105th, 117th, 148th, 214th, 319th, and 347th District Courts handle the civil docket.

Surrounding counties

San Patricio County (Portland, Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Sinton) — Sinton courthouse. Aransas County (Rockport) — Rockport courthouse. Kleberg County (Kingsville) — Kingsville courthouse. Refugio County and Bee County have their own seats.

Federal court

Maritime, Jones Act, and federal cases are filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division, 1133 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi.

Most cases settle and never see a courtroom — but we prepare every case as if it will.

Cases we handle in the Coastal Bend

Car accidents — I-37, SPID, US-77
18-wheeler and commercial truck accidents — port and refinery routes
Motorcycle accidents
Wrongful death
Catastrophic injuries — burns, amputations, spinal cord
Slip and fall / premises liability
Traumatic brain injury
Refinery, plant, and offshore work injuries — Jones Act, LHWCA, OCSLA

Common questions from Coastal Bend clients

Does Patterson Law Group have an office in Corpus Christi?

We do not have a brick-and-mortar office in Corpus Christi. We serve Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend from our Fort Worth and San Antonio offices. The initial consultation is by phone or Zoom — at no cost — and our attorneys travel to the Coastal Bend for depositions, mediations, court hearings, and trial. Most Corpus Christi clients never have to leave home to get their case started.

Do you handle offshore, refinery, and Jones Act cases?

Yes. Corpus Christi is one of the largest crude-export ports in the country, and the surrounding refinery row, petrochemical plants, offshore platforms, and Naval Air Station traffic produce a unique mix of work-injury, maritime, and product-liability cases. The Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, and the Death on the High Seas Act each apply in different fact patterns — and they each have their own deadlines. Call us early so the right claim gets filed under the right statute.

How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Texas?

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 sets a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury and wrongful death cases. Jones Act and maritime claims have a federal three-year limitations period under 46 U.S.C. §30106 — but earlier notice may be required to preserve evidence. Claims against governmental entities can have shorter notice deadlines.

How much does a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer cost?

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee — our fee comes out of the settlement or verdict, not your pocket. If we do not recover money for you, you do not pay attorney's fees.

What is my Corpus Christi case worth?

It depends on the severity of injuries, the wage loss (which is significant for refinery workers, mariners, and longshoremen), and the available insurance or vessel-owner coverage. Offshore and refinery cases routinely involve multi-million-dollar policies. We will give you an honest assessment on the free consultation.

Where will my case be heard if it goes to court?

Civil personal injury cases in Nueces County are heard at the Nueces County Courthouse, 901 Leopard Street, Corpus Christi. The 28th, 94th, 105th, 117th, 148th, 214th, 319th, and 347th District Courts handle the civil docket. Maritime and Jones Act cases are often filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division. Surrounding counties — San Patricio (Sinton), Aransas (Rockport), and Kleberg (Kingsville) — have their own courthouses.

What if I was hurt on an offshore platform or vessel?

If you are a seaman injured on a vessel in navigation, the Jones Act provides a remedy against your employer — a powerful statute that is not limited the way state worker's comp is. If you are a longshoreman or harbor worker injured on the dock or on a vessel that is not navigable, the LHWCA applies. If you were on a fixed platform on the Outer Continental Shelf, the OCSLA borrows state law. The labels matter — call us before you accept any worker's comp benefits.

Talk to a real Texas trial lawyer today

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