McAllen Personal Injury Lawyer
Hit by a careless driver, an 18-wheeler, or a property owner in McAllen, Brownsville, Edinburg, Harlingen, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco, or anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley? Patterson Law Group has recovered $100 Million+ for injured Texans. Free phone or Zoom consultation. Se habla español. No fee unless we win.
Free Case Consultation
No Obligation — No Cost Unless We Win
How we serve Valley clients
Patterson Law Group does not maintain a brick-and-mortar office in the Rio Grande Valley. We serve our Valley clients from our Fort Worth and San Antonio offices. The initial case review is by phone or Zoom — at no cost — and our attorneys travel to McAllen, Edinburg, Brownsville, Harlingen, 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. Se habla español: la consulta inicial completa, los acuerdos de representación y la preparación de su caso se pueden manejar en español si lo prefiere.
Cities and counties we serve in the Rio Grande Valley
Patterson Law Group represents personal injury clients across Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr counties — the four-county Lower Rio Grande Valley:
Counties covered: Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr.
Why injured Valley clients choose Patterson Law Group
Real trial lawyers
We try cases. Three decades of trial practice in Texas courts. 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 for a grieving family.
Se Habla Español
Consulta inicial gratuita en español. No paga nada a menos que ganemos. La consulta, los acuerdos, las declaraciones y la negociación pueden manejarse en español.
What to do after an accident in the Rio Grande Valley
If you or someone you love has just been in an accident in the Valley, the next 24–48 hours matter:
- Get medical care immediately. The Valley has a growing network of trauma capacity: DHR Health (Edinburg) is a major regional hospital with the largest medical campus in the Valley; South Texas Health System operates multiple campuses across McAllen, Edinburg, and Weslaco; Valley Baptist Medical Center (Harlingen) is a Level III trauma center serving Cameron County; and Knapp Medical Center serves Weslaco. Severe trauma is often transferred to higher-level centers in San Antonio or Houston. Even if you feel fine, soft-tissue injuries and concussions can take days to surface.
- Report the crash. McAllen PD, Brownsville PD, Edinburg PD, Harlingen PD, and the surrounding city departments handle local crashes. Hidalgo County Sheriff and Cameron County Sheriff handle unincorporated areas. DPS handles I-2, I-69C, I-69E, and the major U.S. highways. Get the case number — you will need it.
- For international-bridge cases, document everything fast. If the crash involved a vehicle from Mexico or a commercial Mexican carrier, witness contact information and photos are even more critical — drivers can return to Mexico quickly. Note the carrier name, the bridge crossing, and any U.S. DOT or MX SCT numbers on the truck.
- Photograph everything. Vehicles, the scene, license plates, road conditions, traffic controls, and any visible injuries.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. Their adjusters are trained to limit your recovery. You are not required to talk to them. No firme nada antes de hablar con un abogado.
- Call a lawyer before you sign anything. Early settlement offers are almost always low — and once you sign a release, you cannot reopen the claim.
Texas personal injury law — what Valley clients should know
Two-year 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.
Modified comparative fault
Under §33.001, you can recover damages as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Paid or incurred medical bills
§41.0105 limits medical damages to what was actually paid or incurred — not what was billed.
Caps on exemplary damages
§41.008 caps exemplary (punitive) damages in Texas. When gross negligence is in play — DWI cases, commercial trucking violations — we know how to plead and prove it.
Wrongful Death Act
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 71 governs wrongful death and survival actions. Statutory beneficiaries (spouse, children, parents) can recover for loss of companionship, mental anguish, and lost earning capacity. Patterson Law Group won the highest Wrongful Death Settlement in Texas in 2024.
Cross-border carrier cases
Crashes involving commercial Mexican carriers crossing into the Valley implicate FMCSA's North American cargo program, U.S. DOT insurance filings (BMC-91 / BMC-91X), and sometimes the Mexican insurer's representative in the U.S. Sorting out which policy covers the loss is part of the work — and the differences between U.S. and Mexican coverage can be the difference between a paid case and an unpaid one.
The Valley's most crash-prone corridors
- I-2 (former US-83 Expressway). The east-west spine through McAllen, Pharr, Weslaco, and on to Harlingen. Heavy commercial traffic, retail-driveway crashes, and ongoing reconstruction zones.
- I-69E (former US-77). Connects Brownsville and Harlingen north toward Kingsville and Corpus. Heavy 18-wheeler traffic from the Brownsville port and Matamoros crossings.
- I-69C (former US-281). Heads north from McAllen to Edinburg and up into Brooks County. Long open stretches with severe high-speed crashes.
- Pharr-Reynosa and Hidalgo-Reynosa international bridges. The two highest-volume commercial crossings in the Valley. Heavy hazmat and produce trucking with frequent border-wait pileups.
- Veterans International Bridge and Anzalduas. Heavy passenger and trade traffic.
- Brownsville-Matamoros bridges and SH-4. The Cameron County crossings — heavy port and SpaceX-related industrial traffic.
- FM-336 (Trenton Rd) and N. McColl Rd. The major McAllen-area surface arterials.
- Nolana Ave, 23rd St, 10th St (McAllen). Retail and commuter corridors with frequent intersection crashes.
- Boca Chica Blvd and SH-48 (Brownsville). Coastal routes leading to South Padre Island.
Where Valley personal injury cases are heard
Hidalgo County
Civil cases (McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Pharr, Weslaco) are heard at the Hidalgo County Courthouse, 100 N Closner Boulevard, Edinburg. The 92nd, 93rd, 139th, 206th, 275th, 332nd, 370th, 389th, 398th, and 430th District Courts handle the civil docket.
Cameron County
Civil cases (Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito) are heard at the Cameron County Courthouse, 974 E Harrison Street, Brownsville. The 103rd, 107th, 138th, 197th, 357th, 404th, 444th, and 445th District Courts handle the civil docket.
Willacy & Starr Counties
Willacy County cases (Raymondville, Lyford) go to the Willacy County Courthouse, 540 W Hidalgo Ave, Raymondville. Starr County cases (Rio Grande City, Roma) go to the Starr County Courthouse, 401 N Britton Ave, Rio Grande City.
Federal cases are filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, McAllen or Brownsville Divisions. Most cases settle and never see a courtroom.
Cases we handle in the Valley
- Car accidents — I-2, I-69C, I-69E
- 18-wheeler and commercial truck accidents — border bridge corridors
- Motorcycle accidents
- Wrongful death
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Slip and fall / premises liability
- Traumatic brain injury
- Catastrophic injuries
Common questions from Valley clients
Does Patterson Law Group have an office in McAllen or the Valley?
¿Atienden a clientes en español?
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Texas?
How much does a McAllen personal injury lawyer cost?
What is my Valley car accident or trucking case worth?
Where will my case be heard if it goes to court?
What if the at-fault driver does not have insurance?
Talk to a real Texas trial lawyer today
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