Hurt without papers? You still have rights.
Your right to be paid for an injury in Texas doesn't depend on your immigration status. We don't ask about your papers to help you. Free, confidential, and your consultation is with Jimmy, in Spanish or English.
Tell Jimmy what happened
Jimmy reads every request himself and will be in touch with you shortly.
The law protects the injured person, not the paperwork
Whether you call yourself undocumented, “illegal,” out of status, on DACA or TPS, or you simply don't have papers, the answer is the same: if someone else caused your injury in Texas, you can pursue compensation for it. The law asks who caused the harm, not where the injured person was born.
In TXI Transportation v. Hughes (2010), the Texas Supreme Court threw out a verdict because the jury heard about a driver's immigration status, holding that it had nothing to do with who caused the crash. In Grocers Supply v. Cabello (2012), a Texas court of appeals held that an undocumented worker could recover lost wages and lost earning capacity.
Whether you are from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua or anywhere else, your rights after an accident in Texas are the same.
Jimmy Suerken is a Mexican-American attorney who grew up in El Paso and speaks Spanish. Your whole case can be handled in Spanish, and your consultation is with him.
We are injury lawyers, not immigration lawyers. If you have questions about your immigration status, we can connect you with an immigration attorney.
Sources: TXI Transp. Co. v. Hughes (Tex. 2010) · Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 2.13 · Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 16
Whatever happened, your status doesn't decide it
Car crashes
Rear-ended, T-boned or hit by an uninsured driver. Your claim is against the driver who caused it, whatever your status.
18-wheeler crashes
Trucking companies carry large policies and move fast to protect themselves. Evidence has to be preserved early.
Work injuries
Construction, roofing, warehouses and plants. Workers' comp, non-subscriber and third-party claims are open to you.
Walking or on a bike
Many people without a license walk, bike or take the bus. If a driver hit you, that driver's insurance is responsible.
Passengers and rideshare
Riding with a friend, a coworker or an Uber? Passengers are almost never at fault, and more than one policy may pay.
Wrongful death
When someone is killed, their family can bring a claim, including family members who live in another country.
What to do if you don't have papers
Get medical care
Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Emergency rooms must examine and stabilize you, papers or insurance or not.
Call Jimmy
713-600-6233Free and confidential. We never need your papers to help you, and your consultation is with Jimmy, in Spanish or English.
Report it and take photos
A crash with injuries must be reported. Photograph the cars, the plates and your injuries, and get witnesses' names.
Don't talk or sign
You don't have to discuss the crash or your papers with any insurance company, and never sign anything you haven't had explained.
Go deeper on your situation
I'm undocumented. Can I still get compensation after a car accident in Texas?
Who pays, what you can recover, and why your status stays out of it.
Will filing an injury claim get me deported?
What an injury claim is, who learns your status, and what no lawyer can promise.
I don't have a driver's license or insurance. Can I still make a claim after a crash?
Why fault decides the claim, and what a missing license does and doesn't affect.
I'm undocumented. Can I still recover for a work injury?
Workers' comp, non-subscriber employers and threats about your status.
Can the insurance company ask about my immigration status?
What adjusters ask, what you never have to answer, and how courts limit it.
I'm on DACA or TPS, or I'm out of status. Does that affect my injury claim?
Same rights, what a work permit changes, and why to be careful about travel.
Can I get paid a settlement without a Social Security number?
How settlements are paid, taxes on injury money, and getting paid abroad.
I was paid in cash. Can I still recover lost wages?
Proving what you earned with messages, deposits, remittances and coworkers.
A family member was killed in Texas and our family is undocumented or lives abroad. Can we still file?
Who can file, proving family with documents from home, and bringing a loved one home.
Which consulates in Houston can help after an accident?
Which consulates are in Houston and El Paso, and what they can help with.
Can I be fired for filing a work injury claim in Texas?
What Texas law says about retaliation after a work injury.
I live in Juárez and was hurt in an accident in El Paso. Do I have rights?
Crossing for work or family and hurt on the Texas side.
Built so you can trust us
- We don't ask about your papers. Not on our form, not in our chat, and not to take your case.
- Everything you tell us is confidential. It stays that way even if you don't hire us.
- Your whole case in Spanish. Jimmy speaks Spanish; you never need a relative to translate.
- No fee unless we win. The consultation is free, and there is nothing to pay up front.
- The right team behind your case. Experienced co-counsel and experts when a case calls for them.
- Immigration questions go to the right lawyer. We connect you with an immigration attorney when you need one.
- Family can call for you. A spouse, a son or a coworker can make the first call; we'll talk with you too.
Houston, El Paso and all of Texas
Many of our clients live in neighborhoods like Gulfton, Sharpstown, Alief, Pasadena and Aldine in Houston, or across El Paso and the Borderland. We take injury cases across Texas.
Common questions
I'm here illegally. Do I still have rights after an accident?
I don't have papers. Will the insurance company still pay me?
I'm on DACA or TPS, or my visa expired. Can I still file a claim?
Do I need a Social Security number to make a claim?
Will you report me to immigration?
I was paid in cash. Can I still recover lost wages?
My family member was hurt and doesn't have papers. Can I call for them?
I was hurt at work and I don't have papers. Can I still make a claim?
How much does it cost to hire you?
Do you also handle my immigration case?
¿Lastimado en un accidente? Hablemos — en español.
La consulta es gratis y confidencial. No paga nada a menos que ganemos su caso. Jimmy se comunicará con usted en breve. ¿Sin papeles? Usted tiene derechos.
Every day you wait, evidence disappears and the insurer gets ahead. One free call. Straight answers about your case — in English or Spanish. If you need a fighter, you'll have one, from the first call to the last check.