By Joe Louis Gomez
It turned out to be the ultimate change of heart for McAllen attorney Humberto Tijerina. Finding success in the business world has amounted to a higher calling, representing real people with real needs in the Rio Grande Valley.A career begun working on the other side of the table as a corporate attorney has led to a new purpose in life for Tijerina, who says he now manages the legal complexities against corporate insurance giants on behalf of clients rights. “When something personal touches you, it brands you,” Tijerina says. “I wanted to help injured people, meet them face to face, and let them know that they are not alone.”
Beginning his career as a corporate attorney for Cox and Smith, Inc., a prestigious San Antonio-based law firm specializing in business law and litigation, Tijerina made a name for himself by traveling throughout different parts of Mexico, delivering presentations to Mexican entrepreneurs and counseling them on the legal aspects of doing business in the United States.
Today, almost a decade later, personal fulfillment, he says, is found helping those who have been injured or wronged. Satisfaction is found in helping obtain justice for the people.
Hard work, adversity to the mainstream, and his personal struggle to earn the respect of a completely new client base prompted him to start the Tijerina Legal Firm, P.C., which is based in McAllen, and has additional offices in Brownsville and Laredo. His mission is to be a client-focused law firm dedicated to assisting people, and small to medium sized businesses, which have been injured or wronged by others.
For Tijerina his new path goes back to one basic, but important tenet of life. “It’s learning where to place your trust when things seem at their worst”, he says. “It’s like getting maintenance or fixing a problem on your car. You may know your car is not working, but you need an expert to pinpoint the cause of the problem and fix it. I fix insurance problems. Insurance problems that are often so complex, it takes an expert to fight for your rights.”
Tijerina often sees cases where insurance companies underpay, make late payments or even deny perfectly good claims. Tijerina mentions that injuries are not just to the physical body, rather also include mental distress. Wrongful termination, discrimination at the work place and breach of contracts are also claims he takes head on.
The courtroom, he says, is often the last stand against industries like big oil or insurance; entities that through massive political contributions have been able to dominate the political process, and strip away the protections of our country’s citizens.
“You get a good feeling from being able to help those who are struggling, and who don’t know what to do against an insurance company who is not being fair,” Tijerina says. “For the most part, people need help in dealing with these situations because they can be taken advantage of quite easily by these companies.”
A native of the Rio Grande Valley, Tijerina grew up in McAllen before moving to Austin, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas, with a concentration in Spanish and Psychology in 1997. He then went on to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 2000. Upon returning to the Valley, Tijerina established a firm with two other friends in 2003. Eventually each went their own way and he now operates his personal legal practice, Tijerina Legal Firm, P.C., in McAllen as a client-focused law firm dedicated to assisting people that have been injured or wronged by others.
“It hasn’t been an easy road. There have been challenges along this process. I definitely wouldn’t be here today without my family, friends and my mentors,” Tijerina said. “However, I’m doing what I love and it’s the right thing to do. Over the years, clients have turned into relationships and relationships into friendships. Achieving justice for those that have been wronged is my job, my duty, and my calling.”
Tijerina Legal Firm is located at 2nd Street and Lindberg in McAllen. If you are unsure whether or not you need legal advice on personal injury, Tijerina recommends considering the following:
1. If you are involved in a car crash, you should immediately consult with legal counsel.
2. If you are injured because of someone else’s fault , you should immediately consult with legal counsel.
3. If you are defrauded or wrongfully terminated, you should immediately consult with legal counsel.
For further information go online to www.TijerinaLegalFirm.com or (877) T-Helps-You / (877) 843-4357
