“There’s nothing we can do to change the past, but we can definitely look back and analyze what happened,” García-Chappell said.
The firm is proudly Hispanic-owned and operated, fighting daily to honor lives lost and families forever changed. They achieve significant resolutions, even in the most challenging cases, including seven-figure settlements for families of deceased workers on both sides of the border.
The attorneys are proud to help restore the financial stability lost following tragedies that never should have happened. Beyond financial recovery, they are equally committed to helping victims regain their emotional and psychological well-being, understanding that true healing involves more than just economic restitution.
Pastrana & García boasts a growing list of accolades, including two major recognitions:
- 1st place in "Best Attorney / Legal Services" in the Best of Pflugerville 2024 competition
- Inclusion in the list of Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in Texas in 2023
Relocating to Pflugerville
Initially, the firm represented clients from a Central Austin office location. But as the city grew, so did the barriers Northeast Austin communities faced commuting to legal appointments.
“A lot of clients prefer to see an attorney face-to-face here in North Austin, Pflugerville, Hutto Round Rock and especially Northeast Austin. There was the need for a personal injury firm to serve the community more locally to those areas,” García-Chappell said.
The firm relocated to Pflugerville, where it continues litigating cases across its practice areas: workplace injury; work and construction accidents; personal injury; motorized vehicle accidents including 18-wheeler, bus, boat, car and motorcycle; distracted driving accidents; brain injury; dog bites, and wrongful death.
“Not all accidents have a case,” García-Chappell said. “But we’re pretty good at analyzing the facts and understanding if there’s something we can do to recover against the negligent party.”
The Texas legal landscape is complex, particularly when it comes to work injuries. If an employer has workers' compensation, employees cannot lose their jobs and are entitled to benefits, including coverage for lost wages, medical bills, and treatments.
However, if the employer does not have workers' compensation, injured workers can be fired, leaving them without access to necessary medical treatment and without income to support their families. This is where Injury Law intervenes to protect and advocate for workers' rights.
More about the attorneys
Pastrana is a dual Mexican-American citizen who realized early in life the barriers some communities face in accessing legal representation. His resolve to help underserved communities developed while growing up along the border in El Paso. In 1996, he moved to Austin to fill an unmet need.
“I noticed that there were very few Hispanic lawyers, number one. Number two, most of them did criminal [law],” Pastrana said. “I [drove] by the [construction] sites, and I would see the Hispanic workers. I thought, ‘Who is representing these folks?’”
He also began volunteering with the Mexican Consulate in Austin, where he met Cristina García-Chappell, who at the time was working for the Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs. They decided to join forces.
“When I started working with Steve, it was a no-brainer,” García-Chappell said. “I grew up in the same system that [many of our clients] did and understand the U.S. legal system is very challenging ... I can only imagine [what it must be like] for somebody who is facing a legal procedure for the first time in the U.S.”
Outside the office, the team is highly involved in local events, schools and communities across northern Travis and Williamson counties.
“[We] use our time and resources to reach out to the community and find places where we can fit in as a source of information, plus whatever we can donate, including time to teach [the public] their rights,” García-Chappell said.
If you or someone you love was injured or killed due to the negligence of someone else, the attorneys at Pastrana & García Injury Law welcome you to schedule a free and confidential consultation by calling their 24/7 toll-free number at 512-474-4487, visiting the website, or stopping by their office, located at 305 N. Heatherwilde Blvd., Ste. 240, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
The above story was produced by Community Impact's Multi Platform Journalist Team with information solely provided by the local business as part of its "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
