Privacy Policy

Introduction

John Aufiero, PC, doing business as 915 Injury (collectively, "the Firm," "we," "our," or "us"), respects your privacy and is firmly committed to protecting your personal information. As a law firm, we are bound by strict professional and ethical obligations under the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of New Mexico to maintain the confidentiality of the information we receive from our clients and prospective clients.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website (915injury.com), interact with our Live Chat features, submit a contact form, utilize our secure client portals, or communicate with us via phone, email, or text message (SMS).

By accessing our website or utilizing our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. The Information We Collect

In order to thoroughly evaluate your potential personal injury claim and provide the highest level of legal representation, it is unavoidable that certain personal information must be collected. We gather this information in two primary ways:

A. Information You Voluntarily Provide

When you reach out to our firm for a free consultation, fill out a web form, use our Live Chat widget, or call our office, we may collect:

• Personal Identifiers: Your full name, telephone number, email address, physical mailing address, and date of birth.
• Case-Specific Details: Information regarding your accident, police crash reports, insurance policy limits, witness statements, and property damage estimates.
• Sensitive Personal Data: If you retain our firm, we may collect highly sensitive information necessary for your case, including your Social Security Number, employment and wage records, and extensive medical history.
• Portal Uploads: Documents, photographs, videos, and messages you securely upload through our integrated case management systems (including Filevine and Domo).

B. Information We Collect Automatically

When you navigate our website, our servers and third-party tracking tools automatically collect certain technical data regarding your visit. This may include:

• Your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Browsing behavior, such as the pages you visit, the time spent on those pages, and the referring website or search engine that led you to us.
• Interactions with our Google Business Profile (GBP) and Google Search Console (GSC).

2. Cookies, Tracking Technologies, and "Do Not Track"

Our website utilizes cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to analyze site traffic, measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns, and enhance the overall user experience.

• Third-Party Analytics and Pixels: We utilize tools such as Google Analytics and the Facebook (Meta) Pixel. These tools place cookies on your device to collect non-personally identifiable data about your browsing behavior. This helps us understand how users interact with our site and allows us to deliver relevant legal information to people in El Paso and the surrounding areas.
• Managing Cookies: You can instruct your web browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use certain portions of our website, including the Live Chat widget.
• Do Not Track (DNT) Signals: Some web browsers incorporate a "Do Not Track" (DNT) or Global Privacy Control feature that signals to websites that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Currently, there is no universally accepted industry standard for how websites should respond to these signals. Therefore, our website does not currently alter its data collection practices when it receives a DNT signal.

3. How We Use Your Information

Because 915 Injury is an exclusive, attorney-led practice with no low-level support staff handling your file, access to your sensitive information is highly restricted. We use the information we collect strictly to:

• Evaluate the legal merits of your potential personal injury or wrongful death claim during a consultation.
• Provide aggressive, dedicated legal representation if an attorney-client relationship is formalized.
• Respond to your inquiries, schedule appointments, and provide regular case updates.
• Administer our secure client databases (Filevine and Domo).
• Send relevant firm news, marketing materials, and legal updates (subject to your consent).
• Comply with our legal, regulatory, and ethical obligations.

4. Text Messaging (SMS) and Communications Policy

We utilize text messaging (SMS) as an efficient way to communicate with our clients and prospective clients regarding case updates, appointment reminders, and important notifications.

By providing your mobile phone number to 915 Injury, you expressly consent to receive text messages from us.

• Opt-Out: You may opt out of receiving SMS messages from our firm at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive. If you need assistance, you may reply HELP or contact our office directly.
• Message and Data Rates: Standard message and data rates applied by your mobile carrier may apply. Message frequency will vary depending on the status of your case.
• Strict SMS Privacy Guarantee: We respect your mobile privacy. No mobile information, phone numbers, or SMS consent data will ever be shared with, sold to, or traded with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing for SMS purposes is strictly limited to the telecommunications software providers we use to facilitate message delivery, who are bound by strict confidentiality agreements.

5. Email Marketing and CAN-SPAM Compliance

We may occasionally use the email address you provide to send you legal newsletters, firm updates, or marketing communications. We strictly comply with the federal CAN-SPAM Act. If you no longer wish to receive marketing or promotional emails from 915 Injury, you may opt out at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link located at the bottom of any promotional email, or by emailing us at john@915injury.com. Please note that opting out of marketing emails will not affect our ability to send you critical, non-promotional communications regarding your active legal case.

6. Protection of Medical and Health Information

In the course of representing you in a personal injury claim (such as a commercial truck accident or dog bite), we will collect highly sensitive medical records, billing statements, and health information. While our law firm is generally not considered a "Covered Entity" under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), we treat your personal health information with the highest degree of care and confidentiality. Medical records uploaded to our secure systems are encrypted and will only be shared with expert witnesses, opposing counsel, insurance adjusters, or the courts as strictly necessary to prosecute your claim, and only with your explicit authorization.

7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Client Confidentiality

While our firm utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to assist with general marketing, website content creation, and administrative efficiency, we strictly protect your confidential information.

We are bound by the ethical rules of the State Bar of Texas and New Mexico regarding client confidentiality. We do not—and will never—upload, input, or share any sensitive client data, personally identifiable information (PII), medical records, police reports, or case-specific details into public, open-source, or commercial generative AI platforms (such as public versions of ChatGPT, Claude, etc.). Your personal data is never used to train external or third-party AI models.

8. How We Share and Disclose Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information for financial gain. We will only disclose your information under the following specific circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share data with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, facilitating our Live Chat, or managing our digital case files (e.g., Filevine, Domo). These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by strict security and confidentiality agreements.
• Co-Counsel and Experts: To provide you with the strongest possible representation, we may share relevant details of your case with medical professionals, accident reconstruction experts, economic damages experts, or unaffiliated co-counsel/referral attorneys evaluating your claim.
• Public Court Records: Please understand that if a lawsuit is filed on your behalf to secure the compensation you deserve, certain information—such as your name, the facts of the crash, and descriptions of your injuries—must be filed with the court. Once filed, these documents may become a matter of public record and are no longer subject to our privacy protections.
• Legal Requirements: We will disclose your personal information if requested to do so during the normal course of the legal discovery process, in response to a subpoena or court order, or when we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to comply with the law or protect the rights, property, or safety of the Firm or others.

9. Your State Privacy Rights

Depending on your state of residence, including protections afforded under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) and developing New Mexico privacy laws, you may have specific rights regarding your personal data. These rights generally include:

• The Right to Access: You may request to know what personal data we have collected about you and how it is being used.
• The Right to Correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.
• The Right to Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal data. (Note: As a law firm, this right is subject to our superseding ethical and legal obligations to retain client files and conflict-of-interest records).
• The Right to Opt-Out: You may opt out of the processing of your data for targeted advertising purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at john@915injury.com. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

10. No Attorney-Client Relationship Disclaimer

The transmission of information to or from this website, including submitting a contact form, engaging in our Live Chat, or sending an email or text message to John Aufiero, PC, does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the Firm. An attorney-client relationship is only established after we have thoroughly reviewed your case, cleared any conflicts of interest, and both you and the Firm have signed a formal, written representation agreement. Please refrain from sending highly confidential or damaging information through unencrypted web forms.

11. Data Security and File Retention

We implement industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical security measures to safeguard your personal information against loss, theft, and unauthorized access. This includes restricted file access, secure internal password policies, and the use of encrypted cloud-based legal software (Filevine and Domo).

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Data Retention: We retain your personal information and client files for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. Following the conclusion of your legal matter, we will retain your physical and electronic files in a secure environment for a minimum period of five (5) years, in compliance with the State Bar of Texas guidelines. After this retention period expires, files containing personal identifying information will be securely destroyed or permanently deleted.

12. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Our website and marketing materials are not directed toward, nor do we knowingly collect personal information directly from, children under the age of 13. If you are a parent or legal guardian seeking representation for a minor child (such as in a child injury or dog bite case), you must submit your own information and communicate with us on behalf of your child. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a minor without verifiable parental consent, we will take immediate steps to securely delete that information.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external, third-party websites (such as the El Paso Police Department, Texas Department of Transportation, or local news outlets). Please be aware that we do not control and are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any external website that collects your personal information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update, modify, or amend this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our business practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will post the updated policy on this page and revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of the document. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your personal information.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, we welcome you to contact us directly:

• Firm Name: 915 Injury (John Aufiero, PC)
• Physical Address: 2211 East Missouri Avenue, Suite 223, El Paso, Texas 79903
• Phone Number: (915) 519-1000
• Email Address: john@915injury.com
• Website: 915injury.com