After you’ve been injured in an accident and recognize that you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer, it can be overwhelming to determine who you can trust to handle your case with the skill and empathy it deserves. There are countless personal injury law firms out there all claiming to do the same thing, including TV lawyers who have a lot of visibility and attorneys who work with other companies to send solicitations to injured people.
Unfortunately, many individuals decide to trust a law firm before they do research to learn more about how they can help – or harm – their case. Choosing the wrong attorney can be detrimental to the outcome of your case. Consultations with law firms are more than you being vetted by an attorney – they’re also an important opportunity for you to interview the law firm and determine if they’re the right fit for you.
Before you say yes to a personal injury law firm, it’s important to do the following:
- Read online reviews: Reviews from past clients will tell you a lot about how the law firm treats their clients and whether they’re able to obtain results.
- Review the law firm’s case results and years of experience: It’s ideal to go with a law firm that is well-established and has a long track record of success to support their claims.
- Consult your local or state bar association’s attorney directory: These directories contain important information about registered law firms.
- Interview the attorney to determine if you’d be comfortable working with them: You don’t want to entrust your case to an attorney that you don’t personally trust on a fundamental level. Attorney-client relationships are more important than some may think, as honest communication is essential to building and strengthening a case.
- Ensure you’ll get to work directly with an attorney: Many clients are assigned case managers who serve as a middleman, and some clients never get to meet the attorney they see on TV.
- Look beyond the fees: While all personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they don’t get paid until you do, a lower fee may not result in more money to you. An attorney with a lower fee may not put in the work or have the experience to get you the settlement or verdict you deserve, resulting in less compensation for you.
- Review Avvo and Super Lawyers to see if the firm focuses on your specific case type: It’s ideal for individuals to find a law firm that focuses specifically on your case type, as they understand the nuances of your claim and what evidence is needed to support it.
- Determine if the law firm is local: Firms that are locally based also have experience in local courts and likely have relationships with local experts they can use to build an effective team to help your case.
- Reviewing Best Lawyers and Lawdragon lists to see if the attorney has been selected: Best Lawyers and Lawdragon are media sites that both publish guides to the nation’s leading lawyers. Lawyers who are nominated for inclusion in lists are thoroughly evaluated by peer reviews, professional achievements, and more, and few who are nominated end up being selected. Attorneys Beth Klein and Carrie Frank are both included in the Lawdragon’s list of 500 leading plaintiff consumer lawyers and Best Lawyers’ list of personal injury, product liability and professional malpractice law attorneys.
What to Ask in Your Consultation
Most personal injury law firms offer a free consultation to potential clients to learn more about their case and whether they have the capacity to handle it, but it’s also an opportunity for a potential client to learn more about the firm. Going into your consultation with questions ready is important in determining if this firm is the right one to take your case. A law firm should be ready to answer all your questions with confidence and put your mind at ease.
Some questions you can ask the attorney you meet with include those regarding:
- The firm’s experience and trial experience: Are they ready to go to trial for their clients? How many cases have they successfully settled or negotiated over the years?
- If they’ve been a subject of disciplinary action: It’s important to know if the law firm has any marks on their record, as past mistakes could be repeated in your case, which you can’t afford.
- Their caseload: Law firms that take on numerous cases may be spread too thin, meaning that attorneys may not give you and your case the amount of attention and personalized care you deserve.
- If they’ve handled cases like yours before: Having specific experience means attorneys can apply their past successes to your case and know which tactics won’t work in securing your desired amount of compensation.
Call our award-winning lawyers at Klein Frank, P.C. at (303) 448-8884 for a free consultation today, or contact us online. Our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to providing high-quality representation to injured individuals and families.