Too Many Injured Victims Stay Quiet While Meeting With a Lawyer
Choosing a lawyer to handle your personal injury case may be one of the most important decisions you make in your life. But far too many injured victims go through this process without asking the right questions — or sometimes without asking any questions at all.
Some people feel intimidated when talking to a lawyer about their case, and some just want to focus on getting better. Either way, not asking questions is the right way to get the wrong lawyer for your case.
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What difference does hiring the wrong lawyer make? Well, to begin with, it could mean the difference between getting a settlement or jury verdict that restores a sense of stability and security to your life versus one that doesn’t even begin to meet your long-term needs.
It could also mean the difference between feeling confused, in-the-dark, and anxious about the status of your case versus knowing at all times exactly how your case is proceeding and what your lawyer is doing to protect your rights.
Don’t Be Intimidated — Ask Your Attorney These Questions!
If you know ahead of time what questions you should ask an attorney, it will help you speak up with confidence when the time comes. To help, we’ve compiled a list of five important questions you should ask a personal injury attorney before you decide to hire them.
If you want to ask any of these questions of the attorneys at Crosley Law Firm, we’re happy to answer them, and we know you’ll like what you hear. Feel free to call us now at (210) LAW-3000 and we’ll be happy to speak with you right away!
Question #1: What is your trial record? Have you obtained jury verdicts in cases like mine?
The outcome of your personal injury case can affect almost every aspect of your life, which is why you need to make sure your attorney has a strong track record of success with similar cases. You want to know that your lawyer has handled personal injury claims like yours before, taken them to trial, and won for his or her clients.
“The outcome of your personal injury case can affect almost every aspect of your life, which is why you need to make sure your attorney has a strong track record of success with similar cases. “
If an attorney has successfully handled especially complex or challenging cases, set new legal precedents with their work, or achieved record verdicts for clients, then that’s an even stronger argument in favor of hiring them.
Of course, just because a lawyer is inexperienced doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re incompetent. Every personal injury lawyer has to start somewhere, after all — but let them do it with someone else’s case, not yours. The outcome of your case is too important to let it become an attorney’s first experiment with personal injury law.
The attorneys at Crosley Law Firm have years of experience litigating complex personal injury cases. You can read about noteworthy cases on our website:
You can also learn more about the types of cases we regularly handle on by visiting our practice areas page. And if we don’t usually deal with your type of case, we are happy to talk to you and recommend a trusted attorney or law firm who can help.
Question #2: What honors, awards, and certifications have you received?
Most injured victims don’t really care how many awards a lawyer has won. They want to know how their attorney will handle their case and what results the attorney has gotten for clients with similar cases in the past.
However, asking a lawyer to tell you about special honors and certifications they have received can give you insights about what the attorney has done to go above and beyond the call of duty in their practice area.
Some of the more prestigious awards and certifications require years of hard, productive work from the attorney, and you can go forward with extra confidence knowing they have achieved them.
Some examples of questions you might ask to find out about an attorney’s exceptional credentials might include:
- Are you a board-certified specialist in the field of personal injury trial law? Board certification is a mark of excellence and distinguished accomplishment; it means the attorney has earned the right to represent themselves in public as a specialist in a select area of law. In Texas, only about 7 percent of lawyers are board-certified specialists.
Tom Crosley is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is board certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
“Tom Crosley is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is board certified as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.”
- Have you received any awards that require a nomination from your peers, such as Texas Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America?
Tom Crosley has been named to these prestigious lists multiple years in a row.
- Have you served as the leader of any bar associations or other prominent legal organizations?
You can learn more about the many leadership roles that Tom Crosley has held by reading his profile page.
Question #3: Have you written papers or given presentations about injury law?
Personal injury law is always evolving. Changes in the law, new technology, scientific and medical breakthroughs, and even shifts in public attitudes can all have enormous impacts on how personal injury cases unfold.
For your case to have the best chance at success, you need a lawyer who keeps up with these changes and who continually builds on their skillset to incorporate the newest techniques for gathering evidence, establishing a victim’s medical conditions, and more.
” For your case to have the best chance at success, you need a lawyer who keeps up with these changes and who continually builds on their skillset.”
One way you can easily see whether a lawyer has done this is to ask them whether they’ve published any recent papers or given any recent presentations in the field of personal injury law. If the attorney was able to get their work published in reputable law journals or secure a speaking spot at a conference for lawyers, the work they did likely broke new ground or represented innovative, cutting-edge techniques in their area of law.
If an attorney doesn’t have anything to teach their peers, then you may be looking at a lawyer who hasn’t put in the time and hard work required to stay on top of changes in the law and serve as a leader in their field.
You can review some of the noteworthy papers Tom Crosley has authored and presentations he has given on his profile page.
Question #4: Have you been hired by other lawyers, doctors, or insurance company insiders to represent them in their own injury cases?
People with inside information about personal injury law tend to know whom they should hire for the best results, and if these insiders consistently choose the attorney you’re speaking with to handle their own injury cases, that’s a good sign.
Ask your attorney about their history of handling cases for fellow attorneys (from either side of the courtroom), doctors, surgeons, and insurance professionals. If your lawyer was able to convince these people, who interact with many personal injury lawyers in their careers, that they were the best attorney available, your attorney probably delivers results that distinguish them even from other experienced personal injury lawyers.
Question #5: Will you personally handle my case?
At far too many law firms, you’ll find that you get a great feeling while talking with your lawyer during an initial consultation — a feeling that later evaporates as you struggle to see or speak with that lawyer again. Instead, you may end up getting updates from seemingly random paralegals and office staffers for the remainder of your claim.
In some cases, the lawyer that you meet for an initial consultation won’t even be the actual attorney who’s filing the lawsuit in your case. The firm may have you meet with their most experienced and charismatic lawyer, and then you’ll find out that another attorney you’ve never heard of or spoken to will actually be handling the personal injury claim that means so much to your well-being.
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Every experienced and accomplished personal injury lawyer is busy, but that’s no excuse for not giving your case the hands-on attention and personal touch it deserves. Make sure that the attorney you’re meeting is the one who will stand by your side as your case unfolds, and don’t forget to ask them about their philosophy and practices when it comes to communicating with their clients.
RELATED VIDEO: Should I Accept the Insurance Company’s Settlement?
Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll feel more confident about asking important questions that can help you find the experienced personal injury lawyer who’s right for your case. As always, if you want to speak with us about these questions or any other aspect of your personal injury case, we’re here and ready to talk with you right away.
Crosley Law Firm: Advocates for Injured Victims
The attorneys at Crosley Law Firm know the ins and outs of personal injury law. We’re here to help you navigate the complex and nuanced legal landscape of a personal injury lawsuit. Our attorneys have put in the years of hard work needed to build strong track records on behalf of their clients as well as strong reputations among their peers as legal leaders who get results.
We handle all personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis, which means that you don’t pay us a cent unless we can achieve a financial recovery for you.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury because of someone else’s negligence, please contact Crosley Law Firm in San Antonio, Texas, for a free, no-risk initial consultation. Fill out our convenient online contact form or call (210) LAW-3000 to learn about your options and get advice about the best path forward based on your unique situation.
Reference
Why choose board certified? (n.d.). Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Retrieved from http://www.tbls.org/WhyChooseBoardCertified.aspx
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
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Crosley Law Firm, PC is a professional corporation of trial lawyers focused on representing individuals and families who have suffered serious personal injuries or wrongful death. If you’ve been injured, fill out the form for a free consultation, or call 210-LAW-3000.