If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, truck wreck, or any other personal injury incident that wasn’t your fault in the San Antonio area, you might be overwhelmed by all the options available to you. Even if you’ve already decided you want to work with a personal injury lawyer, this city doesn’t have a shortage of law firms.
There are certainly many very good lawyers in this area. But the difference between a good one and a great one can matter more than you might realize—not only in terms of the size of the settlement you receive, but also in the way you are informed, treated, and cared for throughout the entire processes.
So, how do you find the right lawyer? In this blog post, we’ll go over some of the big things to look for when choosing a personal injury attorney to represent you.
The Basics: What You Should Always Expect From Your Personal Injury Lawyer
When you’re trying to narrow down your list of personal injury law firms to work with, there are a handful of items on your checklist that should be close to non-negotiable. Here are some of the big ones:
They Have Experience Working on Similar Types of Cases
You probably already know that lawyers specialize in widely different fields of law, and that you wouldn’t contact an estate planning lawyer or criminal defense lawyer to handle your personal injury case.
But even within the realm of personal injury, attorneys may focus on specific types of cases—for example, passenger car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, defective products, premises liability, industrial accidents, wrongful death cases, and much more. Each of these areas of practice have their own unique and complex legal nuances to consider, as well as common pitfalls. You want to make sure your lawyer has the experience to navigate these nuances confidently.
Look for personal injury lawyers who have experience working on similar types of injuries as well. Calculating (and then arguing for) fair compensatory damages for a traumatic brain injury which causes long-term memory and cognitive issues, for example, can be a very different process from spinal injuries, or broken legs, or other serious injuries.
At Crosley Law, we have decades of experience handling complex personal injury claims:
- Truck accident and commercial vehicle claims
- Motor vehicles accidents, including those involving bicyclists and motorcyclists
- Traumatic brain injury cases
- Trampoline injury claims
We also work hard to stay on the cutting edge of medical research and have developed strong relationships with doctors, medical researchers, and other specialists who can help us determine fair compensation for your injuries.
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They Have Trial Experience
It’s true that most personal injury cases settle out of court. In most situations, both sides are incentivized to come to some sort of mutual agreement, since it means a faster resolution to the case and avoids the expense and uncertainty of a trial.
However, while settling is often the ultimate goal, you want to know that your lawyer is ready, willing, and able to take your case all the way to trial if it’s necessary to get you the compensation you deserve. If the insurance company knows your lawyer is “gun shy” about going to court, there’s far less incentive for them to make a fair offer.
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No Hidden Fees
Most personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation, and work on a contingency basis. That means that there are no upfront fees, and rather than charging an hourly rate, the lawyer or law firm is paid a percentage of the final settlement or verdict. If you don’t win your case, the lawyer doesn’t get paid.
However, different law firms do have different policies when it comes to “case costs.” This would include necessary expenses that aren’t for the lawyer’s time, but are necessary for your case (for example, paying expert witnesses for their consulting time). Most firms will advance these costs until there’s a settlement or verdict and then deduct them from the payout. However, some firms may ask for up-front payment, or bill you for case costs even if you lose your case.
Crosley Law maintains a strict no-fee policy, meaning you truly pay nothing unless we win your case.
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You Feel Comfortable With Them
Personalities matter in any personal or professional relationship. While a great lawyer will typically be comfortable speaking with people with very different personalities, backgrounds, education levels, and more, sometimes attorneys and clients just don’t “click.”
That’s okay! If your lawyer’s personal style and approach clash with what you expect or prefer, it will be difficult to establish a trusting relationship—and that can lead to all kinds of anxiety and frustration. Yes, it’s subjective, but finding an attorney that you’re comfortable with and is a better fit for how you think and communicate can make the entire process much smoother for both sides.
What Separates the Good Personal Injury Attorneys From the Best Injury Lawyers in San Antonio?
They Always Put Client Needs First
Being a great personal injury attorney is about more than just winning big settlements and trial verdicts for clients.
If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic injury, or maybe even the death of a loved one, there’s a lot more on your mind than just the status of your legal case, and quite honestly you need your lawyer to be more than “just” a legal expert.
Great lawyers understand that they’re not just “working a case.” They’re working with people who have unique needs and challenges, unique personalities, and unique communication styles. And they are going through an extremely difficult time in their lives.
The best lawyers listen as well as they speak and always put their clients’ needs first—and not just in a legal or financial sense. Putting your client’s needs first means being there for your client. It means being willing to drive out to meet them at their home. It means communicating early and often how their case is progressing, returning calls promptly, and taking as much time as necessary to answer all their questions. It means putting their fears to rest and making them feel cared for instead of being left in the dark. It means helping them set up doctor appointments, arrange transportation, or get any help they need to prioritize their healing and get their lives back on track.
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They Use Cutting-Edge Research, Technology, and Techniques
Building a strong case usually requires sifting through, analyzing, and organizing an incredible amount of information and data, particularly cases involving catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, disputed liability, and other common obstacles. It can be a major challenge just to accurately assess and understand the information in the first place—and then another challenge altogether to explain it in a way that insurance adjusters, judges, or juries can understand.
Crosley Law uses cutting-edge technology and world-class resources to make complex court cases simple. This includes advanced database tools that can categorize and analyze millions of pages of information, digital accident reconstruction simulations, advanced medical imaging tools. We also have developed strong relationships with key experts in construction, highway safety, and almost every field of medicine.
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They Have a Stellar Track Record
Of course, it’s one thing for your San Antonio personal injury lawyer to have plenty of experience working cases similar to yours and taking cases to trial. But does your lawyer have a proven ability to win top-dollar compensation for their clients, time after time?
Most personal injury attorneys “win” the vast majority of the cases that they take, in the sense that any conclusion to a case that results in compensation for the client counts as a win. But is a $500,000 settlement truly a “win” if a more thorough and determined lawyer could’ve found a way to recover $2 million?
Never be afraid to ask your attorney about their previous cases and what settlement or verdict information they can share. It’s important to remember that every case is unique, and just because a seemingly similar case settled for one figure doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be able to recover the same total. But a great attorney should have a solid, proven track record of big wins and happy clients.
The Crosley Law team has earned settlements of at least $1 million in more than 40 cases, and Tom Crosley has been invited to the “Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum” on many occasions. You can review a list of some of our major case results on our website.
Most personal injury attorneys “win” the vast majority of the cases that they take, in the sense that any conclusion to a case that results in compensation for the client counts as a win. But is a $500,000 settlement truly a “win” if a more thorough and determined lawyer could’ve found a way to recover $2 million?
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They Are Recognized by Peers and Past Clients
Personal injury law is a fast-paced and competitive field—especially in a large market like San Antonio, TX. It can take a long time to make an impact in the community. But the lawyers who prove themselves to be exceptional over a long period of time will start to earn accolades from not only the clients they serve, but from the legal community as well.
Crosley Law was proud to be named the top personal injury firm in 2021 for the greater San Antonio/Austin region, according to the annual Texas Lawyer readers’ poll. Texas Lawyer is a legal magazine with a subscriber base of lawyers, paralegals, and other legal service professionals, so we’re very honored to be highly rated by others in our industry!
Of course, it’s the recognition from our current and previously clients that we truly value the most. Feel free to review some of our client stories and video testimonials for specific examples of what we’ve done to serve our clients, and how they feel about us.
They Regularly Handle Cases in Your Local Area
Whenever possible, it’s always wise to hire an attorney who is truly invested in your local community. Not only does it make everything more convenient for you if you ever need to meet with your attorney in person, but it can also help your case.
Texas is, of course, a huge state, and anyone who is licensed to practice law here can do so anywhere, whether that’s San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Amarillo, or anywhere in between.
But a personal injury attorney with deep roots in your specific geographic area has advantages. A great local attorney will have already established strong relationships with healthcare systems, expert witnesses, and other supporting resources in your area. They are also much more likely to have direct experience working with the courts and judges that might hear your case, opposing attorneys, and local law enforcement agencies.
And of course, if they truly are a great attorney, their reputation will precede them, which can help put pressure on the insurance company to offer a more favorable settlement. When it comes to serving San Antonio specifically—well, let’s just say you don’t get to be the No. 1 voted personal injury firm in the city without being deeply invested in the community.
Should I Choose a Big Firm?
It’s important to understand that a larger firm doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get better legal representation. (It also doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get worse representation either.)
Big firms might potentially have more resources or generally be more willing to take on complex or challenging cases, but they also tend to have large caseloads, and you may not always feel like your case is getting the level of individual attention and effort it deserves. The team working on your case might not be based in your local area or be as familiar with the local culture, either.
Often, smaller, boutique firms do a better job providing quick response times, flexible hours and personalized service—and still get you the best possible settlement in the end.
In other words, the size of the firm shouldn’t be one of the major deciding factors. It’s more important to look at the other questions above. Do they have experience with cases similar to yours? Do they have a winning track record? Do they communicate well and treat you like a person, not a number? Do they make you feel like your case is their top priority?
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Crosley Law: Fighting for the Injured in San Antonio
We know you have many choices when it comes to hiring a San Antonio personal injury attorney. If you or a loved one has recently been injured and you’re looking for legal advice, we’d love to hear from you. At your free consultation, we will speak with you about your case, discuss your personal needs and goals, and offer our advice on what your next steps should be—including whether or not we believe Crosley Law is the right choice to help you get fair compensation for your injuries.
We always put your needs first, there is never any fee or obligation, and we don’t back down from difficult or complicated cases. To schedule your free consultation, call Crosley Law today at 210-LAW-3000 | 210-529-3000 or fill out our brief contact form.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
