If you’ve suffered a serious injury as a result of negligence or unsafe property conditions, you may be entitled to compensation. The first step is finding the best attorney to help protect your rights.
A personal injury accident can have a devastating effect on your life. Aside from costly medical bills, you could lose your income and risk slipping into debt. In addition to you, your entire family could suffer as a result of your accident.
If this sounds like the situation you’re currently facing, it’s time to find an attorney who can review your case to determine the best course of legal action. But with so many personal injury lawyers in the D/FW area, how do you know who to work with?
Fortunately, there are some things you can look for when searching for the right Dallas personal injury lawyer.
Many people assume that any attorney who practices personal injury law will be able to provide good representation. This isn’t the case at all.
This is a broad area of law with many specific specializations. The attorney you hire needs to have professional experience with your exact type of case.
Think of it this way. An attorney who focuses exclusively on wrongful death cases could probably work your auto accident case. But wouldn’t it make sense to hire someone who’s handled auto accidents for years?
Furthermore, different injury cases are governed by different statutes. Your attorney needs to have specialized knowledge of your injury case so they can effectively form a plan to get you the proper amount of compensation.
When searching for a Dallas personal injury lawyer, experience taking cases to trial is an advantage for a number of reasons.
Let’s be clear on this. The details of every case are completely different. The best plan of action for your case may be to settle.
However, if your case goes to trial, you want someone who feels comfortable in court and can fight for your rights in front of a jury. Many attorneys try to avoid the courtroom at all costs and this could end up hurting the outcome of your case.
An attorney with a reputation for avoiding trial may also attract low settlement offers from insurance companies. Or, the insurance company may avoid settling altogether, as they know the attorney is bluffing about going to trial.
Ask the Dallas personal injury lawyer you’re consulting with about their track record of success, in and out of the courtroom.
It helps to ask specifically about cases similar to yours. This gives you a good indication of an attorney’s experience and what you can expect as a possible settlement or verdict.
Have they settled any cases over a million dollars? A good way to check for this when screening attorneys is to ask if they belong to the Million Dollar Advocates, which is an organization of lawyers who have settled cases over one million dollars.
Your case may not be worth that much, but it’s good to know your attorney has the ability to take on and win cases of that magnitude.
Aside from making the process of finding an attorney much easier, a referral also has additional benefits.
The primary advantage is that you get a firsthand account of how a lawyer conducts business. This is invaluable information, especially when it comes from someone you trust. You’ll also know what kind of settlement resulted from the attorney’s efforts.
If you have any family or close friends who have gone through a personal injury case, they’re the best sources for getting personal referrals.
If you’ve used a lawyer for a different matter, you may want to reach out to them for a referral. Even if they’re not the type of attorney you need, they may have a relationship with a good Dallas personal injury lawyer. Attorneys maintain a tight network, so a professional referral could be a great resource.
When researching different lawyers in your area, make sure and check out online reviews. Social media and websites like Bing and Yelp are great places to look.
Reviews have become very popular tools when making decisions on products and services. This isn’t only the case for finding a good restaurant to eat at.
In fact, because legal issues are so personal and sensitive, people tend to vocalize their positive and negative experiences. Looking at online reviews will give you some insight into the quality and professional manner of an attorney.
Remember not to take a single negative review too seriously. However, if you see frequent negative reviews about the same thing, move along to the next candidate.
You can also check a lawyer’s website for testimonials from past clients. This is a great way to get some insight into how they operate.
After you’ve selected a few possible candidates, you’ll want to meet with them for a consultation. There’s some additional information you should get during your meeting.
Make sure and ask if they’re certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Most attorneys practicing in Texas are, but it’s better to play it safe and confirm this.
You should also ask about their plan of action after they’ve heard the details of your case. What will the process be and what possible hurdles do they foresee?
You should also set expectations about communication regarding the progress of your case. How do they typically communicate with clients? Does this line of communication work for you?
It’s also critical that you ask about their fees. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means they only get paid if compensation gets awarded.
This is a very difficult time for you and your family. It’s imperative that you work with an attorney who has your best interest in mind and can effectively fight for your rights.
You can’t afford to take this decision lightly. Make sure you use the criteria above when searching for the perfect attorney for your case.
We practice personal injury law in Dallas and surrounding areas. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.
