If you have been injured in an accident, a slip and fall, or other incident in which you were injured through no fault of your own, you have probably discovered that there are dozens of personal injury attorneys in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. How do you choose the best firm?
There are several factors you should consider when hiring a Fort Worth personal injury attorney to represent you. Most personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation so that you may learn about their firms and services. During your free consultation, keep the following points in mind.
The First Impression
You can learn a lot about a firm from your free initial consultation. For example, are you greeted when you walk in the door? During your meeting, are you speaking with a paralegal at the firm, or with one of the firm’s attorneys?
Although you may meet with a paralegal at some point during the initial consultation, you should also meet with one of the firm’s attorneys.
Do you feel rushed, or are your concerns adequately addressed? A good personal injury firm should take your questions seriously and assure you that your legal interests will be protected.
Experience
When you meet with a personal injury attorney, you should ask that attorney what type of experience he or she has in personal injury cases. How many car accident claims has the attorney handled? How many slip and fall clients has the attorney represented? Has the attorney represented clients in a case with facts that are similar to yours?
The attorney assigned to your case should have experience in various types of personal injury matters. As a whole, the personal injury firm should have many years of experience in numerous kinds of claims. Many personal injury firms take a team approach to handling cases to ensure clients receive the best results possible.
Settling Cases and Going to Trial
It is impossible to know how a personal injury claim will be resolved. Some many settle after a few months, whereas others may go to trial.
Ask the personal injury attorney you meet with about cases he or she has settled in the past. How long did it take to reach a settlement? Was the settlement favorable for the client?
As for trials, does the attorney have courtroom experience? What types of verdicts has the firm obtained in the past? Although most cases do not go to trial (the majority settles long before a trial is necessary), courtroom experience is a skill to look for in your search for a personal injury attorney.
Similarly, ask the attorney how the firm plans its strategies for its cases. Settling cases where possible saves thousands of dollars in legal fees, as well as, months of stress—how does the firm try to negotiate fair settlements for its clients?
Communicating with the Office
Many personal injury clients become understandably frustrated when they cannot get in touch with their attorneys. As the client, you have the right to frequent updates on the status of your case. You should not be kept in the dark. Your attorney should let you know what to anticipate next in your case as well.
When you call the firm, will you be able to speak with your attorney, or are you directed to voicemail? How will you be notified about updates in your case? You should feel confident that your questions and concerns will be answered in a timely manner, and that you will receive regular correspondence about your case.
Personalities Do Matter
Certainly, an attorney’s legal experience is extremely important when choosing an attorney—however, do not underestimate the value of a good personality as well.
Whereas you certainly do not need to be best friends with your attorney, you need to be comfortable discussing your case with him or her. You will be discussing your health history with this individual, as well as other personal details—therefore, it is important that you feel comfortable doing so.
Let Our Firm Prove We Are the Right Fit for Your Case
At Patterson Law Group, we welcome you to schedule a free consultation so that we may explore your legal options and explain the services we are able to provide to you in your personal injury case. To schedule your free consultation with our excellent legal team, call or contact us online.
