How to Choose a Lawyer
Choosing a lawyer is a huge decision. If your life has been completely changed because of carelessness or negligence by a corporation, or a medical professional or someone who didn’t take the time to do the right thing or follow the rules you need a lawyer you can trust and who will give you and your case the time attention and resources it deserves.
The last place you want to look for such a lawyer is the yellow pages, the back of the phone book or on television. These lawyers are devoting their time and resources to marketing and getting the maximum number of clients. Don’t you wonder who is working on their cases while they are out shooting their commercials?
The best trial lawyers do not rely on advertising to bring in new clients. The majority of their cases come from other lawyers who respect them and their trial skills. They take only a small number of cases and concentrate their efforts on achieving the best results possible for their clients. These lawyers are never under any pressure to settle cases because of high overhead from their advertising costs. You can be sure that Insurance Companies and defense lawyers take this into account when negotiating settlements.
When choosing a lawyer it is best to rely on word of mouth. Get references from other lawyers or even judges you might know. Try to find other people who have been injured in a similar manner and ask them what their experience was. Remember, this will be a long-term relationship built on trust and mutual confidence. A little time and research go a long way in helping you find the right lawyer for your case with whom you will be comfortable.
Some questions you will want to consider when choosing a lawyer are:
- Who will be handling my case? Is it a named partner or a young associate?
- How experienced is the lawyer who will be handling my case?
- How long has the lawyer or firm been handling medical malpractice cases?
- Are the law firm’s resources directed exclusively toward medical malpractice cases or does the law firm handle other types of cases as well?
- Will be case be one of a few cases the lawyer is handling or one of forty or fifty or even more?
- Am I comfortable with the lawyer?
- Will the lawyer return my phone calls?
- Has the lawyer achieved significant results through either verdicts or settlements for his clients?
- Will the lawyer take the time to explain the legal process and answer any questions I have about my case?
