Picking the right attorney to represent you when you have been injured is vital. When people have been seriously injured or family members have been killed as the result of another’s negligence, their lives are changed. If the wreck involves a wrongful death or serious injuries — such as a traumatic brain
injury, spine injury, loss of limbs, or paralysis, and more — they are faced with making major decisions about finances, employment, and medical treatment related to the crash. Despite these challenges, they must make the important decision of choosing a lawyer to hire. But most people do not know what to look for in an attorney. Not everyone is familiar with the best qualities to look for in a lawyer. And when making such a crucial decision, it is best to go into it knowing what you need from an attorney to be sure you get justice.
A Major Decision Following a Tragedy
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer is critical. This decision will impact the future of the victim and/or their family. However, it needs to be made as soon as possible after the wreck to ensure evidence is preserved. The insurance company or trucking company will immediately start building their case. They will often have a crash response team at the scene of a semi-tractor trailer wreck while the vehicles are still at the scene. This is why you need to hire a truck accident attorney as soon as possible.
This should begin with researching attorneys with experience handling cases like yours. You will need an attorney with expertise, knowledge, and resources to fight for you. The main thing you should look for is board-certification. For example, there are attorneys board-certified in truck accident law. These lawyers are specialists in handling semi and other commercial motor vehicle accidents. Board-certification also ensures that the American Law Association has recognized their expertise. Other qualities that are important include credibility, whether they write or speak about their area of expertise, and if they’re willing to take cases to trial.
Credibility can be apparent based on awards and peer-reviewed rankings they’ve received. Regularly speaking or writing about their specialization shows they have the skills and knowledge needed to educate others in that area of law. And trial attorneys are more likely to prepare your case to ensure you get a fair resolution. While not every client wants to go to trial, you need an attorney that is willing to fight for you in the courtroom. Additionally, carefully reading client reviews can provide insight into the firm and its practices. After you’ve done your research, narrow it down to two or three attorneys and then interview them, as well as their legal team. You will be spending a lot of time with this attorney and their team, and it is important that you feel comfortable with them. Do not be afraid to ask them tough questions.
The lawyer should be willing to talk to you about their experience, trials, similar cases handled, results and the steps that need to be taken. They should be able to show proven results and explain why their law firm is the right choice. Personal Injury Attorney, David Craig wrote the book It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney to help people choose the right attorney. In it, he shares the best strategies needed to hire the right lawyer for the job, as well as the common missteps people take when hiring an attorney.
Researching the Law Firm is Crucial
There is a lot of legal advertising out there, ranging from billboards and TV commercials to online and social media marketing. But you should not pick a lawyer simply because they are marketed to you. One thing to avoid is choosing a lawyer who personally solicits you despite having no prior relationship with you. There are ethical rules against this, and you do not want to pick an unethical attorney. Furthermore, be careful not to select a marketing company that will sell your case to an attorney. There are companies out there that pull in potential clients and then send them to a random attorney. They run ads online to attract victims of semi and other serious accidents and then offer the cases to attorneys who typically pay a fee for these leads.
Often any attorney who is willing to pay the fee can get the leads. However, there is typically no vetting process by lead selling companies, and you may end up working with an attorney that is not suited for you or qualified to handle your case. Avoid clicking on online ads where a law firm’s name is not identified. Pick a law firm only after you have researched, vetted, and interviewed them.
David W. Craig, a nationally recognized truck accident attorney, is one of the Founders of Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC, a personal injury law firm headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana with other offices, including one in St Louis, Missouri. He is also Board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in truck accident law. They regularly represent people who are injured or killed as the result of a wreck with a semi or other commercial motor vehicles. They have lawyers licensed in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Check out David’s books, Semitruck Wreck: A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney on Amazon. David also hosts a podcast, After the Crash, available on YouTube, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. For more information, please visit ckflaw.com.
Our gratitude goes out to Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC for standing with us as a continued sponsor of the Crash Support Network.
The Crash Support Network is a unique one-of-a-kind website consisting of an online support group, a crash survivor blog, a quarterly newsletter, “Sharing Our Recovery” as well as highly informative articles. Our website is based on relationship-building and puts the needs of survivors first by creating a helpful resource for victims and survivors of motor vehicle crashes.
