Picking the right attorney to represent you when you have been injured is critical. When people have been seriously injured or family members have been killed as the result of another’s negligence, their lives are turned upside down. Suddenly, they are dealing with a situation that most people have never faced. If the wreck involves a wrongful death or serious injuries such as a traumatic brain injury, spine injury, loss of limbs, or paralysis, they are forced with making major decisions. They are overwhelmed with concerns about finances, lost wages, and medical bills. Following the wreck, they are not sleeping and are struggling to function. Despite these challenges, it is at this exact moment that they are faced with making the most important decision of their lives, what lawyer should be hired.
It is the Biggest Decision You Will Make
Picking the right personal injury lawyer is critical. The impact of this decision will affect the victim and his or her family’s future. Yet, this decision has to be made at the worst possible time. However, it needs to be made as soon as possible after the wreck. The reason that it is important that an attorney be hired quickly is because evidence must be 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. They have an entire team trying to protect the careless or reckless semi driver. The injured person and the family of someone hurt or killed needs to have someone on their side.
So, how should you pick the right attorney? Someone within the family should be selected to begin the process. That person should research several lawyers or law firms to find someone with experience handling the type of case with which they are dealing. You will need an attorney with experience, knowledge, and the finances to fight the other side. You want someone with trial experience. Although no one wants to go to trial, it is important that your attorney is known as someone who goes to and is successful at trial. I recommend narrowing your search down to two or three attorneys and then interviewing these attorneys. You will be spending a lot of time with this attorney. It is important that you feel comfortable with this person. Do not be afraid to ask them tough questions. This is a critical decision, and the lawyer should be willing to talk to you about his or her experience, trials, similar cases handled, results and the steps that need to be taken. He or she should be able to show proven results and convince you why his or her law firm is the right law firm.
Researching the Law Firm is Critical
Do not pick a lawyer just because he or she is on television, have a billboard, or do other types of advertising. Advertising does not make a lawyer good or bad. One warning that I have is to not pick a lawyer who personally solicits you and has no prior relationship with you. There are ethical rules against this, and you do not want to pick an unethical attorney. Also, be careful not to select a marketing company that just sells your case to an attorney. There are companies out there that attempt to get people to go through them to select an attorney. They run ads on the internet trying to attract victims of semi and other serious accidents. These companies have relationships with attorneys who typically pay a fee for these leads. Often any attorney who is willing to pay the fee can get the leads. There is often no vetting process by these marketing companies to be sure that the victims get the best possible attorney. I would recommend not clicking on an ad on the internet 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 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. We regularly represent people who are injured or killed as the result of a wreck with a semi or other commercial motor vehicles. We handle these cases throughout Indiana, Missouri, and the United States. We have lawyers licensed in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Illinois. Check out my book, Semitruck Wreck: A Guide for Victims and Their Families on Amazon. I also host a podcast, After the Crash, available on YouTube, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts.
For more information please visit ckflaw.com.
We thank Craig, Kelley & Faultless, LLC for their continued support and sponsorship of the Crash Support Network.
This article is also featured in our 2021 Winter Issue of Sharing our Recovery.
The Crash Support Network is a unique website consisting of an online support group, a Crash Survivor Blog written by a survivor, our Sharing Our Recovery Newsletter, informative articles and a Virtual Crash Memorial. 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.
