Would you let your daughter's pediatrician perform open heart surgery on you? The likelihood of a successful outcome is as low when you retain the family lawyer or an unqualified personal injury lawyer to handle your auto injury lawsuit: slim to none.
Avoid disaster when choosing an attorney by following these guidelines:
- Experts in a Number of Fields. Your attorney must understand all the medical issues involved in your case, as well as the kinematics and biomechanics of the collision, so they can properly cross-examine the insurance companies’ consultants. Firms that handle other matters do not live and breathe these issues as personal injury attorneys do.
- No Upfront Fees. Run from law firms that ask you to pay anything out of pocket. It is a sign of limited resources. Lawsuits are expensive. You are going up against corporations, governments, and/or insurance companies that have an army of lawyers and almost unlimited financial resources. By charging you a percentage of the verdict or settlement at the end of the case – a contingency fee – trial lawyers level the playing field so the individual “David” can go up against “Goliath.”
- Results Matter. A proven track record speaks for itself. Even if your injury and claim is minor, be wary of lawyers who have failed to recover large verdicts and settlements for their clients. Insurance companies know that firms with a low recovery and a settlement history can be bullied into taking smaller, undervalued settlement sums.
- Hello? Your lawyer should be reachable. It’s common to meet a lawyer during the sign up, then never hear from them again. Ensure the firm you are working with has a 24-hour callback policy.
- It’s about Empathy. Lawyers should be actively involved in consumer bar associations. Are they active in their local community? Do they have a history of service? Good personal injury lawyers care. They care about people, and they care about their communities.
Bobby Saadian, Esq. is the Founding President of Wilshire Law Firm. Ilyas Akbari, Esq. is a bioengineer and a Senior Partner and the Director of Aviation Litigation at Wilshire Law Firm. Headquartered in Los Angeles, and exclusively representing consumers, Wilshire Law Firm is a leading personal injury law firm with 45 attorneys and more than 250 team members. Known for obtaining top verdicts and settlements for their clients, Wilshire Law Firm offers a free consultation: call 800.522.7274 or visit https://www.wilshirelawfirm.com/.
