There are several qualities you should look for when hiring a personal injury lawyer in Houston:
- A focus on personal injury
- Experience
- Favorable reviews from past clients
- Competence
- Education
- Availability
- Compassion
- Open about fees
Focus on Personal Injury
Some lawyers do not focus on any particular area of law. While many lawyers handle everything from divorce to bankruptcy, you likely do not want to trust your case to a one-stop-shop law firm.
Law firms that practice too many types of law may be unable to devote the necessary resources to your case. If the law firm you choose practices does not focus on personal injury law, ask them how they allocate resources for each department.
Experience
This quality is twofold. You want a lawyer who has experience navigating the law and experience handling your specific type of case.
Experience with Personal Injury Cases
A lawyer who has handled many injury cases will likely better understand the nuances of navigating these cases and what you might expect as your case develops.
Experience Handling Your Specific Type of Case
Personal injury has many facets. You do not want to trust your product liability case to attorneys who have only handled car accident cases. While they understand injury cases, they may not understand the specifics of your case. A lawyer who only handles bus accident cases will not be able to work on a motorcycle accident case. Feel free to ask how many cases of your type that lawyer has handled in the past.
Favorable Reviews from Past Clients
You want to make sure that the lawyer and the firm are who you want to work with. Before you hire a lawyer, check their reviews. You can check Google and the law firm’s website to start.
Competence
You want a lawyer who knows what they are doing. Check their verdicts and settlements history. If it is not available on their website, ask a staff member to see a list of case results.
Education
Look into the lawyer’s educational history. See where he or she went to school. In addition to the law school background, you also want a lawyer who has continued his or her educational pursuits passed law school. Ask how often members of the firm participate in continuing legal education courses.
Availability
Lawyers are busy, but that does not mean they should leave you for days without a response. During your free case evaluation, ask about the firm’s communication policy. How will they get in touch with you? How often can you expect the firm to get in touch with you? How long should you expect to wait for a response? Will you have someone available at all times to answer any questions you might have?
Compassion
You want a lawyer who cares about your situation. Look for an attorney who treats you like family and who devotes all of their resources to you and your case, rather than giving you the bare minimum.
If you feel as though you are being rushed through the consultation or that the staff member you are speaking to is not fully invested in your case, you may want to look elsewhere.
Open About Their Fee Schedule
Most personal injury lawyers handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis which means that the lawyer does not get paid until you win your case. However, not all injury lawyers work this way. In some cases, you will need to pay copying and filing costs and other fees even if you lose your case.
The attorney should be open about these fees, letting you know what to expect. Their fee agreement should explain whether you should expect fees at the end, regardless of your outcome and the attorney’s fee which is typically a percentage of your settlement or verdict — somewhere between 33 and 40 percent.
Learn More About D. Miller & Associates, PLLC. Call Today for a Free Consultation: 713-850-8600
We offer free consultations to get to know you and to learn more about your case. During this consultation, you can ask us any questions you may have about our experience, education, fees, and more.
There is no obligation to use our services after this free consultation.