If you have been in an accident and call a personal injury lawyer how can you feel confident that you are picking the best one to handle your case?
We’re extremely passionate about this and feel it is our duty to provide as much helpful information as we can. The time after a bad accident can be scary, confusing and exhausting. Hopefully, you’ll take the time to read through this guide now, so you’ll be ready to act decisively later.
The Cliff Notes: Key Takeaways From This Post
We listed a guide on how to find the best personal injury lawyer in Pinellas Park; however, here are the key bullet points if you are in a rush:
- It is essential to consider a law firm’s previous case results when choosing to hire them.
- Look for an attorney that has a mix of high value settlements and verdicts.
- Communication is key; make sure the attorney takes the time to get to know their clients.
- Consider an attorney’s attitude towards taking a case to trial.
- Ask questions such as: What experience do you have with cases like mine? How do I pay for your services? How long does pursuing a case like mine typically take?
To begin, there are several key factors you should keep in mind when looking for the best personal injury lawyer in Pinellas Park.
- Their history of case results.
- How they communicate with their clients.
- Their attitude towards taking a case to trial.
What are the questions that people ask when searching for a good lawyer?
- What experience do you have with cases like mine?
- How do I pay for your services?
- How long does pursuing a case like mine typically take?
RESULTS?
We highly recommend reviewing a law firm’s previous case results before choosing to hire them. This can be very helpful, because many attorneys don’t have the experience handling cases like yours; whether it is a smaller car accident, a multi million dollar case, or wrongful death.
We also recommend hiring a personal injury attorney that has more than just a history of settlements. The best attorneys have a robust mix of high value settlements and verdicts. Experienced personal injury attorneys are much more proud of verdicts than settlements.
There is a saying in the legal world: The best way to get a one million dollar settlement is to get a three million dollar case and cave in during settlement, so read between the lines when you are looking at prior results. Every case is different and should be evaluated on the merits of that case.
Clifford Wells has an impressive history of personal injury and wrongful death case results that include +million dollar settlements and verdicts. He’s very experienced with cases involving car crashes, slip and falls, boating accidents and even defective consumer products. Herman & Wells also has an incredibly successful insurance division helmed by Jason Herman, an attorney who knows how to fight the insurance companies and win.
COMMUNICATION?
When looking for the best lawyer in Pinellas Park, communication is an incredibly important factor. The number one complaint the Florida Bar receives about personal injury attorneys is that they don’t call their clients back. When navigating the stressful time period after an accident, the last thing you want to feel is abandoned by your attorney.
There is a saying that we really live by here at Herman & Wells: Attorneys get the best results when they take the time to get to know their clients.
The best personal injury attorneys make it a top priority to meet with their clients in person. Some bigger firms end up outsourcing in order to manage their caseload. Do you really want to hire a firm that will leave you feeling like you aren’t their priority? Your lawyer should be on a first-name basis with you.
The best personal injury lawyers have to leave the office for extended periods to go to trial, depositions, and mediations from time to time. That’s why you’re going to a law firm and not an individual practitioner. With a good team, the busiest personal injury attorney will still be able to meet clients and prospective clients in person. Our experience shows that the best results aren’t possible if we don’t know our clients.
Clifford Wells is routinely hired by people who fired their old firm because their attorney wouldn’t call them back. Another complaint we also get about prior attorneys is that neither the attorney or their office was keeping them up to date on what was happening with their case or explaining the process. When a lawyer doesn’t return a client’s call, it puts that lawyer’s “results” in question. Did that lawyer really get that result, or were they just co-counsel for someone else who did the heavy lifting?
Remember that the best personal injury lawyer will WANT to talk to you directly. That direct communication allows them to better guide you in making the right choices. Beware of a lawyer who doesn’t communicate well, and is too quick to suggest taking a settlement.
TO SETTLE OR GO TO TRIAL?
This is a great segway into another factor you should consider when looking for the best personal injury lawyer in Pinellas Park. A great attorney will NOT push his or her clients to take a quick settlement without explaining why it is the best result. This does not mean that taking a quick settlement is always the wrong decision. Sometimes this is the right move, but unfortunately, we have seen many cases where clients ended up taking a settlement for much less than the value of their personal injury claim. We should note that personal injury attorneys are required by the Florida Rules of Ethics to leave the decision to settle or go to trial up to the client!
The truth is that there are a lot of personal injury lawyers who do not have good trial experience. Many have none at all. If they ever had a case go to trial, they could easily find themselves in over their heads. Instead of fighting for what their client deserves, they’d rather talk you into taking a smaller settlement and keep their professional reputation untarnished.
This is another area where we are proud to say that Clifford Wells excels! As a personal injury attorney, he has tried cases before judges and juries all over Florida. Trials ARE necessary for many personal injury cases, and a lot of time, they net the client much more than was offered before-hand.
Ready to Hire the Best Personal Injury Attorney in Pinellas Park?
We may be biased when it comes to this topic, but ask any reputable firm and they would agree that these are very important factors when evaluating an attorney.
If you have been injured in Pinellas Park and would like to speak with an expert in personal injury, feel free to call us at 727 821-3195. Cliff will review your case with you for free. You have nothing to lose by contacting him and a significant amount to gain.