When it comes to finding a personal injury lawyer, you will likely have dozens of options. Many lawyers will have won awards or earned legal distinctions for their practice, and others will have considerable amounts of experience—but how do you know which lawyer is the right choice for your case?
Before you retain the services of a lawyer, you should get to know them, their business, and how they plan to represent you. Asking these ten important questions about a firm can provide you with all of the information you need to determine if they are the right advocate for your case.
1. Does This Firm Have Expertise in Personal Injury Law?
This is important, as you do not want to hire a lawyer who does not practice personal injury law to take your case. If they practice family or criminal defense law almost exclusively, they likely not be as familiar with personal injury laws as those who exclusively or frequently take on injury claims.
At Jones & Swanson, we have years of experience and expertise in personal injury law and it is the only practice area we work in. You can trust our vast familiarity with this branch of law to provide you with elite legal knowledge that “one-stop-shop” law firms cannot match.
2. How Does This Firm Handle Client Customer Service?
You would not want to hire a contractor who will put your home renovation on the back burner and treat it like a hobby, so why do the same with your lawyer? Your lawyer should want to place your satisfaction at the forefront of your experience with them to ensure that you are completely satisfied with their work. This can also help ensure that you get the best possible result and not one that simply benefits your lawyer.
We place the highest priority on customer satisfaction at Jones & Swanson, and strive for our clients best interests every day in every case we take.
3. How Long Have This Firm’s Attorneys Been Working in Personal Injury?
As with nearly any other job, experience should be a key factor in making your hiring decision. Lawyers with many years of experience in personal injury law will have seen many different situations, possibly including one similar to yours. This allows them to draw on their previous case knowledge and apply it successfully to your case.
At Jones & Swanson, we have more than 45 years’ of personal injury practice experience that we can put to work on your behalf.
4. Will These Attorneys Go to Court if Necessary?
Most attorneys will try to settle a case out of court if possible, since it can not only yield excellent results for clients, but can close cases in a timely and beneficial manner to both sides. Many large firms will attempt to settle every case out of court and will refer it out to another firm if they are not able to do so. This allows them to turn over as many cases as possible, often at the expense of their clients.
At Jones & Swanson, we are not afraid to take your case to court, if necessary. We work hard for each of our clients, providing them with quality representation throughout their case, no matter where it is settled.
5. Is This Firm Successful?
As a general rule, the more settlement victories a lawyer has, the better the representation you will receive. Victories (and defeats) give a lawyer valuable experience, however a high ratio of successful cases also demonstrates a lawyer’s skill in negotiation, litigation, and client representation.
At Jones & Swanson, we have earned more than $50 million in victories and settlements for our clients, including several multi-million dollar awards, demonstrating our dedication to providing decisive results for our clients.
6. Will My Case be Handled by a Partner?
Large firms will often delegate cases to less-experienced attorneys, such as their associate attorneys. Many times your case will simply become a case number to the partners and they may never even see it through its entirety. This can mean a less-favorable outcome to your case as you do not receive representation from the attorneys with the experience and success the firm advertises.
All cases at Jones & Swanson are handled by our founding partners, Attorneys Andrew W. Jones and M. Chase Swanson, with the assistance of highly-qualified paralegals and legal assistants. Our staff treats each case as though the client were a family member, and you can rest assured your case will receive the quality representation we advertise.
7. Are The Lawyers at This Firm Members of any Law Organizations or Societies?
Admission to legal organizations or societies are often reserved for only the most reputable lawyers in a particular practice, geographic area, or who have obtained a particular level of success. Admission to numerous law societies is a great indicator of a quality firm with a track record of success.
Our principal attorneys at Jones & Swanson have been admitted to the Georgia Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, just to name a few.
8. Have the Attorneys at this Firm Won Any Awards or Honors?
Much like admission to societies, several prestigious directories and associations issue awards to elite legal advocates all over the country. Claiming these awards or honors is a testament to the quality of representation these lawyers can provide your case with.
Inclusion on the Super Lawyers list, an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and a 10.0 Superb Avvo Rating are just a few of the honors our attorneys have received at Jones & Swanson.
9. Does This Firm Have the Resources Necessary to Take On My Case?
Particularly complex cases, such as catastrophic injuries or wrongful death suits, could take a long time and require specialized testimony, such as expert witnesses. These are funded initially by the firm itself, as they can be the difference between a sub-par outcome and an overwhelming success. If your firm does not have the resources they need to retain these valuable tools, your case could be forced to settle for a suboptimal result.
We have numerous case successes at Jones & Swanson, which have allowed us to build up a considerable level of tools and resources we can put to use on your behalf to help you win the maximum possible compensation for your case.
10. How Would I Play Into the Case?
Many large firms simply try to settle cases quickly, which often means you as the client don’t get much of a say as to how your case is carried out, and this often leaves you with a result and an experience that is unsatisfactory. It’s important for a firm to recognize first and foremost that you as the client are in charge of your case, and should be made aware of everything that is happening in your case at all times.
At Jones & Swanson, we believe in constant communication and listening to our clients’ concerns, needs, and desired results. If our clients ever have any questions about any aspect of their case, we answer their questions in a way that helps them to understand the legal process they are submitting to and what their options are every step of the way.
If you have been injured and need legal assistance, the skilled team at Jones & Swanson may be able to help. Our Murrieta personal injury lawyers have a resounding record of case success, including several million-dollar case settlements in favor of our clients.
Call Jones & Swanson for a free case evaluation today by dialing (770) 884-6652.
