Personal injury lawyers: It seems like they’re everywhere. You see their faces on buses or billboards along the highway. You read their advertisements in newspapers and magazines. And, their commercials are playing when you watch your favorite TV shows.
In their own way, lawyers are becoming their own type of local celebrities. In their ads, they tell you that you’re entitled to compensation for your injuries. This may or may not be true, however, depending on the circumstances surrounding your injury.
When you’ve suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and are considering seeking spinal cord injury assistance for your legal case, where do you turn? Will a lawyer be looking out for your best interest or only their own? And, how do you choose a trustworthy spinal cord injury attorney?
Do Your Research
When it comes to trying to find the best spinal cord injury lawyer, it is a process that shouldn’t be rushed. By doing careful research, you can begin to separate the wheat from the chaff in the world of personal injury lawyers.
Ask for a Reference
One possible place to start is by speaking with other spinal cord injury survivors. Some of the information you can find out includes:
- Whether they have pursued a spinal cord injury lawsuit;
- Who their lawyer was and whether they would recommend that professional;
- What their experiences were like throughout the process; and
- Whether the case was successful, failed, or resulted in a settlement.
Research Lawyers via Professional Associations
If you don’t know another SCI survivor who pursued a case or liked their attorney, another great way to find a lawyer is to check local, state, and national bar associations. The American Bar Association offers a comprehensive list of state and local bar associations. Using the search feature, type in the name of your state and it will pull up a list of local organizations. These resources can help you find a reputable, experienced spinal cord injury attorney.
Personally Speak with Any Lawyer You’re Considering
Some SCI survivors make the mistake of thinking that all personal injury lawyers are the same. However, not all personal injury lawyers have experience handling any catastrophic injury cases, let alone something as significant as a spinal cord injury. Take the time to speak with any prospective lawyer to understand how much experience he or she has as a personal injury legal practitioner.
A few of the things you should be sure to ask include:
- How many spinal cord injury cases they have handled;
- How many spinal cord injury lawsuits or settlements have been successful; and
- What the results were of each of those cases;
- Even, why they chose to practice personal injury.
Choose Someone with SCI Legal Experience
While it’s true that every legal professional needs to start somewhere, that doesn’t mean your spinal cord injury case needs to be their first real experience as a practicing professional. Don’t rest your financial and medical care future in the hands of an inexperienced attorney: Hire an experienced spinal cord injury attorney.
Spinal cord injuries are traumatic and often result in medical care and other expenses that can reach more than $1 million in the first year for high tetraplegia cases. Furthermore, each subsequent year average costs reach more than $180,000.
What this means for you is to make sure that you choose a lawyer with significant and successful experience relating to spinal cord injury legal cases.
About Swope, Rodante P.A.
As a law firm that works alongside SpinalCord.com, your go-to resource for spinal cord injury information, Swope, Rodante P.A. is a team of trusted spinal cord injury attorneys that know the ins and outs of SCI law.
Experienced spinal cord injury attorneys can help you figure out the expected value of your personal injury claim or SCI settlement. Check out our free resource guide to learn more about when to get a lawyer.
