How Do I Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer?
What you need to know about choosing a San Antonio personal injury attorney
When an individual or family is facing a serious legal problem, it is important to find and hire a lawyer who will efficiently and effectively handle your case. Although the specific questions that you need to ask your prospective lawyer are uniquely defined by your legal issue, the following are guidelines that may help steer you in the right direction when searching for the right representation.
- Ask someone you trust
- Research your choices
- Consult with local bar associations
- Experience counts
- Meet with a lawyer
- Contact the Herrera Law Firm
Ask someone you trust
Virtually everyone needs a lawyer at some point in their life. As a result, many people have strong opinions about attorneys they’ve hired in the past. One of the best ways to find an attorney is to ask someone you trust for a referral. Ask them some of the following questions:
- How did your lawyer handle your case?
- Did your lawyer communicate with you?
- Did your attorney ask for input during your case?
- Were you happy with the outcome of your case?
- What did you dislike about your lawyer?
- What did you like about your lawyer?
Research your choices
Although an enthusiastic recommendation is a great place to start, it is always better to conduct additional research about an attorney you're considering hiring. There are numerous resources where you can find out more about a person's legal education, expertise and record. These resources include:
Texas State Bar
1414 Colorado Street
Austin, TX 78701
Lawyer Referral Service
(A service of the Texas State Bar)
1-877-9TEXBAR
The State Bar of Texas is an administrative agency of the judicial branch in Texas. Every licensed attorney is a member of the State Bar, which provides a wide array of services to its members and the public.
The State Bar of Texas offers referrals for attorneys when there is no local lawyer referral service in a client's area. Participating lawyers in the service have to apply to the service to be referred and are listed by practice area and the county or counties in which they work.
The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
A national publication that lists lawyers by city and by state and lists their area of practice. The publication can be found at your local library or found online at www.martindale.com. Attorney Frank Herrera Jr. received a 5 out of 5 peer rating at Martindale, the highest possible rating.
Consult With local bar associations
Many bar associations will offer referrals to attorneys in your area. There are several associations in San Antonio, including:
Bexar County Women's Bar Association
P.O. Box 2297
San Antonio, TX 78298-2297
www.bexarcountywomensbar.org
Mexican American Bar Association - San Antonio
222 S. Flores
San Antonio, TX 78204
Phone: 210-226-5656
Fax: 210-226-2241
San Antonio Bar Association (SABA)
Bexar County Courthouse, 5th Floor
San Antonio, TX 78205
Lawyer Referral Line: (210) 227-1853
www.sanantoniobar.org
Remember, research is an important step for finding the right lawyer. Never hire an attorney based completely on one factor, especially advertisements.
Experience Counts
When trying to resolve a serious legal matter, you need an experienced attorney on your side. It's important to choose an attorney who has dealt with cases similar to yours. If at any time you doubt your attorney’s competence, it is crucial to ask for a referral for a lawyer whose expertise may be stronger in that area. In fact, your attorney should not only have experience in the area of law you need but should be able to describe to you how they handled similar cases, what the outcomes were for those cases, and if they expect a comparable result with your case.
Meet with a lawyer
A face-to-face meeting with a prospective attorney is an essential step toward finalizing your choice. We offer a free initial consultation to give you the opportunity to explain your situation and discuss potential actions and solutions.
In order to be fully prepared for your initial consultation, ask the attorney or paralegal for a list of relevant documents you may need to bring to your consultation. Many attorneys will also ask you to fill out a questionnaire beforehand so that time will be saved during the initial meeting.
Questions that you may want to ask a prospective attorney during an initial consultation include:
- Do I need an attorney to solve my problem?
- What is my personal injury claim worth?
- What fees and costs will be involved with my type of case?
- Based on my situation, is this the type of case you routinely handle?
- How do you work with clients in my situation?
- How long will it take to solve my legal problem?
Contact the Herrera Law Firm
Before you hire a lawyer, contact the Herrera Law Firm. We can show you why we believe we're the best choice for your specific legal needs.
Our San Antonio personal injury attorneys have years of experience handling tough cases. We’re prepared to do the work that needs to be done to make things right, including helping you file a personal injury lawsuit. We have a history of success, and we’re committed to working with you.
When you choose us, our goal is simple – to get you maximum compensation. If you've been injured in an accident, we will fight hard for your rights.
Put our knowledge and skills to work on your case. Contact our law firm and schedule your free initial consultation.
The Herrera Law Firm — we advocate for your best interests.
