Five Things to Look for in a Personal Injury Lawyer

Nov 4, 2020 | Legal Topics

timeline of personal injury lawsuit

Truck accidents, work injuries, refinery explosions, and other catastrophic events seriously injure or kill thousands of Americans every year. Typically, these incidents are not accidents. People accidentally leave the oven on. They do not accidentally drive drunk and cause car crashes, and they do not accidentally fail to repair unsafe staircases.

As a result, these victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. They need this money to put their lives back together after a vehicle collision or other serious injury. Additionally, the available compensation provides emotional closure. And negligent actors who pay damages often change the way they do business or conduct their lives. In other words, when one victim/plaintiff receives damages, more people do not get hurt.

The tenacious lawyers at Williams Hart & Boundas are firmly committed to these twin goals of compensation and justice. Nothing deters us or obstructs us. When difficulties crop up, and they almost always do, we find a way to overcome them. Our commitment to you is built on the five foundations discussed below.

Experience

All Houston personal injury attorneys went to law school and passed the Bar Examination. These experiences teach future lawyers how to think critically. But there are many other nuts and bolts of personal injury law that only experience can teach.

Ascertaining a claim’s settlement value is a good example. Most personal injury claims settle out of court. So, critical thinking and litigation skills acquired in school are not enough. An attorney must also be a good negotiator, and that starts with the settlement value.

The settlement value is the amount of compensation a victim would accept to give up his/her legal right to pursue damages. Determining this value is partly science and partly art. At Williams Hart & Boundas, our professionals consider all economic losses, such as medical bills and lost property. Then, based on the facts, we estimate the value of pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other non-economic losses.

Frankly, inexperienced lawyers have no idea how to determine a settlement value. And your valuable case is not the time for on-the-job training.

Dedication

Years of experience only tell part of the story. Many attorneys practice law for many years, but they do not handle many injury cases.

The late Grant Cooper, the lawyer for convicted Robert Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan, is a good example. When he took this case, Cooper had many years of experience. But he was a SoCal celebrity lawyer as opposed to a criminal defense lawyer. For example, Cooper was Shirley Temple’s divorce lawyer when she split from John Wayne’s sidekick and B-movie star John Agar.

At the 1969 trial, Cooper did not aggressively attack the state’s evidence, probably because he simply did not see the chinks in the armor. In contrast, at Williams Hart & Boundas, we thoroughly and accurately evaluate your case. We do not only focus on personal injury. We focus on complex personal injury claims that other lawyers shy away from.

Location

Many victims have mobility issues, particularly in the weeks immediately following their injuries. Driving across town every time they need to speak with their lawyers is a Herculean task under these circumstances. Sprawling urban landscapes like Harris County exacerbate this challenge.

At Williams Hart & Boundas, our main office is conveniently located just off I-45 not far from Hobby Airport. So, whether you are local or coming in from out of town, our office is conveniently located.

To supplement our convenient location, we offer home visits, hospital visits, and internet consultations. We always take steps to preserve your privacy, and the attorney-client confidentiality privilege. We do not just show up or join you on Zoom.

Accessibility

If you go to a new restaurant and there are no cars in the parking lot, that is usually a bad sign. There is often a reason the restaurant has no customers. On the other end of the scale, if there is a two-hour wait for a table, that is usually a bad sign too.

The same thing applies to personal injury attorneys. If there is no one in the waiting room or the lawyer answers the phone on the first or second ring, there is usually a reason the attorney has few clients. And, if you must wait several days for an appointment, there is a good chance the lawyer will assign your case to a junior associate or even a paralegal.

The Houston personal injury attorneys at Williams Hart & Boundas might not be able to see you at the drop of a hat. But we always make time for our valued clients.

Resources

National insurance companies like State Farm have nationwide resources. They bring all these resources to bear to reduce or deny compensation. The attorneys at Williams Hart & Boundas also have substantial resources. We partner with professionals like investigators and doctors to build your case. Perhaps more importantly, as outlined above, we have considerable human resources. No insurance company can possibly match our professional team.

Choosing the right personal injury attorney might be one of the most important decisions you make. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Houston, contact Williams Hart & Boundas today. We have helped thousands of people in Harris County and beyond, and we can do the same for you.

Disclaimer: This material is provided for informational purposes only. The provision of this material does not create an attorney-client relationship between the firm and the reader and does not constitute legal advice. Legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and the contents of this newsletter are not a substitute for legal counsel. Do not take action in reliance on the contents of this material without seeking the advice of counsel.

The information contained in this blog may or may not reflect the most current legal developments. Accordingly, information in this blog is not promised or guaranteed to be correct or complete, and should not be relied upon as such. Readers should conduct their own appropriate legal research.

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