What should you look for when you need to choose a Dallas personal injury lawyer? Of course you realize that just because a lawyer or law firm advertises heavily on TV or the Yellow Pages, does not mean they will get results for you. You might ask your friends and family members for a referral, but that does not mean they know of a good Dallas personal injury lawyer or have any real way to determine the quality of representation that attorney gives. You want someone who is knowledgeable, and someone who is a skilled negotiator to deal with the other driver’s insurance company.  You also want someone who is not overworked with a huge caseload and will not be able to devote time and attention to your specific case (another reason the Dallas personal injury lawyers who advertise heavily may not be the best choice for you).

What is the most overlooked, and yet most important, factor in choosing a personal injury lawyer?

Find a lawyer who prepares every case like it will be tried to a jury. Here is why this is such an important factor in determining the right personal injury lawyer to take your case to.  Most personal injury cases are settled by negotiation.  They should be. There is nothing wrong with negotiated settlements, they get results for clients. Negotiated settlements reduce the risk of going through the entire jury trial and getting nothing at all if the jury decides against you.  Furthermore, negotiating may result in getting a settlement check in your hands sooner to help pay for your medical expenses and compensate for lost wages, pain and suffering and time devoted to pursuing your case. But negotiation only works if the insurance company feels they have a risk of getting an adverse jury decision too.  It is the fear and uncertainty of paying out a large award that motivates insurers to settle out of court.  Experienced adjusters can tell when a law firm is just going through the motions, and is not prepared to proceed if the adjuster digs in his heels.  But if they are dealing with a lawyer who gives each case the level of attention necessary to present the case to a jury, they know that the usual tactics of stringing the case as long as they can will not work. And here is the dirty little secret you need to know.  Some lawyers are actually afraid of going to trial, because they know the case has not been developed adequately.  They will do anything, and agree to any low ball offer from the other side, in order to avoid standing in front of a jury. And what is more, the insurance company’s lawyers know it. They know that if they are dealing with lawyer who is extremely reluctant to take the case to trial, they can get a settlement agreement far below what your case is actually worth. When you are talking to law firms about your case, ask them to explain their plans to interview witnesses and get experts involved.  Ask them whether their lawyers actually have courtroom experience, so they know how to prepare a case with a jury trial in mind. Don’t make this biggest mistake most people make when selecting a lawyer to handle their case.  Call Powers Taylor today, we will arrange for you to meet with an experienced lawyer who will be glad to help you and give you sound legal advice about your case.