Smyrna Injury Lawyer
There are hundreds of law firms in Smyrna to choose from in handling your car, truck or personal injury case. Many of these law firms seem capable of handling an accident case; however there are some factors that you should consider before retaining legal representation.
What Areas Do They Practice?
Many law firms advertise for injury cases, but at the same time elect to handle criminal cases, divorces, and business disputes. There is nothing wrong with a lawyer and a law firm that practices various areas of the law. However, it is very difficult to be great at one area when a lawyer chooses to spend his or her time focusing on other matters. Aman Patel, the founder of the Patel Law Firm, started his career handling various legal matters before turning away other cases to focus on injury related claims. This tradition carried forward when Aman started the Patel Law Firm, a law firm that handles only accident injury cases arising from car accidents, trucking wrecks, dog bites, slip & falls, and nursing home abuse & neglect.
Do They Provide a Full Service?
Law firms come in all shapes and sizes. There are big firms that employ numerous attorneys and paralegals who settle a large volume of cases. There are small firms that comprise of a single lawyer, who refers out his injury cases. No matter the size of the law firm, your attorney should always be willing to go to court, if your settlement is unfair. One of the best ways to find out if a lawyer files lawsuits is by asking them at your consultation. Another way is to check online – Cobb County, DeKalb County, Fulton County, and Gwinnett County. The Patel Law Firm is a full service law firm that files lawsuits to hold insurance companies accountable. We never accept unfair settlements and never force our clients to accept low ball offers.
How Important is Communication in the Process?
At the end of the day this is your injury. This case is personal to you and belongs to you. You get to decide who to hire, whether to treat for your injuries, whether to accept a settlement, and if you want to go to court. The injury claim process is lengthy and time consuming, even in the most simplest of cases. During the process, you should be in constant communication with your lawyer to ensure that your claim is moving forward. Unfortunately, many law firms delegate these tasks to their case managers, paralegals and law clerks. Many times, these same folks don’t do their jobs, which in turn hurts your case. Every client at the Patel Law Firm has their lawyer’s personal cell phone number. It is important that a lawyer and his or her client have direct communication to ensure each is doing their part in order to resolve a case fairly and in a timely manner. So how important is communication to you?
Guaranteed Result? Run Away!
Be wary of any lawyer that can guarantee a certain outcome. However, what every accident lawyer should guarantee is that your case will be handled diligently and efficiently. Unfortunately, many injured persons come to my office after firing their first attorney. Most times, the attorney is not returning their phone calls or not doing what they promised. Their staff are also rude and giving them the run around. Luckily, most cases are salvageable, however irreparable damage can be done because of the neglect of the prior lawyer. Always ask to meet with your lawyer face to face and make sure that he or she is a good fit.
Is it Time to Hire a Lawyer?
Clients call my office at various times after an accident. Some call the next day after having gone to the emergency room. Some call a few weeks after visiting a primary care doctor who has suggested physical therapy because of the truck wreck. Some call months after a slip and fall when they have started to see a spine specialist who is now recommending injections or surgery to fix neck and back problems. Regardless, not all injury accident cases need to be handled by a lawyer. Simple cases, where only one or two doctor visits are needed should be handled yourself. You and the insurance company should be able to settle your claim for the medical bills, any days you missed work plus an amount of pain and suffering for the week or two you lived in pain. A lawyer is not needed in these situations as he or she will not add any value to your claim. Likewise, a lawyer should tell you not to use their services if you yourself have negotiated a fair settlement with the insurance company. An experienced attorney should be able to tell you what a fair settlement is, or at the very least determine if he or she can add more value to put more money in your pocket.