As more and more research shows, multi-tasking is a myth. So why hire a lawyer who juggles different specialties? In this post, I want to talk about why it’s important to work with a lawyer on your personal injury case who ONLY does personal injury cases.
Specializing in a certain type of law is like learning a language that “speaks” those types of cases. Criminal defense, for example, is a different “language” than divorce, and they are both different from personal injury. Each law specialty has its own unique rules and laws. Clients who are dealing with events in their lives that compel them to seek legal help are dealing with emotions and issues unique to these situations as well. Choosing a lawyer who works with one type of cases and does personal injury on the side is like hiring someone who is fluent in English to be your translator in Spanish because they’ve taken some courses on it in school. And when you really get into the complexities of tort cases, it’s all Greek to most consumers who didn’t spend years in law school.
I created this video to share with you my thoughts about how specializing in one kind of law is important in giving the best representation. It may not surprise you that Bill Coats Law works only with victims who have been injured through no fault of their own. It’s my philosophy that my clients deserve this singular focus, because that’s what gives the highest payout on settlements and verdicts. If the case has to go all the way to trial, it’s important to have the chops to win a tort case in court. Also, since I work on a contingency fee basis, that means that no client has to pay my fees before the case settles, and I collect a percentage of the case’s payout. It’s almost like a commission, and this approach ensures that I and other lawyers who work this way have a vested interest in finding clients the highest fair value of their cases.
Nolo has a few more ideas on things you should know before you hire a personal injury attorney. They offer tips like what I’ve described above, as well as don’t go with a lawyer who aggressively pursues you (the infamous ambulance chasers) and that a good lawyer will give you an honest appraisal of your case and the time it may take to wrap up. Some lawyers have a bad reputation for a reason, but don’t believe all the lawyer jokes you hear. If you’re up against an insurance company who doesn’t want to pay you what you believe your claim is worth, it pays to have someone on your side.
For a great resource on how to find the best lawyer, watch this video on my YouTube channel as well.