Hiring a firm which lacks such resources can, potentially, result in your case not being handled properly. When interviewing counsel, do not be afraid to ask about their financial backing and whether they employ their own investigator. In this article we will discuss the need to hire counsel who will take your case through the litigation process if a settlement cannot be reached.
Many personal injury cases reach settlement without a lawsuit being filed. This is a result of counsel negotiating with insurance adjusters after a Plaintiff’s damages can be reasonably calculated. Unfortunately, because of this, there are many firms which do not actually take cases to court. These firms, instead, will refer the case to another firm if they are unable to reach a settlement with the insurer. This means that a victim, who has dealt with the attorney retained, will suddenly find themselves dealing with a new firm. For obvious reasons, this can make a victim or their loved one’s uncomfortable and unsure as to what they should expect from the process.
One benefit of retaining a firm who will handle your case, through both insurance negotiations and litigation, is that there is less chance that counsel will accept a “low ball” settlement in order to resolve the matter. While we do not mean to imply that other firms would act against the interest of their clients in this way, it is important to understand that there is a real possibility that a firm would settle a matter so that it could collect a fee and not have to refer out a case. By retaining a “full service” firm you help to prevent such a possibility.
When you are selecting a personal injury firm we suggest that you make sure they will litigate your case if necessary. Also, ask how often they have taken cases to trial. We also suggest that you retain a firm in which the attorneys are Board Certified in Personal Injury Law and which also employs its own investigator. You should look for these traits regardless of whether you injured in Fort Worth, Dallas, or elsewhere in Texas.