When you are seriously hurt, finding a lawyer might seem like more stress you don’t need. Your days are probably spent trying to navigate mazes of medical bills, travel to and from appointments with doctors, and adjust to the pain and possibly impairments from the injuries you have suffered.
You may not realize it amid these issues, but a personal injury attorney can actually ease your burdens, not add to them. The key is to find a lawyer or law firm with the experience, resources, and history who will fight for your best results.
Ventura Law was founded in 1957. We have been helping injured victims and their families for over 60 years.
Contact Ventura Law at (203) 800-8000 for a free case review with our personal injury attorneys. We have offices in Danbury, Bridgeport, Hartford, and Norwalk, Connecticut, as well as in New York.
1. Experience with Your Type of Case
Personal injury is a broad field encompassing many different kinds of accidents and injuries. Car accidents are among the most common, but there are many others:
- Truck, motorcycle, and other vehicle accidents
- Dangerous premises
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Dog bites
- Sexual assault and abuse
- And more
In addition to the significant injuries that often occur in these cases, personal injury law also includes wrongful death claims.
With so many different kinds of personal injury cases, not just any lawyer can take on these matters and expect to prevail. Even seemingly simple injury cases can end up revolving around complex injuries and complicated liability.
As a result, the attorney you trust to draft your will or represent you in family court might not be the best person to explore all avenues for your recovery. An attorney whose focus lies outside of personal injury may be more inclined to settle, and he or she won’t have the reputation as an aggressive litigator to put the insurance company on notice at the beginning of your case.
Ventura Law focuses exclusively on personal injury law. Our team of personal injury attorneys has over a century of combined legal experience.
2. Results
Many law firms advertise massive, multi-million-dollar recoveries as the primary reason to call them. To be sure, a history of success is crucial, especially when severe injury victims can face millions of dollars in expenses. However, it’s important to look for the right kind of results when you start searching for an attorney.
First, it is important to understand that prior results don’t guarantee the same outcome in your case. Every claim has unique aspects that may affect the total recovery. The attorney you choose should focus on the specifics of your case, not details from past clients.
Second, you should make sure that the results align with your situation. If you were seriously hurt in a multi-car pileup but the law firm only boasts results from dog bite cases, you may want to look for a firm with a substantial focus on representing victims in car crash claims.
3. Client Reviews
The principal goal of any plaintiff in a personal injury case is financial recovery. However, the best personal injury attorneys never lose sight of the human element at the heart of every injury claim.
Injury victims are people in the midst of suffering. They and their families are facing financial, physical, and emotional burdens that create sometimes permanent changes in their lives – all because of another party’s negligence.
If this describes your situation, it is crucial to find a personal injury attorney who emphasizes outstanding legal service, as well as results. This may require more research than finding attorneys with large-dollar verdicts and settlements. The best place to start is client reviews.
Again, every case is different, and the experience and outcome of one client with a law firm may be different than yours. However, a significant number of testimonials praising the firm’s professionalism, responsiveness, and other qualities gives you a way to verify the client experience.
Some of the keys to reading reviews for a personal injury attorney include:
Read the comments, not just the stars
If you are overwhelmed by the process of finding an attorney, it may be tempting to start looking at review scores and nothing more. However, the written portion of the review is where you get the most accurate picture of the client experience.
Take the time to see what clients have to say; you may find just the information you need to choose one attorney or law over the others you have found.
See how many reviews there are
The quality of reviews is key, but quantity should have its place in your decision as well. If a law firm only has a handful of reviews, that could indicate a lack of experience, or a lack of emphasis on earning reviews.
Attorneys should want each and every satisfied client to share their experience with the world. If their reviews are hard to find, the natural inclination is to look for a law firm with proof of the people served.
Look for a mix of positive and constructive reviews
A lawyer or law firm with nothing but 5-star reviews might seem like the best choice, but it pays to be skeptical if you see only 5-star reviews with little to no context. This could indicate that the firm bought or paid for the reviews, rather than earning them from actual clients.
Variations in stars and information in the reviews provide a realistic view of what it’s like to be a client of the firm. If each review is 5 stars and reads exactly the same, it pays to be skeptical.
Read the responses
Most online reviews platforms include functionality for the individual or business to respond to testimonials and comments. In addition to the reviews themselves, look to see if the firm has:
- Responded
- Conducted itself acceptably
Whether the review is positive or negative, taking the time to respond shows that the firm values its clients and actively engages with them. In responding to reviews – especially negative ones – the firm should maintain a professional tone and not divulge information that breaches confidentiality. Sarcastic or inflammatory replies may indicate poor service.
When you read a law firm’s reviews, you should feel confident in contacting the firm. From the initial phone call to the free consultation and beyond, keep the reviews you read in mind in order to ensure the client experience matches your expectations.
What to Do Next
If you are ready to hire a personal injury attorney and you want to find out how Ventura Law can meet your needs, please call us at (203) 800-8000 today. Our personal injury attorneys will review your case for free, answer any questions you have, and discuss your legal options.
Our personal injury attorneys serve clients in Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, Norwalk, and nearby areas of Connecticut, as well as in New York.