How to Find a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Spinal cord injuries can be life-altering and potentially cause lifelong paralysis and disability. According to data from Statista, an average of 17,900 people in the U.S. suffer spinal cord injuries each year, and 296,000 people are living with these injuries. Some spinal cord injuries occur in incidents caused by the negligent or wrongful actions of others. When this happens, the victims are entitled to pursue monetary compensation through personal injury lawsuits. Knowing how to find a spinal cord injury attorney and what to look for is critical for people who have suffered serious injuries because of the actions of others.

How to Find a Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

Understanding how to find a spinal cord injury attorney involves more than simply choosing the first lawyer for whom you see an advertisement. Instead, it is important for you to do a little research into a prospective lawyer or firm’s background and experience. Interviewing a shortlist of potential attorneys can help you decide which lawyer might best represent you in your case. Below are some key factors that you should keep in mind.

Legal Knowledge

Good personal injury attorneys must keep current with changes in the law. Tort laws constantly change as new decisions are handed down, and a competent attorney will stay up-to-date with these changes. Lawyers attend continuing legal education seminars and participate in bar associations to help them keep current with both statutory and precedential changes. A knowledgeable attorney should be able to explain how the laws apply to the facts of your case rather than speaking in vague terms.

Understanding of Medical Terms

Personal injury lawyers must know medical terminology to understand different injuries, their extent and severity, prognoses, and estimated medical costs. Understanding the medical field is critical if your lawyer will need to cross-examine medical experts. Ask a prospective injury attorney specific questions about your type of spinal cord injury and prognosis to see if they appear to understand it and will be able to competently represent you in your claim.

Experience

Choosing an attorney who is experienced is critically important. You do not want to have your lawyer learning on the job while representing you. Ask how long the lawyer has been licensed and about their trial experience in case your claim doesn’t settle and instead goes to trial. You should also ask a prospective lawyer about their experience representing people with cases similar to yours and the outcomes they have achieved in other cases.

Honestly Assesses Your Case

Attorneys should never provide guarantees of a specific outcome. If a lawyer tells you that they will win your case or promises to secure a specific monetary amount, you should keep looking. Instead, a good lawyer should provide an honest assessment of your case, including the potential weaknesses of your claim and what you can do to address them.

Good Reputation

Another good way to evaluate a potential attorney is to check what their reputation is among both their former clients and other attorneys within the legal community. You can check online for reviews and the state’s bar association website to make sure that your prospective lawyer’s license is active and in good standing. You should also ask a lawyer if they have any former clients who would be willing to talk to you about their experience working with the lawyer. A good attorney should be able to provide you with a few names of people who would be willing to speak with you.

Your Gut Instinct

When you retain a lawyer to represent you in a spinal cord injury case, it is important for you to have a good rapport with your attorney. Personal injury lawsuits involving serious injuries can last for months or years because of the potential damages involved and the severity of the injuries. If you do not get along well with your lawyer, it can make your case much more difficult. When you meet with a prospective lawyer, note how they communicate with you. They should be patient, listen to you, be sympathetic, and be straightforward. Avoid lawyers who use flattery, and choose someone you feel you can trust.

Schedule a Consultation with the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook have more than four decades of experience fighting for the rights of negligence victims. We are compassionate and understand how devastating spinal cord injuries can be on the lives of our clients.

To learn more about your spinal cord injury case and how we might be able to help, request a free consultation by calling 479-783-8000 (Fort Smith), 479-455-2210 (Fayetteville), or 918-912-2132 (Tulsa) or sending us a message online.