![[Vic Terry, P.C.]](images/lovt.gif){kind=small}
Dallas, Texas USA
Specializing in helping people since 1961
Q1: I've been seriously injured, how do I find a lawyer I can trust?
A1: It's not as hard as it may seem. Here are a few tips:
- Look for experience in the area in which you need help. For instance, if you think you need to file bankruptcy, don't hire somebody who doesn't regularly do bankruptcy cases. If you have been hurt by a defective product, hire someone who has a lot of product liability experience.
- Ask Questions. Any questions. If the lawyer is shifty and evasive, steer clear! Also, beware of lawyers who belittle you or make you feel like you are a waste of time. By the same token, good lawyers are busy people. They may be blunt and sometimes say things you don't want to hear. Above all, find a lawyer in whom you confidence. You don't have to like them; just trust them to do good work for you.
- Look for Trial Experience. Find out how often the law firm, you are thinking of hiring, actually goes to court. Lawyers who prepare cases for trial usually get better settlements - without having to go to court. There's an old addage, "A case that is prepared for trial will almost always settle; a case that is prepared to settle, will almost always have to be tried." Nobody in their right mind wants to go to court, but if you get there, you better have lawyers who know what they're doing.
- Yes, there are some dishonest lawyers out there. If you find out one is lying to you, fire them and turn them in to the local Bar Association.
- Are you permanently injured? If not, your case may cost more to prove than you are likely to receive.
- Do you still have the product? If not, it may be impossible to prove the product was defective. Sometimes experienced professionals can prove a defective product was responsible for an injury, even if the product is missing or destroyed. However, this is rare. Keep control of the product or find out where it is.
- Have you altered the product either before or after it caused the injury? Most of the time, in order to recover for an injury caused by a defective product, the injured person must prove the product was in basically the same condition when the injury occurred, as it was when it left the seller of the product. Do not alter the product.
- Have you talked to anyone about how you think the product was defective? Do not talk to strangers! Especially, do not try to talk the manufacturer or seller of a defective product into believing your story. There are many honorable businesses. Yet, there are also many which are not honorable. Chances are, if a product defect has injured you, it has injured someone else, too. If the manufacturer and seller have not effectively warned you of the defect, they will probably not treat you very well when you seek compensation from them. Devious manufacturers and sellers have trained professionals prepared to persuade you that their product could not have caused your injury. They may even try to talk you out of finding a lawyer. While it may not be possible to know if you have a valid case without extensive research, you need someone who works for you to do that evaluation.
- Secure the Suspected Defective Product
- Do Not Talk to Anyone, Other Than A Qualified Lawyer, About Your Claim
- Find A Lawyer Who Specializes in Handling Defective Product Cases
