Most of us never want to be in a situation where we need to hire an attorney. However, should an unexpected incident occur, an experienced attorney who will fight for your best interests is a much-needed ally. So, what should one look for when hiring a personal injury firm? The record-breaking judgment team at Maier Gutierrez & Associates recommends three areas—experience, communication, and accessibility. 

Experience

The number one factor in choosing the right personal injury attorney is experience. Online research and word of mouth recommendations are great ways to get a feel for a person’s experience with a particular attorney or law firm. However, the best way to gauge an attorney’s experience is to set up an initial consultation with a prospective attorney and ask direct questions about his/her experience in handling personal injury cases from start to finish.  

Ensuring that you have a legal team who can handle your personal injury case from beginning to end—through settlement, a jury trial, or an appeal is essential to knowing that your case won’t be a matter of first impression for a lawyer. You would never want a surgeon to be performing his or her first surgery on you, so you might want to avoid a lawyer attempting his or her first trial with your case. 

You also ideally want a Nevada law firm that has experience representing both sides in a personal injury case. A law firm that represents injured plaintiffs and also has prior experience representing insurance companies on the defense side of a personal injury case, will have the playbook for both sides; they will also have first-hand experience with how insurance companies operate and evaluate cases. 

Another consideration is whether your Las Vegas law firm is large enough to fight against insurance companies, which usually hire national law firms with multiple attorneys working on the case. Solo practitioners and small firms may not have the manpower to keep up with the barrage of legal work that insurance company lawyers can generate. In addition, solo or small firms generally do not have the capacity to spend weeks away from the office to conduct your trial. 

Lastly, look for a winning team with the results to prove that they are not afraid to take cases to trial. The reputation of success is an important factor that helps drive the settlement value of a personal injury case. Did you know that insurance companies keep track of plaintiff law firm records of accomplishments and jury verdicts? This is one factor the insurance company will consider when they decide whether to settle a case or go to trial. The team at MGA is not afraid to take a case to trial and ask for a significant verdict – as Maier Gutierrez & Associates has the largest judgment in Nevada history. Let our reputation and results work for you.

Communication

Seasoned injury lawyers understand clients need to know why, how, and when certain things are happening in their cases. For example, clients may need to understand a doctor’s recommendation for treatment, or need guidance in navigating through the unfamiliar steps in the personal injury process. What if a client has a financial need that arises that creates a need to get a litigation loan on the case? 

Often, when people transfer their case to Maier Gutierrez & Associates from other injury law firms, it is because of a lack of communication with the previous law firm. Working with injury lawyers can be daunting, and our business model is set up with a team of dedicated case concierges and lawyers to make sure we are with you—and communicating with you—every step of the way. 

Accessibility 

Maier Gutierrez & Associates prides itself on the access our clients have in meeting and working with our attorneys. Another question to ask yourself is, “Will I work with the lawyer on the billboard or someone else entirely?” You want to hire a firm where you meet with—and know—the actual attorneys handling your specific case.  

We assign a partner, an associate attorney, a paralegal, and a case concierge on each and every client matter, with the firm’s named partners overseeing every case. This dedicated team is your resource to help you with a strategy to try to get your life back to normal. There are many reasons to hire an attorney after an accident, and having an accessible team available to call, or to email or text, will help give you peace of mind.

What makes the best personal injury lawyers?

Experience, communication, and accessibility are three traits to consider when hiring an accident injury lawyer. If our team can be helpful as you navigate a personal injury—a terrible event in anyone’s life—please reach out today for a free consultation. 

Justice is not a game, and Maier Gutierrez & Associates would like to be your trusted resource to help you and your family try to return to a sense of normalcy.