Finding the Right Attorney: Tips for Getting Started
Pursuing legal action may be last on your list of things to do when you’re diagnosed with Mesothelioma. And perhaps it should be; there’s no doubt that your primary focus should always be on your health and the health of those around you. However, once you begin and settle into your treatment, finding the right Mesothelioma lawyer may be the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones. Experienced Mesothelioma attorneys nationwide have recovered billions of dollars for victims of asbestos exposure in the past couple of decades, and it’s very possible they can do the same for you. What’s particularly interesting about Mesothelioma is that it’s the only cancer known to have a single underlying cause. And you, as a victim of asbestos exposure, are able to pinpoint exactly where and when in your life you were exposed to the asbestos that caused your cancer.
As a result of this direct knowledge, you may have a strong case against the company that caused your cancer. And it’s worth investigating; the winnings you can gain from a Mesothelioma lawsuit can be vital to your future. You can use them to pay off medical bills from your treatment; you can use them to make sure your family is financially stable; or you can use them as proof that you helped fight against injustice that has injured and killed thousands of hardworking Americans.
The first step to take in investigating your claim is finding a reliable and proven Mesothelioma attorney to handle your case. This step is crucial; the lawyer you choose can mean the difference between winning a huge payout and winning nothing. When looking for a good lawyer, there are various steps to take to ensure that you’re finding the absolute best one for your particular Mesothelioma case.
1. Utilize Your Networks
The absolute best way to find a good Mesothelioma attorney is by word of mouth. No website or search engine knows you the way your friends and family do. Ask around and look for ways to get personalized and unbiased testimonials from people, not from websites looking to persuade you.
• Ask your loved ones if they know of any good Mesothelioma lawyers, both local and national. Even if none of them have had Mesothelioma, they may know someone who has that they can refer you to. No one will care about your legal treatment the way your loved ones will. The testimonial from a friend or family member is far more reliable than anything you can find on a site simply because they’ll have a personal interest in getting you the best help.
• Enlist the help of your co-workers if none of your loved ones know of anyone who can help. The people you worked with in the asbestos-causing industry likely know some information regarding Mesothelioma attorneys. Even if they don’t have Mesothelioma themselves, chances are they know someone who does.
• Join online groups for people with Mesothelioma or families of patients. Forums, social networks and blogs have groups of people freely posting their opinions about their experiences with law firms, treatments, etc. This can prove to be an endless supply of very useful information.
2. Do Your Research
When you type “Mesothelioma law firm” or “asbestos lawyer” into your search engine, you’re going to be met with thousands and thousands of law firms begging you to pick them, boasting testimonials and outrageously high figures that they claim they’ve won for their clients. Do not be intimidated or fooled by this. Many law firms focus on getting as many clients as possible, so they’ll do everything in their power to convince you at first sight to work with them. This is why you do your research.
• Don’t fall prey to catchy jingles, corny TV commercials or fancy-sounding legal words. Many advertising strategies are designed to get your attention immediately. These techniques, while effective, do NOT guarantee that the firm is good at what it does or that it can get you a high payout.
• Look through the firm’s website to get a sense of what it does. Generalized personal injury lawyers will not be able to give you the attention you need or deserve for a Mesothelioma case. Try to find firms that have Mesothelioma as the only type of personal injury they specialize in. They will have contact with medical experts, other lawyers, and big asbestos offender industries in the nation, and will be able to give you the very best results using these resources.
• Look for a proven court history. Firms will usually only post positive outcomes on their sites, but look for ones that have an extensive list of high payout numbers. These are hard facts that prove that the law firm is good at what it does and that it might be able to do the same for you.
• Look for client testimonials. The numbers are, of course, very important, but you want to be sure that you’ll be treated well and accommodated throughout the legal process. Specialized firms understand that you’re going through a rough medical process in addition to your legal one, and therefore will usually take extra steps to ensure your comfort during their work with you.
• Make a list of your top choices. With all the firms that you’ll find in your search results, you’ll need to narrow down your top prospects. Make a list of 10 and examine those in greater detail. Then try paring it down to 5. This will make the whole process seem much less intimidating and far more manageable.
3. Get a Consultation
Though you can browse the full extent of a firm’s website, you won’t be able to get a true understanding of how it operates until you speak to someone. Talking directly to a legal assistant or an attorney will allow you to get a sense of who they are and let you develop a rapport with them before committing to anything.
• Call to get an immediate consultation. Calling is sometimes preferable because it provides you with immediate information from the comfort of your own home. There’s no need to schedule and the case evaluation is free. What’s truly beneficial about this is that many Mesothelioma clients find it difficult to get around due to their disease and their treatment. They can therefore get everything they need from the phone without having to leave the house.
• Schedule an in-office consultation. Scheduling a consultation allows the client to come to the office and sit with an attorney. Having an actual face-to-face meeting is particularly helpful because it allows the client to really get to know the lawyer and put a face to the name.
• Schedule an off-location consultation. Perhaps the most accommodating option, an off-location consultation involves having a lawyer or legal assistant come to the client at a location of their choosing. This combines the comfort of a phone call with the personalized touch of an in-office consultation.
Most Mesothelioma law offices offer all three of these options at no cost and no obligation. By meeting with or calling them, you’ll be able to get a firm understanding of their practice beyond the information you can glean from a website.
By following these steps, you can get started with the legal process of a Mesothelioma claim without feeling intimidated by an overwhelming number of law firms competing for your attention. You can work with them on your own terms, and get the process moving so you can collect your compensation and focus on your health.
Please note that if you do not feel well enough to do the research, you should enlist the help of a loved one to do with or for you. Do not let the opportunity to recover compensation slip.
If you’d like more information on Mesothelioma lawyers in your area, call . You can also fill out the registration form on this site to get some free brochures regarding your options on a local scale.