Any person who is searching for a personal injury lawyer can become very confused about what attorney to choose, who would do the best job, and exactly what to do. There are literally thousands of attorneys in the state, ranging from huge firms to smaller solo practices. There are various ways you can determine who would do the best job for you in your case, and this could not be more important to your future. One rule is never to choose a firm that asks you for money up front. A quality litigator will base their fees upon results and will not be asking you to pay them before the settlement or verdict is finalized.
There are several large personal injury firms that operate their practice much like a large "injury mill." You get an appointment and meet with an intake staff member. You may rarely, if ever, actually meet with an attorney. Big downtown offices have a high overhead – and they need a huge volume of cases to stay alive. For the seriously injured, it can be extremely distressing to be represented by a firm that does business in this manner. It can be far, far more advantageous to get legal representation from a law firm that offers individual legal service, develops relationships with clients, has a high number of personal referrals, and will take your case on with a personal commitment to getting results. Some people choose to change law firms once they realize that the firm they are working with will not return calls or is moving forward slowly.
Another quality that is extremely important is that the lawyer representing you is a skilled civil litigator. Some law firms hire on another attorney to fulfill this function, as they work mainly in the area of negotiating settlements. It is an advantage to have an attorney that will serve you on a one-on-one basis, has a great depth of trial experience, and can fulfill all of the functions for you – and keeps you apprised of all the progress of your case.
Attorney Charles R. Gueli is a personal injury litigator that serves all of his clients on a one-on-one basis. The firm is located in Woodbury, NY and serves the Nassau County area, as well as the rest of the state.