7 Tips to Hiring a Great Personal Injury Lawyer by: Arthur Gueli

If you suffer an injury resulting in significant damages you will need to hire a personal injury lawyer. But in any given city, there are probably over 20 pages of personal injury attorney listings in the phone book. How do you pick the right one? What do you look for? What questions should you ask? Here are 7 things you should know before hiring your injury lawyer... 1) The sooner you hire your lawyer the better. Begin looking for your personal injury lawyer within a week or two after your accident. If you're not physically capable you should have a friend or loved-one start looking. The sooner you start building your case the better. 2) Hire a personal injury lawyer that specializes in your specific type of injuries. Do your homework before signing the retainer agreement. Visit the firm's website and read up on it's history and each lawyer's biographical information. Ask the lawyer for some referrences and ask how much experience they have in handling cases with similar injuries. What settlement awards did they get in those cases? 3) Have a face-to-face meeting with your prospective lawyer. Your personal injury lawyer is going to be your closest advisor during this difficult time. You must feel comfortable and trust your lawyer. The only way you'll get a feel for the lawyer is by having a sit-down to discuss your case. Any good personal injury lawyer will give you an initial consultation free of charge. 4) Hire a lawyer that will take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that your lawyer won't get paid unless you get paid. He will take his fee out of the money you receive for your injuries. You can expect your lawyer to take about 33% of your final settlement - that's after expenses are taken off the top. Make sure you clearly understand the payment structure before you sign the retainer agreement. 5) Beware of ambulance chasers. The goal of these lawyers is to get lots of minor personal injury cases and settle them quickly - they make their profit from high turnover. So naturally they won't put as much time and effort into each case as they should. (If you're looking for a quick settlement be prepared to accept less than what your case is really worth.) 6) Hire a lawyer with a good Martindale-Hubbell rating. This service evaluates lawyers in the U.S. and Canada based on peer review. Their website, Martindale.com has a helpful lawyer locator service and will explain the rating system. 7) Always be completely open and honest when discussing your case with a lawyer. Tell the lawyer as much as you can about what happened. Try to remember every detail. Any documentation and pictures you have of your injuries and treatment will be a big help when evaluating your case. Bonus Tip: 8) NEVER give a recorded statement to a representative from any insurance company until you've consulted a lawyer. When the rep. asks for one simply say, "I'm not prepared to give a statement at this time." A recorded statement can be used as evidence and if you're not prepared you might overlook important details. Anything you miss (or misrepresent) can be used against you in settlement negotiations and in the trial.

7 Common Misconceptions About Law Firm Websites by: Matthew Samp

Many website design firms have courted the legal market to create website for law firms. The problem is, most designers don’t understand the unique needs of a lawyer, how the firms operate and how to create a website that makes money for the lawyer. Following are seven common misconceptions about law firm websites. MISCONCEPTION #1: I can create my own website. If you're happy with a website that gives visitors basic information about you, then you're right. You don't need to have a website that works. However, if you want a website that will consistently bring in cases, it has to be different from the websites of other lawyers in your area. Further, it has to give the visitor a reason to contact you. Simply offering a free consultation or free report is not enough. You have to have a “sticky” website, one that has lots of information that people find useful, one that they come back to for reference and a website that develops a relationship with the visitor. MISCONCEPTION #2: If I put my website on the Internet, people will automatically find me. They old saying, “build it and they will come,” couldn’t be further from the truth. Just because you have a site on the web, doesn’t mean people can find it. Today, SEOs (search engine optimizers) are getting big money (two to five thousand a month) to get websites listed in the top of the search engines. Once you have a website, you have to have a systematic way to drive traffic to your site. There are many ways to drive traffic, but just putting the site up is the first step in having a website. MISCONCEPTION #3: If I put my website on the Internet, people will automatically hire me. Usually not. Most law firm websites are nothing more than a few “fluffy” paragraphs about the law firm. If your website says: “At Smith Law Office, we believe putting the needs of the client comes first. With the use of technology and competent legal research, our attorneys are able to advise our clients, giving the client an advantage in each matter.” Or something similar, no doubt your message is ignored by the visitor. The fact is, consumers are smart today, than ever before. With the amount of information available to people and those lawyers willing to give it out in mass quantities, people expect more than lop service. They want solid information in a format that’s easily accessible. The visitor has to be compelled to contact the firm, or they won’t turn into a client. MISCONCEPTION #4: Law firm websites don’t make real money. This is actually true of nearly all law firm sites. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. The fact is, there are solutions available to lawyers today, that can replace part or all of a marketing program. In fact, several of my lawyers have massively reduced the amount of yellow pages advertising due to the results and income they get from their website. Since websites are cheaper than yellow page ads, it makes sense to work to get clients from a lower cost solution. MISCONCEPTION #5: Putting up my areas of practice, contact information and mission statement is a good website. Not true. Often times, a lawyer’s website is so poorly done, that it actually causes people to look for another attorney. And, those attorneys who pay big bucks for snazzy flash presentations, and lots of bells and whistles end up looking too polished. People want a lawyer that’s a person, not a lawyer that hides behind his law firm name. A site with all sorts of clever plugins is usually a waste of money. It makes the lawyer feel good about his or her website, but it doesn’t actually make money. Should an attorney spend five or six thousand dollars on a website that looks great but doesn’t make money? That’s not an asset. It’s a waste. MISCONCEPTION #6: Websites created by web designers are usually “good” websites. Just because someone knows how to code a website, doesn’t mean they know what will make a person pick up the phone and call you. Look at it like this: A paralegal can draft a demur, but what kind of success would they have going into court to argue that demur? MISCONCEPTION #7: Buying a website from I lawyer directory is a safe and easy way to get my firm a website. Not true. A website that has lawdomain.com/SmithLaw is a website that will rarely be looked at. Sure, there are some big companies around selling these sites to lawyers who know they have to have a website to look “official” yet, all the sites are bases off of a brochure type idea. Again, putting up your “mission statement,” a few areas of practice and your bio doesn’t mean you have a website that will make you money. The most likely scenario is that very few people will actually find your site if it’s created by one of these companies.

4 Tips to Help You Find a Reputable Mesothelioma Lawyer by: Robert Linebaugh

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that affects the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining around the heart (the pericardium), or the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). Studies have shown that people, who suffer from the disease mesothelioma, were exposed to an abundance of asbestos at one time or another in their life. Unfortunately, many people become exposed to asbestos unknowingly, usually as part of a job. Because of this, someone who has mesothelioma is often entitled to compensation. There are many mesothelioma lawyers, but the following easy tips can make it easier to find a mesothelioma lawyer. 1. Research all you can concerning mesothelioma. The more you understand the disease affecting you or a loved one, the better you will be able to judge a lawyer’s expertise. A lawyer who understands many aspects about the disease is the ideal lawyer. If your lawyer understands your or your loved one’s symptoms, and complications stemming from the disease, he or she will be better able to defend you. Unfortunately, some lawyers do not “do their homework” in regards to medical cases. This often leads to losing cases. A reputable lawyer will certainly know the ins and outs of the disease, so be sure to ask as many questions as you can think of. 2. Use phone books and Internet search engines to find lawyers. This may seem simple, but some people don’t bother taking the time to look through many lawyers. Accepting the first lawyer that calls, or that one sees on TV is not a good idea. Searching in Google for the keyword “mesothelioma lawyer” will yield better results in the end than simply accepting whatever lawyer comes along. Giving yourself a variety of lawyers to consider will give you the best idea of who will be willing to work hardest for you, who is sincere, and who will most likely help you win your claim. 3. Read the fine print, and know your lawyer’s case history. Once you are nearing your decision and narrowing down potential candidates, take your research to a new level. It is always a good idea to find out about a lawyer’s case history. Additionally, it is advisable to know exactly what kind of deal the lawyer is seeking with you. Lawyers dealing with medical-related lawsuits usually do not get paid unless they win the settlement. Some lawyers request different percentages. Compare these requests and choose the lawyer that you would feel most comfortable with. Unfortunately, some lawyers might try to take advantage of an unknowing client. In order to protect your interests, and make sure you acquire the top-notch lawyer you deserve, do background research on lawyers before signing up. 4. Finally, don’t be afraid to take advice. If a friend, or colleague suggests a lawyer, don’t hesitate to check it out. If a friend refers you, he or she obviously has your best interests at heart, and so the lawyer is probably well qualified to take on your case. There are many groups out there for mesothelioma patients. If you or a loved one is in one of these groups, don’t hesitate to ask for advice from others who have mesothelioma. Advice is often taken for granted, but it is one of the most valuable things a friend can give. Mesothelioma is an awful disease, but there is compensation. This compensation can either be sought in a wrongful death suit, or while the patient is still living. It is advisable to find a lawyer as quickly as possible because there is often a statute of limitations on filing a lawsuit. The basic idea when searching for a mesothelioma lawyer is to be as educated as possible. Know what you want, and find a lawyer that is willing to help you in any way possible. Being well informed about your disease and potential lawyers will put you on the path to compensation.