When people are hurt in a car or motorcycle crash, or because of another kind of negligence, one of the first things they often do to find an attorney is turn to television ads, or to Google or Bing. They are usually looking to find the “top Albuquerque personal injury lawyer,” or “Best New Mexico personal injury attorney.” But are the first search results that pop up in the Google results *really* representative of the “top” or “best”lawyers in New Mexico?
THINGS TO ASK A PROSPECTIVE ATTORNEY
Will you be the one handling my case from beginning to end, or will an associate attorney, paralegal or assistant be handling my case?
Will I be able to reach you on the weekends or after hours if I have an emergency?
Will you help with my property damage claim, or will I be expected to negotiate that part of my case on my own?
If there is limited insurance money available to compensate me for my injuries, will you take more as your fee than I get in my pocket?
How many cases have you personally handled successfully in the last year?
What is your current caseload? Do you have time to personally handle my case?
Simply put, the lawyer you see on TV or the first lawyer to pop up in the Google results may not be the best lawyer for your personal injury case.
We believe that every case is different, and each case deserves personal attention.
In our experience, the best way to hire an attorney to represent you in your personal injury case is to combine your research–utilizing Google searches, word of mouth referrals, yelp reviews, etc.–with a free in-person consultation with each of the law firms you are considering. Almost all personal injury law firms in New Mexico offer a free in-person consultation. We strongly suggest you take them up on the offer! Hiring an attorney to handle your personal injury case is much like hiring a counselor or therapist: it is a trust relationship, and if you don’t feel comfortable with the person handling your case, it doesn’t matter how high in the Google results that lawyer was–you will not be happy with how you are represented.
When you consult with law firms about your personal injury case, take note of who handles your initial consultation. Are you meeting with the attorney who will be handling your case, or are you meeting with a paralegal or associate? If you meet with a managing partner, ask if the partner is the one who will be handling your case, or if your case will instead be assigned to an associate attorney or paralegal, and if the answer is “yes,” make sure you ask to meet the person who will actually be handling your case from beginning to end. You’ll also want to know if you will be expected to handle any portion of the negotiation of your case on your own (like the property damage portion of your claim), and if the attorney working on your case will be accessible after hours in case you have an urgent situation that needs attention.
You should also ask how many cases the attorney assigned to your case has on his or her plate. Make sure that the lawyer has plenty of time to handle your concerns promptly and personally. An overwhelmed attorney might let things slip through the cracks, and you need to know before you hire a lawyer that they have room on their calendar to take your case on.
BLAZEJEWSKI & HANSEN, LLC IS A CUT ABOVE THE REST.
We handle our client’s cases personally, from beginning to end.
You will always meet the attorney handling your case when you meet with us for a free consultation.
We assist our clients with their property damage claims, free of charge.
We provide contact information so that our clients can get in touch with us personally in the event of emergencies after hours and on weekends.
We maintain a manageable caseload so that we can provide prompt and personal service to our clients.
We never take more as our fee than our clients receive in their pockets.
FILL OUR THE FORM BELOW TO REACH OUR LEGAL TEAM.
NO FEE UNTIL WE WIN. FREE CONSULTATION.
