For Personal Injury lawyers, Board Certification is a mark of excellence in a professional career. Patients would never trust a doctor who lacks Board Certification with their care. The same should be said for legal representation. The problem is, many people aren’t aware that lawyers can even be Board Certified. This lack of publicly available knowledge is unfathomable to the country’s top lawyers. This very important distinction is what separates “paper pushers” from the true “case winners”. Lack of a Board Certification distinction can be what’s standing between clients and the maximum amount of compensation they deserve.
Top 5
Within this article, we’ll explain the Top 5 reasons accident victims should retain a Board Certified lawyer. This write-up will cover all the reasons–from the paperwork to the uphill battle with the insurance company–that the best thing to do after sustaining serious injuries in an accident is to sit down for a consultation with a top Personal Injury lawyer.
As always, this publication is meant to assist potential law firm clients seeking expert Personal Injury representation. Without Board Certified lawyers on their side, clients fighting the insurance company will cannot win their case.
#1: Insurance companies take advantage of those who try to fight their own claims
When it comes to fighting the insurance company, it’s a losing battle if victims choose to do so without Board Certified lawyers. Insurance companies are not in the business of treating accident victims fairly. If the victim resorts to dealing with the insurance company alone, there is a high chance that they will not be treated with the fairness they deserve when it comes to compensation for their injury.
In previous articles, we consistently discuss the practice known as Deny, Delay, Don’t Pay. It’s used to scare off victims from seeking the compensation owed to them. This tactic is used as soon as the insurance company finds out the victim’s lawyer is a “paper pusher”. Trust us, the insurance companies know a “paper pusher” or “adjuster” when they see one.
What is a “paper pusher” lawyer?
This is not a good thing. A “paper pusher” is what we refer to on the Law Resource as a lawyer that takes as many claims as possible just to bolster their “results” when in fact, these “results” are merely obtaining any small amount of compensation on behalf of their clients (the dollar amount doesn’t matter to them, and this is yet another red flag to find another firm. For injured clients, money does matter. It’s what restores quality of life medically and mentally).
#2: Accident victim’s should not navigate Florida’s legal system without legal representation
The second reason an accident victim should never attempt to fight alone after becoming injured by the recklessness or negligence of another (car accident, medical malpractice, or a trucking accident to name a few common reasons lawsuits occur) is a simple one: Florida’s legal system is complex. Understanding statutes, laws, and what is actually able to be brought to trial is extremely difficult for those without a law degree. A Board Certified lawyer has consistently upheld a high level of successful results in all of these areas when it comes to his or her clients; Board Certified lawyers tend to have more knowledge than that of their Personal Injury peers.
Furthermore, only a Board Certified lawyer will be able to go up against an insurance company’s team of lawyers. Whether it’s preparing a client for mediation or going all the way to trial, the lawyer knows the due process. Each Personal Injury claim is different. Having experience with different accidents and outcomes is the first step to maximum compensation. Board Certified lawyers can provide appropriate legal advice on a case by case basis.
#3: Only Board Certified lawyers can deal with the paperwork…the right way!
This next one may not be as obvious as our previous reasons to seek a Board Certified lawyer after an accident. However, it’s worth mentioning. Not only is the legal system complex, it’s made up almost entirely of paperwork. Trying to sort through the amount of legal documents that require very specific information (“the book of the client’s life”) alone is another losing battle alone. Insurance companies will use the amount of paperwork as another way to take advantage of the victim. Insurance companies want the victim to give up. Board Certified lawyers take the reigns on the paperwork and the insurance companies don’t stand a chance when it comes to their intimidation practices.
#4: Board Certified lawyers are rare for a reason
Board Certification is a process that begins with young lawyers striving to achieve more than getting clients out the door with a check. Young lawyers must stay hungry through the early years of their career so that they may hold the honor of Board Certification when they finally attain the title of Senior Lawyer within a firm in which they’ve become partner, or within a firm of their own.
Only 1% of lawyers reach this milestone and become Board Certified lawyers. This highly sought after but rarely realized achievement puts Board Certified lawyers above and beyond their non-Board Certified peers by leaps and bounds. Attaining double certification is less common, as less than 1% of lawyers can claim this crowning jewel of success. Double board certification means not only is the lawyer Board Certified within the state they practice, but nationally.
#5: Board certified lawyers have the most experience
Compared to their peers, a Board Certifiedlawyer upholds a higher standard of morals, ethical behavior, and trustworthiness. Their success is based on client satisfaction, not the number of clients the lawyer was able to see in a month. Board Certified lawyers obtain multimillion dollar settlements on behalf of their clients because they see cases through to the end successfully.
These lawyers are the ones who have the experience to utilize Demonstrative Aids, call in expert witnesses, preserve evidence (this is called Spoliation of Evidence) and file time sensitive motions in an appropriate timeframe. Board Certified lawyers are professional, ethical, and conduct themselves above the standard that’s expected in the office setting and when they get in front of the judge in the courtroom.
Bonus #6: Contingency in Personal Injury isn’t special, it’s normal
It’s well known that Personal Injury lawyers work on contingency. That means, the lawyer will not make a dime unless the client recovers compensation. Lawyers who advertise “no fee up front” or “free legal representation” are not being honest with accident victims. The field of Personal Injury has a widely accepted stance on contingency. Thus, due it’s acceptable ethics, there is no need to advertise it.
Closing arguments
Unfortunately “I’m going to sue you!” is a misnomer that is used too much. Its connotation is that of lawyers on television commercials advertising firms and promising large settlements. Not every case will settle for millions. Lawyers with experience will be up front about this. The best a Personal Injury lawyer can do is recover maximum compensation allowed by law. Lawyers who make false promises are a red flag to find another firm! Lawyers should never promise a client a specific amount of money. A lawyer who tries hundreds or thousands of cases to verdict successfully won’t make false promises. Their results speak for themselves.
Experience speaks for itself
At the end of the day, it’s lack of experience, false promises and dishonesty that can kill a case. Victims who end up stuck with a “paper pusher” will often receive the least amount of money. And that’s money meant to better their quality of life! These clients often do not have the resources to seek out a better accident lawyer.
Now that we’ve established our “Top 5”, that is not the case. Using this article, readers can better inform themselves of why they must place themselves in the hands of Board Certified lawyers.