How do I hire the best Kansas City personal injury attorney for my accident case?

Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Kansas City

If you were seriously injured in an accident, it is very important to seek the advice and counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney.  An experienced personal injury attorney will provide will be critical in protecting your legal rights, and help you through the legal process for pursuing your claim. If your accident occurred in Kansas or Missouri, you are likely looking to hire the best Kansas City personal injury attorney for your case. 

Hiring any attorney can be overwhelming and confusing.  Your decision should not be made on the basis of advertising alone.  Television, the internet and Yellow Pages are filled with attorney advertisements that all basically say the same thing. You should not hire an attorney solely based upon their television, Google or Yellow Page ad. Anyone can create a slick advertisement, and many have.  

How to Find the Best Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Case

Personal injury cases should not be handled by someone who does not regularly practice in that area. Too often, our personal injury law firm receives calls on cases that were previously handled by attorneys who do not regularly practice in the area of personal injury or accident law. Unfortunately, we cannot accept many of these cases because of the manner in which the cases were handled by the prior, less experienced lawyer.  

In addition, insurance companies keep track of and know which attorneys actually go to court and try cases and who just settles. The insurance companies use this information to evaluate their risk and develop strategies.  

There are specific questions you should ask any attorney before you hire them for your injury case.  These questions will help you identify the attorney with the experience and skills along with the best client service. 

5 Tips for Finding the Right Personal Injury Attorney

Here are our top 5 tips for finding the right injury attorney for your case:

1. Get a referral from an attorney that you know. He or she may know someone who does focuses in the area of law that you need. If you need any attorney in an area that we do not handle, call us.  Even if we do not practice in that area, we can help you find the right attorney for your case.
2. Before you visit with an attorney, see if they have information like this book available or a web site that details their qualifications, experience, results and verdicts, what past clients have to say, and their method of handling a case.
3. The Internet or Yellow Pages can be a good source of names. However, you need to be aware of three things.  First, not everyone advertises.  Most of our cases come from referrals from other attorneys and from satisfied clients. Second, be careful about ads from an attorney who claims many different specialties (for example family law, criminal law, personal injury, trusts and estates), no one can do everything well. Third, advertising typically attracts a lot of cases, including the small cases of questionable quality.  Make sure that the attorney you hire is selective with his or her cases and is able to give your case the attention it deserves. 
4. Be careful about any attorney who rushes you to sign a contingent fee agreement. Make sure you read and understand this document. Also, beware of an attorney who immediately wants to send you to one of his or her doctors.  Avoid any attorney who calls you first or any firm associated with a “runner,” a person who “runs” to a hospital, accident scene or even your house to encourage you to sign with a firm.  
5. Ask your attorney if he or she is licensed in the state where your case will be filed and whether he or she has ever been disciplined by a state bar.  

Other Factors to Consider When Hiring an Attorney

Here are some additional factors to consider:

Experience:  Ask the attorney how long he or she has been practicing and if they concentrate their practice on personal injury cases in the state where you were injured.  Does the attorney have a track record of successfully resolving a case like yours whether by settlement or jury verdict?  

Reputation in the legal community:  Is the attorney known and respected in the legal community?  Has he or she been recognized or received any awards from Superlawyers, area business journals, or the state bar association?  Has he or she ever been disciplined by a state bar?

Continuing education:  Does the attorney speak at continuing legal education seminars to other lawyers?

Publications:  Has your attorney written anything that has been published and was it on a subject relevant to your case?  This is another sign of respect that the legal community has for his or her skills and experience.

Client satisfaction:  Ask the attorney to show you what past clients have to say about their experience.

Attorney rating: Does the attorney have a rating of "superb" on the attorney rating site www.Avvo.com? This rating involves a combination of education, experience, what other attorneys and clients have said about the attorney, and various other factors.

Membership in trial lawyer associations:  Is he or she a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, or American Association for Justice? These organizations offer a variety of education and networking opportunities for trial lawyers.

Communication and personal attention:  Ask the attorney who will be handling your case, how he or she will keep you informed about your case and whether the firm has sufficient time to take your case.  There are many aspects of a case that do not require the experienced attorney’s attention. However, if you are hiring an attorney for his or her trial skills, you want to make sure that attorney will be handling the important aspects of your case. 

Call our Kansas City Personal Injury Attorney

Still have questions about how to hire the best Kansas City attorney for your personal injury case?  Download a free copy of my book, Crash Course: An Insider's Guide to Accident & Injury Law in Missouri & Kansas.  This book is packed with helpful information and tips to maximize the value of your injury claim. 

You can also contact our Kansas City personal injury attorney by calling (816) 203-0143 and scheduling a free, no obligation consultation. We would be happy to answer your questions and provide guidance for your particular case and what to do next.