Vetting Your Mesothelioma Law Firm Before Making a Selection
Deciding which law firm should represent you in your mesothelioma lawsuit is one of the most important decisions you will make about your family’s financial future. Compensation for mesothelioma, which is caused by asbestos exposure, can run from the hundreds of thousands into the millions. An experienced asbestos law firm can have an enormous positive impact on your family’s financial future.
Where Should You Look for a Trustworthy Mesothelioma Law Firm?
It may make sense to start with Internet research when you are looking for a mesothelioma law firm. The results you get may be deceiving, however. Sites that look like impartial resources from non-profit organization may be designed to lure you to a particular law firm or, worse yet, a legal case broker. Case brokers perform lead generation campaigns in search of mesothelioma claimants. These case brokers do not represent plaintiffs in court but instead turn the handling of the lawsuit over to the firm that pays them the highest fee for the business. In short, case brokers sell cases to the highest bidder; they do not always place a case with the law firm that is the best qualified to represent you. And if a law firm knowingly and purposefully hides its identity behind a .org website designed to appear to be a charity or cancer support website, the firm is attempting to lure prospective clients in without fully disclosing their intentions. In either instance, you have to ask yourself if this is really the law firm you want to trust with your mesothelioma lawsuit.
Directories of mesothelioma lawyers like those provided by FindLaw may be a good place to start, but a law firm’s search engine or directory rankings aren’t necessarily a sign of the firm’s effectiveness in winning compensation for people suffering from mesothelioma. You should research the background of all the firms you are interested in thoroughly before making a choice.
It may seem like common sense to choose a lawyer whose office is located near you, but that may not be the best way to pick a mesothelioma lawyer. There is no legal requirement that your lawyer be located in the same city or even the same state as you. If you have the whole country to choose from, wouldn’t you prefer to have one of the nation’s top mesothelioma law firms handling your case? Most asbestos lawyers will come to you, so you won’t incur travel expenses if you work with a law firm in another city.
If a firm contacts you or cold calls you after your mesothelioma diagnosis, it may be tempting to just say yes and let that firm represent you. The same warning applies in this case that would apply with any firm you consider: carefully check the firm’s background to make sure they have a top-notch record of asbestos litigation. Chances are, if they are cold-calling to look for clients, they may not be the best choice to handle your mesothelioma lawsuit.
Identifying Good Qualities in a Mesothelioma Law Firm
In choosing a mesothelioma law firm, you want to work with people who understand what you’re going through and have both compassion and experience. You also want a bulldog in your corner: a lawyer who is dedicated to fighting corporate criminals who place profits ahead of people’s health.
When you get to the point of calling a law firm for a consultation, here are a few red flags that may signal that the lawyer on the other end of the line is not your best choice:
- Promises: If a lawyer tells you that he or she can guarantee you a certain amount of money or a certain outcome for your case, watch out. Ethical lawyers know that no outcome can be guaranteed and will talk to you about probabilities, not promises.
- Money up front: If a law firm asks you to pay a fee up front before they take your case, look for a different firm. Reputable mesothelioma firms will handle your case on a contingency fee basis, which means that you don’t owe any money unless they are able to win compensation for you. The last thing you need is legal bills piling up on top of your medical bills.
- Impatience: A lawyer who tries to rush you through your consultation and isn’t willing to take the time to answer your questions may be too busy to give your case the time and attention it deserves.
- Non-responsiveness: If a firm doesn’t return your call or respond to your email within a day or two, that’s a sign that they may be disorganized. Poor time management is anathema to good legal representation.
When it comes to asbestos litigation, size matters to a point. A lawyer who practices alone probably won’t have the resources you need. A small firm with a stellar record of winning mesothelioma cases may do a better job than a large firm with offices all over the country. The best asbestos firms of any size employ top-notch mesothelioma lawyers and experienced asbestos investigators, who help their attorneys, build the case against the corporations responsible for your asbestos exposure.
Kazan Law: Recognition of Achievement in Mesothelioma Law
In 2013, Kazan Law was named one of the top 15 plaintiff’s asbestos law firms by the US Chamber of Commerce. That same year, the firm was recognized by the National Law Journal as having one of the top 100 verdicts of the year for a $27 million verdict in a mesothelioma case.
In 2015, eight of Kazan’s lawyers were named to the Super Lawyers list, which recognizes lawyers who are outstanding in their practice areas. Many of its lawyers have been selected for years, and the two senior attorneys, Steven Kazan and David McClean, have each been chosen Super Lawyers every year since 2004.
More importantly, however, Kazan Law has a 40 year history of fighting hard to achieve fair compensation for clients with mesothelioma and other asbestos diseases. We handle many lawsuits, but you only have one, so we give each case our utmost attention.
If you want to discuss your case or you have more questions about how to choose a mesothelioma lawyer, please feel free to contact Kazan Law.