It’s not a good idea to get matching tattoos on a first date or Drink/Drive and get a DUI or PI and calling a non-local, 1-800, TV/Billboard advertising lawyer. Some advertise with slogans and jingles…my lawyer got me…just call X, call for the value of your case, they will fight for you etc. Many aren’t local renting a small office or getting a desk to use to interview clients.
You wouldn’t call an advertising brain surgeon, would you? Why would it be different if you needed a lawyer. Beware if an ambulance chasing lawyer contacts you directly or by a “Capper”. They wait in hospital waiting rooms and claim to be a lawyer’s investigator/representative.
Legally a client should approach a lawyer. Any lawyer contacting you isn’t the right lawyer and The State Bar takes the license of lawyers that do that.
During my career, I’ve received the highest and most respected national ratings awarded to a select few. They reflect the highest “confidential peer opinions” of Judges and Attorneys familiar with a lawyer’s reputation for ability and Ethics.
I was contacted by the two most seriously injured victims from the Palm Springs Parade police motor cycle accident last month. The other 8 or so victim all signed up with an out of town firm with no local visible presence. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Everyone wants the best lawyer but how do you find a good/best lawyer? Do you call one spending $100,000/mo advertising, or a Top Lawyer with the highest confidential 5 Star peer reviews? What about the lawyer who settles a case for $1,000,000? Is s/he good…or was the case worth $1,500,000.
Many advertising lawyers use catchy phrases to call their office, have the same numbers, or promise to tell you your case value on day one. Common sense suggests there is no way of knowing, liability, all your injuries, current and future loss of earnings, or when you will heal.
Did the headaches from your loss of consciousness go away? Was there a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that no one diagnosed and for which you were not aware? Most don’t realize you don’t have to hit your head to have a TBI. Does your lawyer know how to look for a possible brain injury because the client is often not aware of a TBI that would increase your case by a large amount.
Determining which lawyer is good can be confusing. When I first started practicing, advertising was illegal and I built a 30 person firm in Beverly Hills before moving to the desert 30 years ago. A lawyer either had “good or bad stuff” and clients could tell the difference by the attorney’s awards and verdicts.
Today fancy ads are used by firms no longer in business. For instance Larry H. Parker passed away some time ago and Jacoby and Meyers apparently retired and sold the name.
Some lawyers who advertise are competent. However, when a law firm gets hundreds or thousands of cases you are just a number, and the head of the firm will not be handling your case. You will talk to a case manager/assistant or your case may “sold” to another firm. Is that what you want?
After 50 years of practice, and being Pre Med at USC, I learned details matter. A good lawyer talks to family members/friends to discover a possible brain injury, sharing with your doctor. Good medical treatment by an orth/neuro and not a chiro may be warranted. Your lawyer assists in describing injuries to the doctor and when necessary assisting the Doc with the med/legal report.
For years, I was a faculty member of the International College of Orthopedic Surgeons teaching “How to write a med/legal report.” For instance, it sounds better for a client to have a 50% chance they won’t recover, rather a 50% chance they will. Saying it hurts when I try to… rather than I can’t do.
You will realize the difference in representation if you had a prior accident without a Top Tier Attorney
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Dale Gribow’s distinguished 5 Star legal/philanthropic career, warranted | 30 Top Lawyer awards (PI/DUI)| 9 Man of the Year recognitions | 4 Dale Gribow Days |awarded “Mr. Charity”. Dale limits cases and personally answers calls.
