Why Most Medical Malpractice Victims Never Recover a Dime - Part 12

How Do You Find Out Who Is Good In Your Area?

Here Are Some Tips

• 1. First, while your lawyer should be licensed in Newfoundland and Labrador, do not limit your search geographically. There are a small handful of lawyers in Newfoundland and Labrador who specialize in malpractice cases. Find the best lawyer in Newfoundland and Labrador for your case and don't concern yourself with geography. Our firm handles cases throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Our size and small case load allows us to deliver terrific service whether you are in St. John's, Corner Brook, or Goose Bay.
• 2. Look on www.BestLawyers.com or www.Lexpert.ca. These sites contain the names of lawyers who are peer-reviewed - ranked highly by other lawyers - in various specialties.
• 3. Get a referral from a lawyer that you know. He or she may know someone who does specialize in your area of need. If you don't know anyone at all, do a Google search under terms like "Newfoundland Injury Lawyer" or "Newfoundland Accident Lawyer". Or "Newfoundland and Labrador Malpractice Lawyer" etc., if you prefer.
• 4. The Yellow Pages can actually be a good source of names. Understand three things, however: First, not everyone advertises in the Yellow Pages. Most of our cases come from referrals from other lawyers or from satisfied clients. Second, be careful about the ads that tout too many different specialties, no one can do everything well. Third, be careful about the double page ads. This advertising typically attracts a lot of cases, including the small cases that we do not accept. Make sure that the lawyer you hire is selective enough with his or her cases that your important case does not become just one more file in the pile, buried under the "weight" of Yellow Page ads. Fourth, ask yourself how much useful information do the ads actually contain. If they just say "Free consultation" and "No fee until you collect", they are not telling you anything new. Go for the law firm that gives you useful information and respects your intelligence.
• 5. The Law Society has a lawyer referral service. Understand that lawyers have signed up and paid a fee to be listed in certain specialties. Their names come up on a rotating basis. This is another good source for an initial appointment. Just take the questions we talk about here to that interview.
• 6. Ask each lawyer if they have information just like this book and/or a website so that you can find out more about qualifications, experience, and method of handling a case before you walk in the door.
• 7. Be careful about any lawyer who rushes you to sign a contingent fee agreement. A contingent fee is not the right fee for every type of personal injury case. You have the right to take the agreement home, read it and understand it.
• 8. Beware of any lawyer who contacts you in writing just after you have had an accident for the sole purpose of soliciting your claim. If you are contacted "cold" it should be for the sole purpose of providing free information to you that you can study in your own home on your own time.
• 9. Beware of a lawyer who has a stable of doctors he wants to refer you to. A pattern of referrals from the same lawyer to the same doctors is perceived negatively by insurance companies and judges, and can actually be the "kiss of death" to your claim.
• 10. Interview several lawyers. Ask each lawyer who else he would recommend for your case. If they won't give you any names, leave. Ask this question of each lawyer. The names you see showing up on different people's lists are probably good bets.
• 11.  Forget fancy slogans and hype.  Slogans like "we are aggressive," "we care for you", "we fight for you", are absolutely meaningless.  After all, aren't these the things that you would expect from your lawyer?