I just took a key deposition in an 18 wheeler crash case in which my team rushed out to obtain damning evidence against the trucking company and I wanted to stress just how important it is for an innocent victim to hire the best attorney.
How do you know who to hire? Here are a few tips.
STEP 1: Meet with several lawyers. See if you like them. Ask them these questions:
— Do you specialize in collision cases? Yes, I’ve been board certified in PI for almost 20 years.
— How long have you been practicing law? For over 33 years, all in Fort Worth, where I’ve lived.
— Where and when did you graduate from law school and college? SMU Law in 1979 and the University of Texas at Austin in 1976 (with high honors).
— What other 18 wheeler cases have you handled? Various ones including a $5.5 million award and other verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million in the last few years.
— What seminars and classes in truck collisions have you attended and taught? I’m an active member of the Interstate Trucking Litigation Group of the American Association for Justice, will be attending its annual education seminar in San Francisco in two weeks, and have taught similar groups.
— Have you held any leadership positions in trial lawyers groups? I’ve been on the board of directors for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association for many years.
— Will you provide references from past clients? Please read the Testimonials and other sections on my web site. There are several hundred reviews there. I’m delighted that I have a 100% client satisfaction rate.
— Are you from from the South? Of course. I was born and raised in Nashville, which I loved, but left to go to a small, elite college on the east coast for a few years. I hated it so I transferred to UT/Plan II Honors College.
STEP 2: See if the attorney will map out his strategy for quickly obtaining the evidence he needs. The key to winning these cases is to conduct a scorched earth investigation. No stone can be left unturned.
The attorney should tell you how and when he is going to take these actions:
1. obtain the entire police investigation file and meet with the investigating officers,
2. listen to the 911 tapes and locate and inteview all witnesses,
3. review all emergency responders’ and tow truck driver records and interview them,
4. study all helicopter or airplane photographs, video, and media coverage,
5. hire an accident reconstructionist,
6. inspect and photograph the vehicles and roadway,
7. download electronic control modules, GPS data, collision warning systems, company communications, and video cameras,
8. obtain the driver’s personnel file, including physicals and drug and alcohol testing,
9. obtain vehicle inspection and maintenance records, vehicle weight records, shipment, load and cargo records, and bills of lading, and 10. mail a spoilation letter to the trucking company to preserve all evidence.
We here at Berenson Law have specialized in tractor trailer and motor vehicle collision cases since the firm was established in 1982. We know just how catastrophic these cases can be. Let us help you pursue swift justice and obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries.