How Do You Find a Good Personal Injury Attorney in Texas?

Use these links to jump to different sections:

• Look for Board-Certified Personal Injury Lawyers
• Questions to Ask When You Interview a Lawyer
• Signs The Lawyer Isn’t a Good Fit

When you’ve been injured and you’re looking for legal help, you want to know that the person in your corner is well-qualified for the job.

Experience and results are two key considerations to keep in mind, says Quentin Brogdon, a personal injury attorney at Crain Brogdon in Dallas. “A client should not want a lawyer to be learning how to handle a new type of case using the client’s case for that purpose,” he says.

Bill Dippel, a personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of William Kenneth C. Dippel in Dallas, adds that you should feel comfortable communicating with the attorney right from the start. “Is your lawyer listening to you? Are they responding directly to questions you have? Did they do a good job of describing how the process will work?” he asks. “It’s really a comfort-level issue.”

Look for Board-Certified Personal Injury Lawyers

When browsing attorneys, Brogdon and Dippel recommend finding those who are board-certified in personal injury, as well as members of—or leaders in—legal organizations.

“Board certification is a rigorous process that requires a certain amount of trials, references… continuing legal education,” Dippel says. “I think it’s something clients overlook.”

Adds Brogdon, “The types of memberships that would be important in my view include, for example, the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.” 

Questions to Ask When You Interview a Lawyer

Many attorneys provide free consultations for you to learn more. When interviewing an attorney, Bill Dippel says a potential client should feel comfortable asking questions such as: 

• Who will be handling my case on a day-by-day basis?
• If not you, will you be overseeing the case?
• How does your contingency fee process work?
• When will you know if I have a case worth pursuing?

Signs The Lawyer Isn’t a Good Fit

Sometimes, there are signals that it isn’t a good fit.

“Red flags might include promises regarding amounts to be recovered on behalf of the client, and promises about how quickly results can be obtained,” says Brogdon. “Most ethical and competent lawyers avoid making promises about values in cases and the timeline by which a recovery can be made, because these things generally cannot be known at the outset of a case.”

Though assistants may work on your case, a red flag could be if you’re dealing largely with the lawyer’s assistant, and not the lawyer. “This type of limited interaction with the lawyer can indicate that the client will have difficulties communicating directly with the lawyer to obtain answers to key questions about the case as the case progresses,” Brogdon says.

“Sometimes when I interview a client, there’s this little voice that I have: ‘Something’s not fitting here.’ I have never regretted listening to that voice and passing on a case. I have regretted ignoring the voice and taking a case,” Dippel adds. “I think the same thing would be true for clients. If you talk to a lawyer and you’re just getting a sense that it’s not a good fit, then you should be attentive to that—even if you can’t articulate why.”

The first attorney may well be a good match, especially if they came via a reference, but if not, Brogdon and Dippel suggest meeting with up to three attorneys—in person or on Zoom—to get a feel for their personality and style.

And if it doesn’t seem right? 

“Say, ‘I appreciate your time, and this has been very helpful, but I’m not sure this a good fit. … If the lawyer gets charged up, then you probably need to be elsewhere.”

For more information on personal injury cases, wrongful death cases, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, auto accidents, legal representation, and legal services, see our overview on personal injury law.