What Qualities Should I Look for in a Personal Injury Attorney?
Five qualities of top personal injury attorneys in California and elsewhere, in my opinion, as an accident lawyer with a solid reputation and over 18 years experience litigating injury and wrongful death claims are as follows:
- Honesty: Hiring legal counsel following a catastrophic injury or death of a loved one is not something that should be taken lightly. It is a relationship that should be built on trust and that trust begins with the very first interactions that a prospective client has with potential legal counsel. Lawyers who send “personal representatives” to your home or hospital unsolicited by you or who make grandiose or unsubstantiated promises about your case, are not being honest with you. This dishonesty can and will spill over into the life of the representation. Hiring an honest attorney is crucial to obtaining just and fair recovery. Having a lawyer that shoots straight and tells you the good and the bad aspects of the claim and gives you a realistic picture of the potential value of the claim and the length of time it will take to resolve is key to a just and fair resolution of your claims.
- Compassion: Without compassion, an attorney is simply in the business of making money. Compassion is the key component to being in the business of helping people take bad situations and make them better. Compassion comes from many places but, a lawyer with life experiences same or similar to yours can make all the difference. People who have seen injury and death firsthand and know the toll that it takes on people’s lives and the lives of the families who care for these injury victims or who have lost loved ones make the best personal injury attorneys, in my opinion.
- Creativity: Lawyers too often analyze situations based upon preconceived notions of what a “good case” looks like. The better lawyers see past obstacles to recovery and can think of creative ways to establish liability, find parties who should be held accountable for negligent or intentional acts of wrongdoing, and find sources of payment to compensate the victim.
- Tenacity: A quality personal injury lawyer must have a “never say die” attitude when it comes to advocating on behalf of his clients. That attorney cannot take no for an answer and must persist in the face of adversity time and time again until the case is resolved in his or her client’s favor.
- Personal Attention: If a client is just a number and one of thousands of files, full reasonable compensation will never be achieved. There are far too many “settlement mills in California and elsewhere in the U.S. Personal injury law firms that take in thousands of files, leave the “work up” of these files to non-lawyers, and simply try to “take what they can get” and move on.
Five Qualities of Top Personal Injury Attorneys in California from Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Client Reviews
★★★★★
I have known Steven for some time now and when his services were required he jumped in and took control of my cases. I had two and they were handled with the utmost professionalism and courtesy. He went the extra mile regardless of the bumps in the road. I can not see me using any other attorney and I would recommend him to any of my family and friends. Josie A.
★★★★★
Steven was vital during our most trying time. He was referred by a friend after an accident that involved a family member. While he was critical and lying in the hospital, Steven was kind, patient and knowledgeable about what we were going through. Following our loss, Steven became a tough and aggressive negotiator and made sure that we receive a huge compensation. I would refer Steven in fact, this happened 2 years ago and I still speak highly of his service. Cheryl S.
★★★★★
Mr. Sweat is a pitbull in the courtroom as well as settlement negotiations - You can't have a better equipped attorney in your corner! It is a pleasure working as colleagues together on numerous cases. He can get the job done. Jonathan K.
★★★★★
Because of Steven Sweat, my medical support was taken care of. Plus, I had more money to spare for my other bills. Steven is not only an excellent personal injury lawyer, providing the best legal advice, but also a professional lawyer who goes beyond his call of duty just to help his clients! He stood up for me and helped me get through the process. I would definitely recommend. I couldn't think of any better lawyer than him. MiraJane C.
★★★★★
I must tell anyone, if you need a great attorney, Steve sweat is the guy! I had an awful car accident and had no idea where to turn. He had so much to deal with because my accident was a 4 car pile up. Not to mention all the other cars were behind me and they were not wanting to settle in any way! He never stopped working for me and had my best interest at heart! Audra W.
★★★★★
I believe I made the best choice with Steven M Sweat, Personal Injury. I was very reluctant to go forward with my personal injury claim. I had a valid claim and I needed a professional attorney to handle it. I felt so much better when I let Steven take my case. His team did everything right and I am very satisfied. Stia P.
★★★★★
I have to say that Steve has been exemplary! I met Steve at a point with my case that I was ready to give up. He took the time and dealt with all of my concerns. Most importantly, he was present and listened to what I was going through. He was able to turn things around, put me and my case on the right track! The results were better that expected! Highly recommend!! Cody A.