Dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis can feel incredibly daunting. You may have known for years about your asbestos exposure and its potential impact, but it can still prove incredibly difficult to deal with when the diagnosis comes. In addition to managing your medical needs, you may need to go through a mesothelioma claim that will help you pursue compensation for the damages you may have sustained and the medical bills.
Having a lawyer on your side can make it much easier to handle your mesothelioma claim. However, working with a mesothelioma lawyer can prove essential to seek that vitally-necessary compensation. How can you hire a Florida mesothelioma lawyer to work on your case?
Start Your Search for a Florida Mesothelioma Lawyer.
Searching for a Florida mesothelioma lawyer can prove complex. You have several options that can help you find a lawyer near you who specializes in handling mesothelioma cases.
Talk to Friends and Family Members
If your work in construction led to a high level of asbestos exposure, you might have friends who have already faced a mesothelioma diagnosis and gone through the claim process.
Talk to your friends and learn about the law firms they may have used to help with their claims. A personal recommendation from a friend can give you a better idea of what it might look like to work with a particular law firm or lawyer. As a result, you may more easily determine which lawyer you want to handle your case.
Use a Legal Search Website
Many websites will provide you with a list of lawyers in your local area who specialize in the specific type of claim you need to file. If you need to search for a Florida mesothelioma lawyer, you can often find one on those websites.
Try:
You can also check out the Florida Bar Association to learn more about lawyers across Florida and what they can offer when you need to file a mesothelioma claim.
Conduct a Google Search
Sometimes, simply turning to your preferred search engine can provide the information you need about lawyers near you, including how you can best find a mesothelioma lawyer to handle your claim. Make sure you search specifically for mesothelioma lawyers in Florida. You need a lawyer with experience handling mesothelioma claims who can help guide you through that specific claim process and everything that goes along with it.
Review Your Choices
Once you have a list of Florida mesothelioma lawyers, take the time to narrow down your results. During these initial stages, you should make sure of several key things.
Does the lawyer specialize in or handle mesothelioma claims?
When you need to file a mesothelioma claim, you need a lawyer who understands the process of filing a mesothelioma claim. Mesothelioma claims may look different than other injury claims, meaning you do not just need a personal injury attorney.
Instead, look for a lawyer who has handled mesothelioma claims and understands their unique nature, including the fact that you may be looking for decades-old evidence related to your claim, and who is fully prepared for those challenges.
Does the lawyer have a practice convenient to you?
Take a look at the location of the lawyer’s practice and whether you can easily get in touch with that lawyer. Knowing where a lawyer practice offers two key pieces of information. First, you want to ensure that your mesothelioma lawyer is licensed to practice in Florida if you need to file a claim.
Lawyers have to have a license within a specific geographic area, and laws and procedures may vary slightly from one state to the next. If you end up choosing a lawyer that cannot practice in Florida, it can make it more difficult for you to pursue your claim.
What do reviews about the lawyer say?
Take a look at past clients’ reviews about the law firms you want to consider to handle your mesothelioma claim. Keep in mind that anyone can post reviews about a law firm, which may make it difficult to dig out the real details of what the lawyer stands for and why you should count on the firm.
Look for:
- Consistent information, including reviews that say the same general thing.
- What the law firm chooses to focus on in the reviews it posts on its website.
- What satisfied and dissatisfied clients both have to say about the firm.
A careful look at those reviews can provide you with more insights into what it will be like to work with a law firm, which may help you decide on what firm you want to use for your mesothelioma claim.
What does the law firm prioritize?
As part of your initial review of a law firm’s website, social media pages and client reviews can provide you with considerable insights into what the law firm considers important.
Consider what matters most to you as you file your claim.
- Do you want to focus on increasing the compensation you can recover as much as possible?
- A court battle that will showcase the dangers you faced because of your asbestos exposure?
- Do you want a lawyer that will provide compassion and support as you deal with the difficult legal process or a lawyer that focuses on aggressive representation at any cost?
Look at those elements on the lawyer’s website to better understand what the lawyer considers important and consider how that might influence your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Most law firms will start with a free consultation that will give you a more in-depth look at what the law firm considers important when dealing with a client. During your free consultation, you can ask several questions that can offer insights into the law firm and whether you feel confident handing over your claim to that firm.
Your consultation allows the lawyer to determine whether the firm wants to accept your case. Generally, law firms will not accept a claim that they do not feel they have a strong chance of winning. If the lawyer does not think you have adequate evidence of asbestos exposure, or if the law firm cannot win you more compensation than you could recover, the firm may choose not to take your case.
However, that initial consultation also allows you to ask questions that can help determine whether you want to work with a particular law firm. Consider asking several critical questions that can give you a better idea of how the law firm will work, whether the firm has the resources necessary to handle your claim, or what it might look like to proceed with your injury claim.
Does the firm have the availability and bandwidth necessary to handle your claim?
When you need to file a mesothelioma claim, you want to feel confident that the law firm will have the resources to commit to handling your claim. You do not want to find out that the law firm does not have adequate time or resources to focus on handling your case, which could drag the case out unnecessarily and make it take longer to get the compensation you deserve. Talk to your lawyer about whether the firm can handle your case and the resources to commit to it.
How much does the firm feel you can win for your mesothelioma case?
You may hear different estimates from firms as you talk about your claim. Sometimes, that may happen because you provided information to one firm that you may not have provided to another. In other cases, you may discover that one firm feels much more confident about the compensation you can recover.
The lawyer you talk to during an initial consultation may not have a full estimate of the compensation you can expect for your claim but may offer a general estimate that will give you a better idea of what to expect as you move forward.
You do not necessarily want to go with a firm that gives you an estimate well outside the estimate provided by others since that could indicate that the firm does not have the experience necessary to handle your case. If you get a very different estimate, ask the lawyer to detail why he feels you can recover that additional compensation and what you may need to do to get it.
How does the firm generally communicate with clients? How often can you expect to hear from your lawyer as your case progresses?
Law firms may have different communication methods depending on how they prefer to get in touch with clients and how they generally interact with them. Some firms may have quick response times and promise to get back to you as soon as possible whenever you have a question.
They may offer online chat access or access to your case via an online portal. Other firms, on the other hand, may not offer that easy access. They may take much longer to get back to you when you have a question, or they may prefer you call in, leave a message, and wait for them to get back to you.
Furthermore, some firms may prefer different communication styles. While some firms will provide most content via email, others may prefer to call to talk to you. Make sure you know the communication style preferred by your firm and how you can make it work with your preferred style.
What fees will the law firm charge?
Before selecting a mesothelioma lawyer, ensure you have a solid understanding of what fees you can expect the lawyer to charge. In most cases, lawyers will take mesothelioma cases on a contingency fee basis. Rather than paying all legal costs up front, you will pay for the law firm’s services out of a percentage of your injury claim.
Before you decide to work with a specific firm, make sure you understand what those eventual fees will look like and how much will come out of your claim. You should also ask what the firm includes in that fee and any other fees you can expect to pay related to your case.
In addition, ask about what fees you may have to handle if you do not win your case. Some firms may charge additional fees if you do not win the compensation expected as part of the claim, which could leave you scrambling to pay legal fees.
Who at the firm will handle your case?
You may have a great rapport with the lawyer handling your consultation or feel very confident in the firm’s results due to the big-name partners. However, those individuals may not handle your case. Often, junior partners will take on common claims or those that may not receive much attention. Furthermore, you may not work with the attorney who handles your initial consultation. Talk to your law firm about how you can expect to deal with your case and how you can feel more confident about the outcome.
Select a lawyer and start your claim.
Once you select a mesothelioma lawyer that fits your needs, you can begin the claim process. Choose a mass tort lawyer who fits your needs and will help you feel comfortable and confident as you navigate your claim.
Are you ready to get started with your mesothelioma claim? Contact a personal injury lawyer for your free consultation.
