The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Houston Boating Brain Injury Attorney

Head injuries. They are something you need to watch out for and a risk that you must be aware of if you are entering hazardous activities. 

That said, there are enough traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) to make this a serious issue. There are around 425,000 traumatic brain injuries per year in the United States. 

If you suffer a brain injury that ends up being traumatic, you could be eligible for compensation. If you are in the Houston area, a Houston boating brain injury attorney may be just what you need. 

What should you know about a brain injury from a boating injury? What are the biggest keys for a brain injury attorney to win your case? 

This is your guide to hiring a lawyer for this type of case. 

Judging Experience

The first thing that you need to figure out about your potential attorney is what their experience is when it comes to handling cases like yours. How many cases have they had related to traumatic brain injuries? 

This is the information you need to find out because if you have a lawyer that has handled more cases like yours than the average lawyer, they are more likely to know the angles it takes to win this case. But, you need to ensure that it is in your case category rather than something more generic like wrongful death cases. 

Having experience with these cases should also give them more knowledge on these types of cases and what qualifies as compensation. Best of all, it should reassure you that your lawyer knows what it takes to win a case like yours with the right experience under their belt. 

What the Lawyer Charges

Like everything else in life, there will likely be lawyers that are just out of your budget. Luckily for you, lawyers in these cases may be willing to accept a contingency fee versus a flat fee. 

A contingency fee is when you give a lawyer a percentage of what you might win in a settlement, whereas a flat fee is how much a lawyer charges hourly. 

Regarding contingency fees, the average lawyer charges between 33-40% of the settlement. With that in mind, do not be afraid to do some shopping and see what percentage some lawyers may want to take on your case. 

Also, be aware that if your case is more complex or if it takes longer than expected, a lawyer may ask you to pay them a retainer or a set amount of money for the work that the lawyer has done up to that point. 

How Long the Case Takes 

Another critical question you should ask a lawyer is how long the case will take. This is key to establishing good communication with a lawyer as early as possible and gives a lawyer the chance to explain the process to a rookie client. 

It can also be an early opportunity to establish trust between both sides. If you ask multiple lawyers the same question, one sketchy lawyer may tell you that they can get the case settled in a fraction of the time of the others. 

While they may have the skills to do this, the chances of this difference being genuine are highly unlikely. 

Ask this question to find a lawyer that can give you a fair idea of which lawyer is good at communicating with you. 

References and Reviews

Asking a lawyer about their references and reviews can establish credibility in your perception of them. They may have testimonials from past clients, and you can read about the stories from said clients. 

If the lawyer has a business social media page or a location on Google, you can read comments and reviews of what other people may think about this lawyer’s services. If it is close to a 5-star review average with a lot of positive stories, you should have more reassurance that this lawyer is the right one for you. 

Plus, it could be possible that you found this lawyer because of a friend or family member. Getting a reference from someone you love and trust could make all the difference in deciding whether to hire them. 

The Success of the Lawyer

This section goes along with the experience section. However, it focuses not just on the number of cases like yours that they have had before but also on how many of those cases they won. 

It can be easy to be impressed by a lawyer in the business for ten years and triple the cases of someone that has been in the industry for three years. 

However, it is possible that the first lawyer was lucky to win half of their cases while the second lawyer won over 90% of their cases. 

Dig deeper into this question and determine how often the lawyer gets the best result for their client.  

How Many People in the Law Firm 

How many people a lawyer has in their firm may be something that a new client lets slip past them. However, it is something you need to consider if you get the impression that your case will be complicated. 

For example, let’s say your case gains momentum and turns into a class action lawsuit. You and other victims of the defendant bring this knowledge to your lawyer, and while you may not realize it, that lawyer and their firm may start to feel overwhelmed. 

You need to pay attention to how big of a law firm your potential attorney has. If you go to one bigger than the others and ask them about the role of their team, it should give you an idea if you need a more prominent law firm to handle your case. 

Amount of Cases a Law Firm Has 

Another thing that you need to take into account is how many cases your lawyer has on their plate at once. This can apply to one lawyer taking on your case or a small team. 

Let’s face it, everyone wants to receive special attention, and most people would like the comfort of knowing that their lawyer focuses on their case. That can get difficult if a lawyer ends up with more cases than they can handle, so try to get an idea of how many they are currently working on. 

Knowing Locals in the Industry 

This is something that most clients may not think of, but it is one that they should ask their lawyer. It gives them an insight into how much experience a lawyer has in practicing in their local area and how much a lawyer knows the people they will likely work against. 

Knowing the local officials means lawyers can be on a first-name basis with prosecutors, judges, other lawyers, and even police officers. This means that they have a better idea of what their opponent would do in a situation in a courtroom and have a much better idea of how to counter it. 

Proving Guilt 

An obvious question for a lawyer should be how they will prove that your opponent is guilty after listening to your story. Make a lawyer walk you through the process and make them gain your confidence that you have a solid case to work with here. 

It can also give you a better idea of your chances of a court victory. For example, if a lawyer is brutally honest and tells you that the proof in your case may be challenging to present, it can get you to start thinking early about whether this is a battle worth fighting. 

Trust in Your Lawyer

Finally, this may be an essential aspect of your lawyer. Some people may find it hard to trust any lawyer fully; however, you should at least be comfortable knowing that they are the right person to represent you and give you the best chance of winning your case. 

While it is difficult to get a complete impression of a lawyer in a short meeting, use the consultation time to get an idea of their personality and ask yourself if it is someone you can work well with. 

Hire a Houston Boating Brain Injury Attorney

These are just some questions you should ask before hiring a Houston boating brain injury attorney. If you remember these and other clever questions about brain injuries from boating before choosing a lawyer, your chances of success should dramatically increase. 

Are you ready to get started? Get in touch with us today to start going over your case.