Checklist for Hiring a Personal Injury or Workers Compensation Attorney

Choosing an attorney to handle your personal injury case is one of the most critically important decisions you will ever make, but one that is often made at a time of terrible distress and conflicting advice.  In the hopes that you will never need to take advantage of these tips, the team at Patch & FitzGerald has compiled the following guidelines to assist you.

REPUTATION

The reputation of the law firm or attorney is of paramount importance.  You want to have an attorney who is credible, capable and able to get opposing counsel to the table with offers that reflect the reality of your damages.  You want an attorney whose reputation is one that makes opposing counsel or the insurance companies sit up and take notice.  You want an advocate, a smart, successful warrior who will fight for your best interests.

EXPERIENCE

Your best bet for good representation is an attorney with decades of experience in the field.  Not months or a few years.  You will have a significantly better outcome being represented by an experienced, smart attorney who knows how to maneuver through the system, who knows what will and won’t work.  You want a seasoned strategist leading your fight, not someone who is learning the ropes.  And that takes years of practice.

RECOGNITION, REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Personal recommendations from friends, family or colleagues are always a good place to start.  But recognition of an attorney’s skills and achievements by professional legal organizations and peers are also an important indicator of skills and capabilities.  Look for notices of achievement by credible organizations such as Martindale Hubbel, Avvo, or the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys.  And don’t be fooled by the organizations that rate attorneys by age:  being in the “Top 50 under 40” category just means you might have potential, but don’t have experience.

CHECK FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS OR TAX LIENS

An important point of evaluation should be that the attorney you are considering has not been found guilty of professional misconduct.  An easy way to check is to go to the  Attorney Discipline System page of the NH Supreme Court (nhattyreg.org) and type in the attorney’s last name. 

We also recommend that you check that there are no outstanding tax liens on the attorney or firm.  Attorneys under financial pressure from the IRS may be more likely to take a quick settlement in your case, to generate income for their office, rather than to hold out and fight for a larger settlement that could take more time and be better for you in the long run.  Because tax liens are filed at the county level, check the county where the attorney has his office, and the neighboring counties as well, since occasionally someone may practice in one county but reside in another.  IRS tax liens that are filed at the county level are public information, available online. Simply type NHDeeds.com into your browser, select the county, and click AVA search.  Just type in the last name of the attorney (s) to make sure you are dealing with someone whose first interest is in your case, not settling their own IRS matters. 

Finally, having conducted your own research, we hope you will contact us at Patch & FitzGerald (603-647-2600) and let our experience, integrity and tenacity win for you and your family. Patch & FitzGerald:  Relentless Advocates, Winning Results.

What Should I Know Before I Let Someone Else Drive My Car?

Although lending out your vehicle seems like a harmless gesture, navigating who to lend it out to is confusing. Understanding the rules of the road and how your insurance policy applies in situations when you lend your car out is important to protect yourself and your assets. Here, we’re going to take a look at what you should know before you let someone else drive your car.

Why Is The Other Driver Borrowing Your Car?

If a friend, family member, co-worker, or acquaintance asks to borrow your vehicle, the first thing you need to ask is “why?” When someone else is driving your car it is your right to know:

• Where they are going

• Who else will be in the car

• If they are transporting any cargo

• Why they need to use your car instead of their own (if they have one)

As soon as someone else gets behind the wheel of a vehicle you own and insure, you become partially liable for any damage they cause. Therefore, if you are uncomfortable with anything that person intends to use your vehicle for – you should say no.

Do You Know Their Driving History?

Any time someone asks to borrow your car, you should consider your confidence in their driving skills before you lend it out. If your friend or a family member has a driving record that includes and of the following offenses, you might want to think twice before you hand them the keys.

Red flag driving offenses:

• Speeding tickets

• DUI

• Reckless driving

• Distracted driving

Although the driving history of the person driving your car doesn’t affect you if they get pulled over, a history of serious offenses increases the likelihood that they will not act responsibly behind the wheel of your vehicle.

Will My Insurance Cover An Accident?

Insurance is one of the most confusing factors involved in letting someone else drive your vehicle. Most people believe that whoever is driving the vehicle must also carry insurance. However, that is not the case. As long as you carry an active insurance policy on your vehicle and you gave your friend/family member permission to drive it, your coverage will apply in the case of an accident.

If the driver also carries insurance, their policy will act as additional coverage if the accident causes severe personal injury or property damage above the limits of liability in your policy. Therefore, it is a good idea to ask that anyone who drives your car to have their own insurance but it is not essential.

Trust The Lawyers At Patch & FitzGerald With Your Car Accident Claims

If you or someone you know has been in a car accident in New Hampshire, you can count on the law firm of Patch & FitzGerald.  We are laser-focused on securing the best possible outcomes for our clients, swiftly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Relentless advocates, winning results!

To schedule a free case evaluation call 603-647-2600 or contact us online today.

Press Release

And the Awards Keep Coming. Patch & FitzGerald is delighted to announce that our managing partner, John FitzGerald, has received yet another acknowledgment of his expertise and commitment to client service, by being named one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in New Hampshire by the American Institute of Legal Counsel.

In response to this latest award, Attorney FitzGerald stressed that the recognition is appreciated, but what is more important is being able to deliver winning results for his clients.  This award showcases the impact that more than thirty years of personal legal expertise and sensitive, responsive client service achieve.  Patch & FitzGerald: Relentless Advocates, Winning Results!

PRESS RELEASE

“John FitzGerald Has Been Nominated and Accepted as 2019 AIOLC’s
10 Best Workers’ Compensation Attorney in New Hampshire For Client Satisfaction”

“The American Institute Of Legal Counsel has recognized the exceptional performance of New Hampshire’s Workers’ Compensation Attorney John FitzGerald as 2019 10 Best Legal Counsel for Client Satisfaction.

The American Institute Of Legal Counsel is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of Top 10 Workers’ Compensation Attorney in each state. Attorneys who are selected to the “10 Best” list must pass AIOLC’s rigorous selection process, which is based on client and/or peer nominations, thorough research, and AIOLC’s independent evaluation. AIOLC’s annual list was created to be used as a resource for clients during the attorney selection process.

One of the most significant aspects of the selection process involves attorneys’ relationships and reputation among his or her clients. As clients should be an attorney’s top priority, AIOLC places the utmost emphasis on selecting lawyers who have achieved significant success in the field of Legal Counsel without sacrificing the service and support they provide. Selection criteria, therefore, focus on attorneys who demonstrate the highest standards of Client Satisfaction. “

We congratulate John FitzGerald on this achievement and we are honored to have him as a 2019 AIOLC Member. “