For the second year in a row, Palermo Law P.L.L.C. was voted as the best law firm in Long Island Every year the public votes for the best business in different categories in the Bethpage FCU Best of LI awards. We are very pleased that our firm has consistently won in this category. We have always been proud of our reputation as a personal injury law firm and are very grateful that it could be reflected in this award. With so many lawyers that practice personal injury, you might wonder what makes a personal injury law firm effective. Here are some things you can look for when trying to find a good personal injury law firm. Most of these traits can apply to any other practice of law as well.

EXPERIENCE

Every case even in one practice of law can vary greatly. In the case of personal injury, a car accident case is much different than a slip and fall case. A lawyer that specifically focuses on personal injury is going to be better equipped to handle your case as opposed to a general practice lawyer or a lawyer that typically practices a different area of law.

The right personal injury attorney for your case will have a long track history of handling cases similar to yours in the jurisdiction where your accident happened. Additionally, experience in the location is also very important. If you are injured in a car accident in Suffolk county, NY for example, an attorney with experience handling car accident cases in Suffolk County has the experience to handle the case properly. They also have experience with the judges, court system and jurors in that area. If the attorney has been practicing a specific area of law for a long time, that also shows that they have a lot of experience focused solely on that practice.

REPUTATION

We are so appreciative of receiving this Best of Long Island award because a lawyer’s reputation is so important to their practice. When you are dealing with the same insurance adjusters, defense attorneys and judges all the time, you would want to know that your lawyer is well respected. 

To find a lawyer with a good reputation, you may first ask family members, friends, and acquaintances if they have a recommendation for an attorney. If a family member or a friend recommends a lawyer that does focus on personal injury, this can be good insight on the lawyer’s reputation and what to expect should you use him. Compile a list. Once you have a list, do your own research. The best place to start is with Google. 

Even if you don’t have a personal recommendation, online presence is a great way to see a lawyer’s reputation. Like anything else, not all reviews online are honest or fair, reading a good array of online reviews along with the descriptions can give a really good general idea of an attorney and his/her staff. Most Suffolk County accident attorneys will have many reviews on various websites. Google, Avvo, Lawyers.com, Yelp and Facebook all list attorney reviews. It is worth the time to read them to see how the attorney that you are considering for your injury case has a good reputation.

Additionally, meeting the attorney and his staff for a free consultation is a good way to use your instincts to determine the lawyer’s reputation and how he conducts himself and the office. The staff should be kind, the office should look presentable and well organized. These kinds of clues reflect the firm’s experience in handling cases and getting successful verdicts.

RESULTS

Finally, an attorney’s prior results are very important. If your attorney doesn’t have a track record of recovering large verdicts and settlements how can you be sure they will get you the most compensation possible? Most attorneys will list their results online. Ethically a lawyer cannot  advertise false results. Therefore, if you see verdicts and settlements displayed on a lawyer’s website, you can be sure that the information is true.

A combination of all three of these things is what is going to ensure that you are hiring a trusted personal injury attorney. Although many qualified attorney’s may be able to compensate for some money, an attorney with good experience, reputation and results are more likely able to maximize the amount of compensation owed for your injury. Thank you to Bethpage Credit Union for voting us as the Best Law Firm of Long Island for two years in a row.