How to Choose the Best Workers’ Comp / Disability Lawyer for YOU

Thursday, May 20, 2010

When you are injured, it is even more difficult to keep your perspective about important decisions. One of the most important decisions you will need to make is whether to retain an attorney to represent you, and, if you so choose, which attorney to hire. Consider several factors when choosing a workers’ compensation or Social Security disability attorney: geography, competence/expertise in the field, reputation of the attorney and the firm, experience, track record of favorable decisions and awards, and attorney/staff accessibility.

GEOGRAPHY
What is meant here is the proximity of the attorney’s office to your place of residence or where you spend most of your daytime hours. Keep in mind that it won’t be necessary for you to go to the attorney’s office very often; in fact, with email, telephone, fax, and regular mail, many clients find that they don’t need to visit the attorney’s office more than once or twice. It may have been more important in the past to choose a lawyer closer to home, but now you have greater flexibility to shop in a larger geographical area.

COMPETENCE AND EXPERTISE
At Farrell, Fraulob & Brown, our attorneys are recognized state- and nationwide for being some of the most competent and knowledgeable practitioners in the fields of workers’ compensation and Social Security disability law. Three of our attorneys hold special certification from the State Bar of California in worker’s compensation.

REPUTATION
What do other attorneys think of your lawyer? Getting a sense of your lawyer’s reputation may be the hardest part of choosing someone to represent you, because it requires that you know who to talk to. In most cases, people are in such dire straits that they don’t have time to research the best lawyer. Instead, they consult the yellow pages or conduct an Internet search. These searches yield little information about an attorney’s reputation among fellow lawyers - the people who have seen their peers in action and can speak to their skills, knowledge, competence, and ethics.

You are invited to see our firm’s Facebook page, where you will find links to many of the accolades our attorneys have received. Copy and paste this link into your browser to view the page:

http://www.facebook. … ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=18

EXPERIENCE
The four attorneys at FF&B have over 100 years of combined experience. Donald Fraulob has been practicing for over 40 years and is our managing partner. He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1973. Melissa Brown was admitted to the Bar in 1983 and has extensive experience in workers’ compensation, Medicare / Medicaid / MediCal, Social Security, and Elder Law. She co-authored a complete reference guide on advising elderly and disabled clients. David Belden was admitted to practice in California in 1978 and has represented injured workers in their workers’ compensation cases for over 25 years. Christine Craft was admitted to the California Bar in 1995 and represents clients in their Social Security disability claims.

TRACK RECORD
You hire an attorney for one reason and one reason only: to get results you wouldn’t get if you were unrepresented. It doesn’t matter how well liked your attorney is if you don’t get the benefits to which you are entitled or a resolution you desire. And it doesn’t matter how many certificates, diplomas, or awards your lawyer has if he or she can’t deliver for you.

Ask your potential lawyer’s office about how many cases they have resolved to the clients’ favor during the past year. Treat the initial consultation (which many attorneys offer at no cost to you) with the attorney as a job interview; after all, you are considering a hiring decision. At Farrell, Fraulob & Brown, our attorneys win the hard cases. We take pride in going the extra mile, finding the “hidden” or lesser-known benefits, and not backing down from a fight to secure what is rightfully yours. As a result, over 90% of our Social Security disability cases end in a favorable decision to the client, meaning they collect the benefits they so greatly need. In workers’ compensation cases, our attorneys turn down settlements other attorneys would jump at, because they know how much more the case is worth. Put your future in competent, caring hands.

ACCESSIBILITY
Being injured or disabled is scary. Insurance companies, employers, and doctors can be intimidating. You need someone who understands your concerns and can provide useful information to reassure you. Your lawyer should take the time to listen to you when you make reasonable requests. At FF&B, our attorneys and their staff are courteous, friendly, and patient. We try to assist you in any way we can, but we also ask that you do the same. Together we can succeed!

Finding the right attorney can be challenging if you are looking for excellent representation. Take into account the items mentioned above to find the lawyer who is best for you.

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