Some lawyers in San Diego who claim to be experts in mold exposure litigation or similar environmental injury fields have backgrounds that might be of concern to you. Further, some lawyers advertise regarding subject areas they don’t really have experience in, putting mold or toxic chemical exposure on their website to draw you in, just so they can refer your case to somebody else.
Do your homework: How to choose an attorney to represent you in any case, including a mold, toxic chemical exposure or environmental injury case
The selection of an attorney is the most important decision you will make in pursuing a legal claim. Just like choosing a doctor when you are confronting a medical issue, choosing the right attorney is the key to achieving the best possible outcome. Some important steps you should take in choosing the right person to represent you include the following:
1. Check the Attorney’s background with the California State Bar
Any member of the public can check with the California State Bar Association to see if an attorney has a record of disciplinary actions or other ethical problems. Simply go to the State Bar’s website and enter the attorneys name or State Bar number to determine if the Attorney has a “clean” record.
2. Is the Attorney an expert in the specific type of case that you may hire them to take?
How many similar cases have they handled? How long have they been doing the specific type of work? Have they lectured, taught or published on the specific type of litigation? Have they ever won awards for the type of work you may hire them to do?
3. Ask the Attorney if they have actually taken similar cases to trial?
Have they tried the type of case you are considering hiring them to handle? Have they won their trials or lost? Some firms in San Diego that have websites claiming they have expertise in the mold field don’t disclose that the cases they have tried were lost.
4. Will the Attorney actually work on your case and take it to trial if necessary or are they going to refer it to somebody else?
Some attorneys advertise a variety of subject matters (like toxic mold or toxic chemical exposure cases) but they have no experience in the area or intention to actually take your case and work on it. Instead, they are simply trying to profit by marketing and obtain your interest so they can refer the case to another attorney for a referral fee. That is not LaFave Law. If you hire us, Jeff will personally work on your case.
5. What type of payment terms does the attorney require?
Will the client be charged hourly or can they hire the attorney on a contingency fee basis? How will costs be handled?
6. Is the attorney actually a defense attorney and not a plaintiff’s attorney?
When using internet search engines, it can be difficult to determine whether the attorney you have found is a defense attorney or an attorney who truly represents injured victims. Several attorneys who advertise as being mold attorneys are actually defense lawyers who work for insurance companies, or defense firms that defend against mold and environmental claims. Unlike LaFave Law, they are not attorneys who specialize in representing victims and consumers. Please check carefully to make sure you are calling the right type of attorney.
7. What do professionals in the field think of the attorney?
What is the attorney’s reputation with experts in the field (like mold testing or remediation companies) or physicians who specialize in the field? Many times, these experts will have worked on cases and know who the best attorneys are and who truly has a track record of success. The bottom line is that the informed consumer will verify claims on a website to see if the attorney is really as successful as they claim.
8. Trust “your gut”
How do you feel about the attorney on a personal level after meeting her or him? Do you feel like you will have a good relationship working with the person for a year or so, until your case is resolved?