After experiencing an injury or property loss, the decision to hire a lawyer and the choice of the right lawyers can be an added burden. Whether it involves the death or serious injury of a family member, or an injury to oneself, for most the process of seeking legal representation is daunting. So many law firms claim expertise in personal injury law that the choices seem endless, and there seem to be no reliable criteria.
Consider these things when selecting legal counsel for a personal injury claim. Does the lawyer and law firm have peer recognition? Check websites such as avvo.com, Martindale Hubbell and SuperLawyers. Is your lawyer considered highly competent by other lawyers? Check the Washington State Bar Association website for disciplinary issues (wsba.org). Has the lawyer been sanctioned for misconduct? And speak candidly with your choices. Ask about prior experience in the matter at hand. You can learn much by simply listening.
Smyth & Mason has successfully represented a wide range of clients who have suffered devastating losses due to the misconduct of others. We evaluate claims carefully to furnish our clients with realistic expectations regarding risks, costs and potential recovery. There is no substitute for candid assessments, and our clients deserve no less.
We do not operate a personal injury “mill”, like you see on late-night TV. If a case does not merit the time and expense we will have to invest in order to achieve a recovery, we will say so. We weigh several factors including the severity of the loss, the law governing liability (assignment of fault), monetary damages recoverable, and the ability of the wrongdoer to pay. This is not a rote process. We are innovative. Many times we have charted new courses to navigate an injured client to a successful result. Understanding the subtleties of the law better than our opponents has been a key ingredient for us in difficult cases.
Here are some examples of the types of personal injury cases we handle at Smyth & Mason:
- Construction wrongful death
- Catastrophic burns
- Vehicular wrongful death
- Medical malpractice
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- House fires
- Landowner premises liability
- Product liability
At Smyth & Mason, our personal injury clients develop a close relationship with their lawyer. Their cases are not handled by paralegals. We stay accessible to answer questions and to address concerns, which are often profoundly emotional where a devastating injury or loss has occurred. Personal injury lawsuits take time to resolve, and being close to our clients helps them stay the course.