Qualities of a Good Personal Injury Lawyer | Johnson City

A person’s life can change in the blink of an eye when a serious accident results in a devastating injury.  A victim and their family may face lifelong ramifications, such as mounting medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and overall financial peril.

When individuals are injured or killed as the result of the negligence of others, it can be challenging for the victim or their family to know where to turn to find the best personal injury attorney for them.  At The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we have helped injury victims and families successfully recover compensation for injuries and losses for over three decades.

If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, we would like to help.  Call our office to schedule a free consultation so that you can learn about the options available for recovery and how we can help.

Johnson City personal injury attorney Mark Hurt has helped clients recover millions of dollars in compensation for injuries. 

We are frequently asked about what aspects to consider in finding the right personal injury attorney, especially when injuries are significant (or a death has occurred).  In any injury case there will only be one opportunity to recover full compensation; even if it later is determined that injuries are more severe than initially believed.

The following, therefore, are the key areas which we believe are the most relevant in a search for the best personal injury lawyer.

What Qualities Should I look for In a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Personal Injury Lawyers Should Be Responsive

The best personal injury attorneys keep open lines of communication, readily answer questions, and do everything in their power to relieve the stress being placed on clients.  It is wise to look for a lawyer who is not merely interested in financial gain; instead, the lawyer should have a genuine interest in solving the problems of injured clients, helping to put them at ease.  Often, this equates to working long hours and being by an individual’s side to help navigate through every step of the arduous claims process.

At The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we understand that suffering a devastating injury can feel almost insurmountable for many clients, which is why we do everything in our power to help ease the burden.  At our firm, we have an experienced team behind every client.  While firm founder Mark Hurt is at the center of process, we also have other team members who are experienced at working for clients in matters such as documenting claims and compiling insurance records.  This is not just a business to us – we truly care!

Results Speak Volumes

When it comes to legal representation, talk can be cheap, but results speak volumes.  Top personal injury attorneys will have successful track records, both of obtaining significant settlements and judgments gained at trial.  Our firm has an extensive record of success and has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients.

The following are just a few of our case results:[1]

• Worker injured by defective equipment $6,850,000
• Wrongful death of a teenager $5,000,000
• Injured coal miner $531,296
• Injured salesman $438,747
• Car wreck injury – broken arm $101,250
• Car wreck injury – injured finger $79,000

While we have helped countless injury victims, our focus is always on seeking full and fair compensation for each and every client.  If you were injured due to someone’s negligent conduct, call our office to schedule a free case evaluation.  We can review your claim’s facts, explain your legal options, and help you pursue all damages to which you are rightfully entitled.

Does the Lawyer Have a Record of Taking Cases to Trial?

Surprisingly, many personal injury lawyers have little or no trial experience, even if they have practiced law for many years.  Insurance companies and defense lawyers, however, know well which lawyers are highly experienced trial lawyers with long records of success, and what lawyers rarely, if ever, take cases to court.  Naturally, if an insurance company and their attorneys believe that an injury lawyer is not likely to take a case to trial, or if they believe that the injury lawyer is not a good trial lawyer, it follows that there will be less pressure on them to pay a high settlement to avoid the possibility of a trial.

Based on firm founder Mark Hurt’s over 30 years of law practice, we strongly believe that (i) insurance companies heavily consider if an attorney will take a case to trial, and (ii) the attorney’s trial abilities when considering whether to make a settlement, and how much the settlement should be.  In cases involving significant damages, insurance companies, defense lawyers, and defendants are all rightfully concerned that a trial may result in a large jury verdict, especially for pain and suffering (which is not easily quantifiable).

Johnson City attorney Mark Hurt has extensive litigation experience, including trying cases in front of juries and arguing appeals in Tennessee, Virginia, and federal courts.  He has also argued twice before the highest court in the country, the United States Supreme Court – a distinct honor, as less than 1% of all lawyers ever argue a case before this court.

With both significant trial experience and an enviable record of success, insurance companies and defendants know that we will not hesitate to take a client’s case to trial and let a jury determine fault and damages if a settlement for full and fair compensation acceptable to our clients cannot be achieved.  We demand that those responsible for injuries and death pay to our clients every penny that they owe.

Good Personal Injury Lawyers Educate Clients but Let Them Make Key Decisions

Mounting medical bills, financial uncertainty, lost income, insurance adjuster questions, health insurance paperwork, and deadlines can become overwhelming for those struggling with a tragic injury.  We believe that great personal injury attorneys can relieve some of this stress by intently listening to client needs and objectives, answering questions, and explaining the intricate details of the personal injury process.

We also believe it is crucial for individuals to have control over the outcome of their matter.  Therefore, we seek to educate our clients so they can make informed decisions about their cases that are in the best interest of themselves and their families – specifically, about whether to accept a settlement or to pursue trial.  A client should never feel like they are being pushed into accepting a settlement offer by the attorney.

The Right Personal Injury Attorney Will Be Willing to Work on Contingency

Contingency fee arrangements can motivate attorneys to perform stronger, faster, and fight harder than if they are paid by the hour.  In a contingency arrangement, a personal injury lawyer is only paid a fee if they successfully obtain compensation.  Unlike hourly billing, the attorney has skin in the game, meaning they have much to lose if they underperform.  Thus, they are motivated to work harder to ensure a favorable outcome.

At The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt, we only represent personal injury clients on contingency, meaning you will not pay a fee unless we win your case.  Further, we advance litigation expenses while a case is ongoing (such costs are normally repaid through settlement or trial proceeds).

How Tenacious is the Attorney?

Like everyone else, attorneys are individuals, varying in degrees of temperament, education, experience, and tenacity.  You will be best served by identifying the qualities that you believe will be the most important in choosing the right attorney for your case.

Firm founding attorney Mark Hurt is a Duke University Law graduate, where he earned Order of the Coif, meaning that he graduated in the top 10% of his law school class.  He is known for his tenacity and dedication in legal representation, and will not hesitate to take a case to trial and oppose defendants of all sizes (including large corporations) and their teams of attorneys.

Can I Hire Any Attorney for My Personal Injury Case?

Personal injury litigation is a complex area of the law; thus, it will likely be in your best interest to hire an injury attorney whose practice is devoted to injury law.  While a corporate attorney or immigration lawyer could represent an injury client, we believe that to do so would be much like seeking the services of a brain surgeon for a heart ailment.

Additionally, because there is only one chance to get full compensation in a litigation matter, there is no second chance to retain another lawyer if an unfavorable result occurs.  Specifically, even if a case goes to trial, a bad result can only be appealed in certain very limited circumstances (usually, if the judge made an error of law).  A client cannot appeal a case simply because they believe that a jury should have ruled in their favor.

Our Qualifications

As a personal injury attorney, firm founding attorney Mark Hurt has successfully represented hundreds of injury victims, and has gained a reputation for being a tireless litigator who fights for the maximum possible compensation.  If you were injured because of another person’s reckless or negligent conduct, we can assist in tenaciously pursuing the full and fair compensation to which you are rightfully entitled.

We invite you to call our office to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help.

[1] These and other examples on our website of past results should not in any way be interpreted as a promise or guaranty of success for your case, or how much you may receive, even if you have a similar injury.