How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer

By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.

How do you check a personal injury lawyer’s license and discipline record?

Look the lawyer up on the state bar’s free public search before you sign anything. The State Bar of California, the State Bar of Texas and the Washington State Bar Association each list whether a lawyer is licensed and in good standing, along with public discipline. It takes about two minutes and is the single most useful check you can do.

Make sure the lawyer is licensed in the state where your case will be filed. A lawyer licensed only in California cannot file your lawsuit in a Texas court on their own, and the reverse is also true. Firms that handle cases in several states usually work with lawyers licensed in each one, so ask who that will be for your case.

You can check us the same way. Michael Shemtoub, Beverly Law’s lead attorney, is listed under California State Bar No. 253948 (State Bar profile) and is also licensed in Washington. Texas cases are handled with the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys.

What experience should a personal injury lawyer have?

Look for a lawyer who regularly handles your type of case and who has actually tried cases to a jury. Ask how many cases they have taken to verdict, how recently, and in which courts. Most cases settle, but a lawyer who is ready and able to go to trial gives you a real option when an insurer’s offer is too low.

Years in practice tell you less than what those years were spent on. A lawyer who mostly handles estate planning and takes an occasional car crash is in a different position from one who files injury lawsuits every week.

• Case type. Truck crashes, nursing home neglect, medical malpractice and premises cases each have their own rules, experts and evidence. Ask how many cases like yours the lawyer has handled.
• Trial work. Ask, “When did you last try a case to verdict?” and “Who would try my case if it does not settle?” A vague answer is an answer.
• Local courts. Knowing the local judges’ procedures and how long cases take in that courthouse helps with planning.

Our page on what a personal injury lawyer does explains each stage of a case, so you know what to ask about. If the case may go to trial, depositions are a big part of it; see what happens at a deposition.

Who will actually handle your case?

Ask who your day-to-day contact will be, which lawyer is responsible for your file, and how often you will hear from them. At many firms a case manager or paralegal handles routine calls while a lawyer makes the legal decisions. That can work well, as long as you know who is who and can reach the lawyer when it matters.

The person who signs you up is not always the person who works your case. Ask directly:

• Which attorney is responsible for my case, and will I meet or speak with them?
• Who handles my medical records, bills and updates?
• How do I reach you, and how fast do you usually respond?
• Will you refer my case to another firm? If so, which one, and how is the fee split?

If you hire a lawyer and later feel ignored, you are not stuck. See can I fire my personal injury lawyer.

What should a personal injury fee agreement say?

A contingency fee agreement must be in writing in California, Texas and Washington. It should state the fee percentage, whether the percentage changes if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial, how case costs are paid, and whether costs come out before or after the fee is calculated. Get a signed copy for your records.

Here is what each state’s rule requires:

• California. The contract must be in writing, signed by both sides, with a copy to the client. It must state the fee rate, how costs affect the fee and your recovery, what you might owe for related matters, and that the fee is not set by law and is negotiable (except in medical malpractice cases, which have statutory limits). If those terms are missing, the client can void the agreement (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147).
• Texas. The agreement must be in writing, state how the fee is determined, list the percentage for settlement, trial or appeal if they differ, and say whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee. At the end, the lawyer must give you a written statement showing the outcome and your share (Tex. Disciplinary R. Prof’l Conduct 1.04(d)).
• Washington. The agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state the percentages for settlement, trial or appeal and the expenses to be deducted (Wash. RPC 1.5(c)).

Example only: on a $90,000 settlement with $6,000 in costs, a fee calculated before costs are deducted is larger than one calculated after. Ask the lawyer to walk you through a sample breakdown using the numbers in their own agreement.

More on fees: how much a personal injury lawyer costs and what percentage accident lawyers take.

Does the lawyer speak your language?

If you are more comfortable in Spanish or another language, choose a firm where you can talk with the people handling your case in that language. You need to understand your fee agreement, your medical records requests and every settlement offer. Ask whether the attorney, the case manager, or only the receptionist speaks your language.

Misunderstandings in an injury case are expensive. A client who does not follow what the adjuster asked, or what a release says, can lose money without realizing it. Ask for the fee agreement and key documents in your language, and ask who will translate during calls with the lawyer.

At Beverly Law, Michael Shemtoub speaks English and Spanish, and we work with Spanish-speaking clients every day in California, Texas and Washington.

What questions should you ask a personal injury lawyer before hiring?

Ask about license and discipline, how many cases like yours they handle, when they last tried a case, who will work your file, how fees and costs are calculated, and how they handle medical liens. Also ask what they see as the weak points in your case. A straight answer to that one is a good sign.

1. Are you licensed in the state where my case would be filed?
2. How many cases like mine have you handled in the last few years?
3. When did you last try a case to a jury verdict?
4. Who will handle my case day to day, and who makes the decisions?
5. What is your fee, does it change if we file a lawsuit, and are costs taken out before or after the fee?
6. Who pays case costs if we lose?
7. How do you handle hospital bills, Medi-Cal, Medicare or health plan liens?
8. What are the deadlines in my case?
9. What problems do you see in my case?
10. How often will I hear from you, and how?

Timing matters too. See when to hire a personal injury lawyer for the steps that are hard to undo, such as recorded statements and signed releases.

What are the red flags when hiring a personal injury lawyer?

Walk away from anyone who guarantees a result, contacts you uninvited at the hospital or crash scene, offers you money or gifts to sign, or pressures you to sign that day. Paying people to steer injury victims to a lawyer is illegal in California and is a crime called barratry in Texas. A lawyer should also give you a written fee agreement.

• Guarantees. No honest lawyer can promise a dollar amount or a win. Early estimates should come with reasons and caveats.
• Runners and cappers. In California it is unlawful to act as a “runner or capper” for lawyers, or to solicit business for lawyers in places such as hospitals, jails, courts, public streets and private property (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6152).
• Barratry in Texas. Texas makes it an offense to solicit employment in person or by phone for an economic benefit, to pay or offer money to a prospective client to get hired, or to pay someone else to solicit clients. Lawyers, chiropractors and doctors also may not send an unrequested written communication or solicitation about a personal injury or wrongful death accident before the 31st day after it happened (Tex. Penal Code § 38.12).
• Cash or gifts to sign. An offer of money, a phone or a “signing bonus” is a warning sign in any state.
• No written agreement, or one you are not allowed to take home and read.
• No lawyer contact. If you cannot get a lawyer on the phone before you sign, you probably will not after.

If someone shows up at your bedside with a contract you did not ask for, say no and take their card. You can call a lawyer of your choosing when you are ready.

How do you find a personal injury lawyer near you?

Start with referrals from people you trust, then check each name on the state bar lookup. Read reviews for patterns, not single complaints. Call two or three firms, ask the questions above, and pick the one that gives clear answers and treats you with respect. A free consultation should never come with pressure to sign on the spot.

Ads and search results can point you to firms, but the bar lookup and a real conversation tell you more. A lawyer close to you is convenient, though many injury cases are now handled by phone, video and e-signature, so the lawyer’s experience and responsiveness count for more than the office location.

If you were hurt in Southern California, see our Los Angeles personal injury lawyer page or call (310) 552-6959, 24/7. Not sure you need a lawyer at all? Start with do I need a personal injury lawyer.

Common questions

Related pages

What happens at a deposition? · How much does a car accident lawyer cost? · What percentage do accident lawyers take? · Do I need a lawyer for a car accident? · About Beverly Law

Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 8, 2026.