Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Will your lawyer meet you face-to-face?

We believe the first step is meeting personally with your lawyer. Unfortunately, with some law firms, you may only talk to “case managers.” Under Florida law, a person can call themselves a “case manager” without any training or license.  While secretaries are important, do you want a secretary handling your questions or a lawyer?  At Howell & Thornhill, P.A., the lawyers work to meet our clients face to face. We think that when you go to a doctor, you want to meet with the doctor, not just the nurse.  When you hire a lawyer, we think you should meet with the lawyer, not just a secretary.  The most important part of working for our clients is making sure we answer their questions. Our personal injury lawyers see ourselves as employees of our clients.  We meet our clients at our office, their home, the hospital, or on Zoom.

After answering questions, our next job is to fight for your reimbursement. Calls from medical bill collection agencies are aggravating. Trying to scrape by without wages is hard. Dealing with constant pain can rip a family apart. We believe our job is to fight the insurance companies to reimburse all of these losses. If you have questions, then please call Howell & Thornhill, P.A., for a free phone call. Usually, you will speak directly with a lawyer on your first call.

When you call the lawyer, do you talk to a lawyer or a “call center?”

Some law firms have a “call center” to take calls from potential clients about personal injury claims.  In our opinion, this is the first indication that you may not be meeting with a lawyer face to face.  A lawyer should take your call.  They are licensed to give you legal advice.  Call Howell & Thornhill, P.A., to talk to a lawyer.

Does the lawyer only handle personal injury and wrongful death claims?

Florida does not require lawyers to stick to just one type of law.  Some lawyers handle criminal charges, divorces, wills, and personal injury.  The expression Jack of all trades, master of none comes to mind.  Research the lawyer on whether they try to handle more than personal injury.  Would you go to a doctor that does dental work and heart surgery?  Doctors don’t try to handle every part of the body.  Should a lawyer handle every type of legal case?

Is the lawyer local?

Howell & Thornhill, P.A., urges you to think about whether your lawyer is part of your community.  If they are based in Tampa or Orlando, and you live in Lakeland or Winter Haven, are you really going to see them face to face?  Local matters if you want to easily meet with their lawyer.  A local lawyer should also know your doctor, the body shop reputation, and best therapist.  Will a lawyer in Orlando or Tampa know them?  Perhaps most importantly, does your lawyer regularly practice in the local courthouse?  Do they have a past history of cases with the Judge in your case?  Howell & Thornhill, P.A., thinks local matters.  Do you?

Is the lawyer board certified?

At Howell & Thornhill, we are proud to announce that we have a team of Trial Lawyers who are Certified as Experts in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar.

Certification is the highest level of evaluation by The Florida Bar of competency and experience within an area of law, and professionalism and ethics in practice. Less than 2% of all Florida Lawyers are Certified in Civil Trial Law.  Board certification requires a high number of trials, evaluation by other lawyers for skill and ethics, and achievement on a specialized test.  A board certified lawyer is constantly evaluated for skill, professionalism, and good ethical behavior.  Call Howell & Thornhill, P.A., to talk to our board certified lawyers in civil trial law by the Florida Bar, Robert “Tri” Thornhill or Sherri Scarborough.