I am proud to have been certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for the last 20 years. One of the requirements is to attend multiple continuing legal education seminars. I enjoyed attending an excellent one at the Hall of Fame at the Texas Rangers ballpark on Friday afternoon.
The lectures were co-sponsored by the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association. I have served on its and the Texas Trial Lawyers Board of Directors for many years and we put on events like this so injury lawyers can stay abreast of the latest cases, laws, and procedures that will help our clients win their cases.
Why Hire a Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer?
Why not? The attorney’s fee is the same as for a non certified one. You are getting the services of the ,pst able, experienced, and knowledgeable lawyer. Board certified attorneys limit their practice to that one field and do not also defend criminals, get people divorced, and probate wills. And many board certified attorneys subspecialize. I only handle automobile, truck, and other vehicle wrecks, for example. Others subspecialize in dangerous products, medical malpractice, or premises defects. All certified lawyers are, by definition, the best.
Why does Board Certification matter?
It’s the best way for a prospective client to know in advance that he is choosing the best attorney to help him or her. How else would someone know who to pick? Television advertising? Random word of mouth? If I were having a surgery performed, I would want my doctor to be board certified. If I were buying a pre-owned vehicle, I would want it to be certified by the dealership.
How many attorneys in Texas are Board Certified in Personal Injury Law?
Not many. There are only approximately 38 attorneys out of the approximately 2,500 lawyers in Fort Worth who actively practice plaintiff’s injury law and who have been designated as being Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. The others work for insurance companies defending cases and three are judges. In Texas only about 1,600 of the 90,000 lawyers are Board Certified in Personal Injury law, or only 1% of Texas attorneys who can claim this hard-to-get certification.
Why isn’t every injury lawyer Board Certified?
There are so many hurdles to jump. The State Bar of Texas describes the road to Texas Bar Board certification as “rigorous.” An applicant must pass a grueling day long exam in Austin, serve as the lead attorney in many injury cases, be favorably rated by his opponents and judges, attend many hours of legal education classes, and satisfy other demanding requirements. Then he must get recertified every five years.
Whoever you decide to hire to help you obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries, you would be wise to hire an attorney who has been board certified in personal injury trial law.