During the birth of a child, you and your family trust your doctor and other medical professionals to provide you with quality care.
Nonetheless, medical negligence is an all too common occurrence. A birth injury can result in longer recovery from birth, long-term injuries, or permanent medical issues.
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we realize how distressing it can be when you or your child suffer a birth injury. We are here to assist you and fight to recover the compensation that you deserve.
If you need an attorney in Kansas City, MO, our hardworking team at Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen is ready to aid you in filing your claim.
However, if you are not in our area or would like to explore your options, below are seven ways to find the best birth injury attorney near you.
1. Check the Lawyer’s Reviews
When looking for a high-quality attorney, one of the first things you should do is look for positive client reviews.
While no lawyer can make everyone happy, the attorney should have primarily positive client reviews. Some of the best attorney review websites include:
- Martindale-Hubbell,
- Avvo, and
- Super Lawyers.
You can search by location and practice area on these sites. For example, you may search for Kansas City birth injury lawyers and return several matches.
The reviews on these websites can guide you when you aren’t sure how to get started finding an attorney. For example, you can see our attorneys listed and well-reviewed by clients on these websites.
2. Ask Friends and Family
You can also talk to your friends and family to see if they know your area’s best birth injury attorney. Sometimes the most valuable recommendations come by word of mouth.
Your friends and family can also tell you which lawyers not to hire if they have had negative experiences with those attorneys.
Reaching out to your network is a great way to get started on a brief list of potential lawyers.
3. Speak to Other Attorneys
In addition to friends and family, you can also seek guidance from other attorneys. Most seasoned attorneys can give you recommendations for lawyers in a practice area different from their own.
Be sure, however, that the attorney they recommend practices in the area of birth injury law.
You can also check with local and state bar associations for recommendations. This can help you make a short list of attorneys you want to interview.
Otherwise, if you are in Missouri, you can contact our lawyers at Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen directly today.
4. Research Their Experience
You will also need to ask potential attorneys about their specific experience. Specifically, they ought to be familiar with birth injury claims and birth injury lawsuit settlements.
Birth injury claims can be highly complex because they overlap with the medical field. The attorney should understand how to handle claims with injuries similar to yours.
A lawyer with medical professionals on staff is particularly effective and knowledgeable when you’re dealing with a birth injury claim.
For example, at Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we have a large and dedicated staff that includes medical professionals. This way, we can understand any medical claim from all possible angles.
5. Understand the Attorney’s Fees and Costs
It is crucial to know each attorney’s fee before hiring them. This is because each attorney may use a different fee structure.
A few examples of typical fee arrangements include the following:
- Contingency fees,
- Flat fees, and
- Hourly fees.
With a contingency fee structure, a lawyer’s compensation is based on a percentage of the compensation you recover. This is the most common fee structure in a personal injury case.
The other two fee arrangements are less common with birth injury cases. Lawyers often use flat fees for less complicated cases, such as preparing wills.
Lastly, hourly fees are a typical arrangement for certain types of cases with no financial recovery, such as contract negotiation matters, divorces, or criminal matters.
The hourly rates vary depending on the lawyer’s experience.
6. Examine the Office Atmosphere
When you hire an attorney, you want to see if they have a professional office atmosphere.
For instance, if their office is neat and organized, this is a sign that they are a good choice. If files are scattered haphazardly, then the attorney is likely disorganized.
You should also see if they have friendly and polite staff members. There should be a positive atmosphere where the attorney is respectful to other members of the firm.
You want to ensure that you find an attorney who can build rapport with you in the case of a birth injury claim. If you observe them having negative interactions, this will likely cause problems later on.
7. Check for Good Communication Skills
You should also determine how your prospective lawyer communicates with others. You may ask them how long it takes them to respond to their clients. They need to keep you updated on the status of your case.
While lawyers are busy and often have to juggle various cases at a time, they should provide you with the personal attention you deserve.
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we are here to provide a client-centered and dedicated approach. Our lawyers are ready to listen to you and answer your questions.
We pride ourselves on our accessibility to our clients. Plus, we work around your schedule, offering free consultations on evenings and weekends.
If you need the best birth injury attorney in Kansas City, our team is here.
How Our Birth Injury Attorneys Can Assist You
If you or your child experienced a birth injury, you want the best, well-equipped litigators to fight for your rights.
The Kansas City birth injury law firm Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen is here for you and your child. The negligence of a medical professional can unravel your life.
While we cannot change what happened, our attorneys can fight for justice and fair compensation.
Our lawyers have more than 20 years of litigation experience to put towards our fight for you.
With full-time healthcare professionals on staff, we can provide a unique insight and approach to your claim that many firms cannot.
Our firm is well-respected throughout Missouri as well as eastern Kansas. We strive to achieve excellent results for every client and will work tirelessly for you. Call us today at 816-421-6868.