You need a bulldog of a lawyer to go up against a big coal company. These companies have money and they aren’t afraid to run your attorney around until the they reach the breaking point. You must look for a lawyer who has plenty of experience, knowledge of the industry, a deep compassion for you and your family, and, frankly, the financial wherewithal to win your case.
Experience
First among those qualities is experience. Does the law firm have the trial, deposition, and actual lawsuit experience to handle an injury of your magnitude? Not all lawyers have the same amount of experience; in fact, many lawyers have never been to trial.
One of the things I pride myself on is the number of cases that I have tried over the years. I like it when people ask me about that experience and I’m happy to share the types of cases I’ve handled that are similar to yours.
Knowledge of the Industry
I think the second thing you want to look for is an attorney that has knowledge of the coal mining industry; the federal and state regulations and investigative process. Those are going to be integral in proving your case. You want to know that they understand coal mining and the industry in depth.
Financial Ability
You’ll also want to be sure that your lawyer have the financial wherewithal to take on big coal. Coal companies are not typically poor. They’ve got resources and they’ve got plenty of lawyers. And you need an attorney with the financial ability to stand up to them.
Compassion
Last but not least, I think one of the most important qualities your coal injury lawyer must have is compassion. When a coal miner gets hurt, it’s not just a physical injury; the family is emotionally distraught, income stops flowing in, and getting food on the table might even be a problem. You need a lawyer who knows how to talk about that and understands the fear, frustration, and anger.
I like it when people come by the office or ask me into their home so we can talk about these different qualities. We can discuss what’s required to take on big coal and they can see how passionate I am about this topic. I hope it gives them a great deal of comfort in deciding who to hire to prosecute their coal mine injury case. Feel free to call me to start that conversation at 855-344-9100.