Choosing a WV Legal Malpractice Attorney:

You originally hired the lawyer you believed could get the job done, and now deadlines have been missed, filings not made, or fraud committed, and now your case has, at the very least, been compromised.

Where do you go from here?  It is challenging to locate a specialized attorney in part due to the fact that the WV State Bar does not issue a certification to classes of lawyers with specialized expertise which sets them apart from general practitioners.  So, experienced personal injury or legal malpractice attorneys cannot advertise that they are specialists in any particular area of law.

Just because an attorney has been practicing law for decades, that does not mean that they are qualified or experienced in practicing every type of law proficiently.

Here are some guidelines to help you in your search for the best lawyer to take your case forward:

Do the Background Research:

• Look for National Board Certification credentials
• Look for AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
• Look for 10.0 Rating from Avvo and check reviews
• Look for Super Lawyer Rating
• Look at Client Testimonials and Case Results
• Look for an Attorney who has Legal Malpractice Insurance, a PLLC 

Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLC) carry mandatory liability coverage for the protection of their clients.  Even excellent attorneys can make a mistake, and if they do, their clients should be protected.  The West Virginia State Bar mandates that all professional limited liability companies have at least one million dollars in liability protection for legal malpractice.

Unfortunately, many lawyers do not carry legal malpractice insurance.  This means that if a lawyer makes legal mistakes on your case and causes your claim to be diminished or dismissed, there will be no insurance settlement available from insurance.  Your only recourse then would be to sue that lawyer personally, who may not have any resources or assets with which to pay your claim.

You Can Afford the Best Lawyer For Your Case

Most good attorneys will offer a contingency fee contract which means that you would not have to pay any money in advance for fees and costs.  The fees and costs would be paid at the conclusion of the matter after that attorney obtains a fair recovery for you.  Contingency fee agreements must be written according to ethics rules, which provide both you and your lawyer with a record of the agreement.  

You were harmed by the situation which brought you to an attorney, and then burned again by legal errors.  You may still have legal remedies, and a qualified, competent professional malpractice attorney can achieve more for you than you could do for yourself and is well worth the cost.