What to do after an injury — and how to choose a lawyer

1. Right now — The first things to do
2. How to choose — Decide who to call
3. Before you call — What to have ready
4. On the first call — Ask every firm the same questions
5. Before you sign — Take your time and check the license

1. Right now — The first things to do

These steps are the same for almost everyone. None of them needs a lawyer.

• Your health comes first. If you are hurt or not sure, get medical care. Write down how you feel each day — pain, symptoms, anything that changes.
• Write down what happened while it is fresh: the date, time and place, and who was there.
• Take photos if you can: the place, the vehicles or the hazard, and your injuries.
• Keep everything in one place: medical bills, receipts, letters, and the names and phone numbers of witnesses.
• If there is a police or incident report, ask how to get a copy.

Some steps have deadlines, and they depend on your situation. We don't answer that — ask the firm on your first call.

2. How to choose — Decide who to call

Gaon Find does not recommend a firm. You choose. Here is what you can look at on this site.

• Close to you. Pick a region and look at the office address.
• Your language. Pick a language to see only the firms listed as speaking it. Confirm when you call.
• The attorneys. Each firm shows its attorneys and a State Bar label. What the labels mean is in “Before you sign”.
• The firm's own website. Open it and read it yourself.
• Add every firm you like to your Selection. There is no limit. Open Selection to see them on one screen.
• The order means nothing. The list is shuffled on every visit. A firm at the top is not better, and no firm can pay for a place.

You do the choosing. Gaon Find does not score or rank firms. We show the facts we could verify and leave the judgment to you. What differs from firm to firm — the fee, who handles your case, how they keep you updated — is best heard from the firm itself. The questions to ask are in “On the first call”.

You don't have to settle on one firm. You can call several before you decide.

3. Before you call — What to have ready

You don't need everything to make the first call. Bring what you have.

• A photo ID and your insurance information.
• The police or incident report, if there is one.
• Photos, videos, and the names of witnesses.
• Medical records and bills so far.
• Proof of missed work, if any.
• A short written account: what happened, when and where.

Ask whether the first consultation is free, and whether you can have it in your language.

4. On the first call — Ask every firm the same questions

Ask each firm the same seven questions and write the answers down. The answers come from the firm, not from us.

1. Who will handle my case day to day — a lawyer or a case manager? Will it stay at your firm, or be sent to another firm?
2. Fee: what percentage, and does it go up if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial?
3. Costs: who pays case costs if we lose, and are they taken out before or after your fee?
4. Medical bills: how are my bills and liens paid from a settlement?
5. In writing: will I get the fee agreement in writing now, and an itemized statement at the end?
6. Updates: how often, how (call, text, email), and in my language?
7. Deadlines: what deadlines apply to my case, and what should I avoid doing right now?

You can talk to more than one firm. Call the firms in your Selection one by one.

5. Before you sign — Take your time and check the license

Nothing here has to be decided on the first call.

• Take your time. You can talk to more than one firm before you sign.
• Be careful with pressure to sign on the spot, or promises of a specific amount.
• Read the fee agreement before you sign, and keep a copy.
• Check the lawyer's license yourself with the State Bar of Nevada. Search the attorney's name, not the firm's.Website: nvbar.org (For the Public → Find a Lawyer)
  Las Vegas office: 702-382-2200
  Reno office: 775-329-4100
• Our labels: “State Bar record: Active” means we found the attorney in State Bar of Nevada records with an active license at our last check. “State Bar record: Exempt Active” is shown exactly as the State Bar lists it. “Listed from public records” means we have not finished that match yet.

Licenses can change between our checks. The State Bar of Nevada is the place to confirm.