Dallas lawyers come in all stripes, both good and bad. Although most lawyers would like to think of law practitioners as a special breed, one has to be realistic. There are many trials, tests and gauntlets a person must conquer before becoming a Dallas lawyer. However, those trials don’t always guarantee that you will be satisfied if you hire that person or their law firm.

This is especially true in light of the news from last fall about a Dallas law firm – and indirectly, some Dallas lawyers – that defrauded insurance companies and insurance customers for seven years.

A Criminal Personal Injury Law Firm

This criminal law firm was sentenced in federal court for faking Dallas car accidents and making insurance claims on those fake accidents. According to the official press release at the Department of Justice website, the ringleaders were two legal assistants whose job it was to procure more car wreck victims as clients. Their Dallas lawyer employers also tasked them with finding chiropractors to work with and with filing claims against insurers.

Unfortunately these legal assistants decided that their jobs could yield a lot more than just a standard salary. Without telling their Dallas lawyer bosses, they got into the theatre business, finding people who would file bogus personal injury claims about accidents that never happened. The chiropractors they recruited paid the assistants kickbacks, and of course the claimants, chiropractors, and indirectly, the Dallas lawyers themselves all walked away from each fake car wreck with extra money from treatments that didn’t happen and personal injury lawsuits over imaginary wrecks.

The price? Some Dallas lawyers owe thousands of dollars in restitution. Their Dallas law firm is in shambles. Twenty-two defendants are have been charged with insurance fraud. Thousands of dollars of costs have been incurred by the Department of Justice and FBI, U.S. Postal Service, and IRS investigators who have valiantly brought this case to trial. Car insurance premiums for Dallas car owners may have been affected. And the two men hired by the Dallas lawyers – the assistants – are facing federal charges, with the main ringleader  on the hook for a maximum of 40 years, $500,000, and restitution. For more information, visit the DOJ website.

You Are the Dallas Lawyers You Hire

The fact is that, if you are seeking a certified trial lawyer, that lawyer represents you. When a judge or jury considers your case, they also consider the quality, expertise and skills of the Dallas lawyer you hire. Choosing a lawyer is not like choosing a dentist – a Dallas lawyer is your public proxy.

Obviously, you want to select a Dallas lawyer whose judgment you trust – an attorney with a track record of service that proves his or her discretion and reliability.

When you examine your Dallas lawyer choices, consider hiring a law firm. Law firm partners can been named 2008 Texas Super Lawyers. Lawyers are committed in print to ethical conduct, and both are board certified in personal injury trial law. If you have any questions about these award-winning, experienced lawyers, please do not hesitate to contact a law firm.