If you’ve been diagnosed with mesothelioma, you must of course find properly trained and educated medical professionals to help you deal with this disease. But the second most important thing you must do is consult with a mesothelioma attorney about your legal rights.

Figuring out whether a mesothelioma attorney is the right one for you can be challenging. Below are a few pointers that will help you make this important decision with greater confidence.

• Investigate the law firm for its experience and legal abilities to get you the results you deserve.

• Make sure their lawyers provide responsive service. Speak with their attorneys; take note of how you are treated and how promptly your calls are returned.

• Evaluate their credentials and background.

• Review their website.

• If you're still unsure, ask to contact past clients for references.

Your mesothelioma attorney should have at least several years of experience and a record of successfully concluding mesothelioma lawsuits against large corporations. Look for an attorney who also has considerable trial work; many attorneys have limited or no experience in this area. He or she should also have experience in negotiation since most cases settle out of court. But when your attorney has significant success with trials, you will have greater leverage during the negotiation process.

You can review the attorney's rating the legal profession’s chief resource at www.martindale-hubbell.com. Attorneys are rated by their peers, and those who are at the highest levels of professional and ethical standards have an AV rating.

Ask your mesothelioma attorney if she or he will work closely with you. You want your case carefully reviewed individually rather than as one of a group. Your attorney should be willing to have frequent close interaction with you in order to truly grasp the details of your unique situation.

Make sure the law firm accepts only a limited number of cases each year so that you will be sure of having individual attention. Ask references if the law firm was totally committed to getting the best possible compensation.

Be sure to choose a firm that works on a contingency fee basis. The law firm should incur all the financial risk. You pay no fees unless and until you receive compensation. Then attorney’s fees are a portion of the recovery.