Hiring a board-certified attorney doesn't require an insurer to raise an offer. There is no automatic settlement increase attached to the credential. The evidence and the available coverage still matter, as do disputes about who caused the injury and what losses can be proved.
What certification can tell an insurer
An adjuster can look up the attorney in the Texas Board of Legal Specialization directory. A Personal Injury Trial Law certification confirms that the lawyer met the program's requirements, including its trial-experience requirements. The listing does not report how insurers responded to that lawyer or how much more they paid.
Take a disagreement over an old back injury. If the insurer attributes the current symptoms to that earlier condition, counsel needs to examine the medical record and the basis for the claim. The useful response concerns the injured person's health and what happened in the accident. The attorney's qualifications do not resolve that medical question.
The work behind a demand
Ask your lawyer to explain the insurer's objections. Is the disagreement about how the accident happened, the treatment received or the amount requested? Find out what the attorney proposes to obtain next and how it would address the objection. That discussion helps you understand why negotiations have reached their current point.
If several policies may apply, ask counsel to explain which insurers have been contacted and what each is disputing. Coverage questions need their own analysis. The attorney's certification cannot change the terms of a policy.
A consultation checklist
| Question | What to discuss |
|---|---|
| The offer | What reason did the insurer give for its position? |
| Medical evidence | What records address the injury and the insurer’s objection? |
| Coverage | Which policies may apply and what does each insurer dispute? |
| Next steps | What proof remains to be obtained and what happens if negotiations fail? |
Common questions
Can anyone promise a higher offer because a lawyer is certified?
The designation does not justify that promise. A settlement depends on the particular claim and the parties' decisions.
Is verified trial experience relevant?
It is information about the lawyer's background that the opposing side can consider. Ask what the attorney plans to do with that experience in your case, rather than assuming the insurer will react in a predictable way.
What should I ask during a consultation?
Ask what proof is available now, what still needs to be obtained and how the lawyer would respond if negotiations fail. Those answers explain the proposed work more clearly than a prediction about how much respect an insurer will show.
Explore the TBLS Personal Injury Knowledge Hub and requirements for Personal Injury Trial Law board certification.
Check the current TBLS standards
For current standards and attorney certification searches, visit the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
ABOUT THE ATTORNEY
Aaron A. Herbert
Founding Attorney
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law
Aaron founded The Law Firm of Aaron A. Herbert in 2010 to focus on developing each client's case and seeking its maximum value. For over a decade, he has represented people seriously injured in major accidents and industrial catastrophes, pursuing trial verdicts and settlements while working to reduce the stress of litigation.
Education
- Texas A&M University · B.S., Criminal Justice, 1999
- University of Oklahoma College of Law · J.D., 2002; graduated in the top of his class
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers
Trial experience & approach
Aaron earned numerous jury verdicts at boutique personal injury litigation firms. According to his biography, he spent a year as the top-earning litigation attorney at a firm that frequently appeared in verdict searches as having one of the highest numbers of trial wins in Texas. At another Dallas personal injury firm, he moved from managing pre-litigation attorney to managing litigation attorney over seven years as the firm grew into one of Dallas's largest personal injury firms.
His biography describes a reputation as one of America's most aggressive trial lawyers, with noteworthy recoveries from judges and juries and substantial pretrial settlements. Most of those settlements included confidentiality agreements requested by the defense. Aaron has said the recoveries were justified by the injuries and losses involved, which no amount of money could make someone choose to experience.
His approach combines passion, preparation, persistence and courtroom imagination. He believes a well-supported, engaged and motivated team working cooperatively helps deliver strong representation, with the goal of achieving the best possible result for every client.
Dallas roots, military service & publication
Born and raised in Dallas, Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school and later received an Honorable Discharge. He completed his university and law degrees after his military service and became a lifelong Sooners football fan in law school.
Publication: “Litigating Dog Bite Cases,” Texas Dog Law Seminar, Dallas, 2009.
Professional affiliations & recognition
Professional affiliations and recognition listed in Aaron’s biography:
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association for Justice)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Tarrant County Bar Association
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers