Blogging for Lawyers October 6, 2009

To blog or not to blog? When considering whether to add blog features to a legal marketing Web site, attorneys should realize that blog entries can ideally serve a variety of purposes. They can inform the reader as to the basics of the law. They can increase traffic to the firm’s Web site by targeting relevant searches on topical matters. They can also serve as valuable conversion points, generating actual client calls.

Ideally, a legal marketing blog will take the form of entries that are informative, search-engine optimized and conversion-oriented. Topics covered should reflect the firm’s experience and the interests or concerns of the firm’s clients.

The following is an example of the type of blog entry that serves double-duty: Inform the reader and market the firm. [Note: Attorney John Smith and the firm Smith, Smith & Jones are fictional.]

Example Blog: “What To Do After a Dog Bite”

Steps You Can Take Immediately to Protect Your Rights

By John Smith, personal injury attorney at Smith, Smith & Jones law firm

In handling hundreds of dog bite cases throughout the Phoenix area and beyond, we have learned that there are some relatively simple actions that the victims can take at the scene that can make an enormous difference in the outcome of any personal injury claim or lawsuit that may follow.

As we mentioned in an earlier post (see Arizona Dog Bite Law: Who Is Responsible?), our state has a ‘strict liability’ standard in dog bite cases. That means that there are just two very specific defenses that a dog owner or responsible party can claim. You would think that Arizona’s strict dog bite laws would make it easy for victims to prove liability and obtain compensation for their injuries. Unfortunately that is not always the case.

Your lawyer’s ability to aggressively pursue the insurance settlement or trial award you, your child, your elderly parent or another dog bite or animal attack victim may deserve can depend on the actions you take immediately following the incident.

Here are five things you can do that can make a real difference in a dog bite personal injury case:

1. Seek medical attention. Even if the injury seems relatively minor, there may be a risk of infection, scarring or even nerve damage. A medical report will also be absolutely vital to any insurance claim or civil lawsuit for damages.
2. Call the authorities. It is extremely important to report a dog bite or other attack to the police and to the local animal control office. Not only will these reports be crucial evidence in your case, but you may have an opportunity to prevent the dog or other animal from hurting another individual.
3. Take photos and/or video. Make sure to thoroughly document the scene, any wounds, the clothes the victim was wearing and any other important evidence (such as an unlocked gate or broken fence). Be sure your photographs or videos are in color. If taking video, describe what you are documenting and why it is important. If possible, take a picture of the dog’s license tag, or at least write down the information.
4. Talk to witnesses. Write your own account of what happened and ask anyone else who witnessed the attack to put their recollections in writing. If you have pictures or video of the dog, ask them to note in writing that it is the dog involved in the attack.
5. Identify the owner or responsible party. Ask for the person’s name, address and telephone number. Ask to see a driver’s license (people don’t always tell the truth in these situations). Ask about insurance coverage and find out which company holds the policy.

Remember, don’t sign any documents the insurance company gives you without talking to an attorney first. If you need help to pursue an insurance claim or civil lawsuit for damages after a dog bite or animal attack, we encourage you to contact the Scottsdale offices of Smith, Smith & Jones for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.

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As you can see, the approach here is conversational. It assumes the reader is a typical consumer. Depending upon the firm’s target audience, blog posts can be more or less academic. Other ideas for blog posts include cases summaries and opinion pieces regarding actual or proposed changes in the law.

Regardless of the form a blog entry takes, the content should reflect the tone and support the structure of the firm’s Web site.