Choosing the Best Lawyer for Your Truck Accident Case

What kind of lawyer do you want on your side when the going gets tough? According to John Romano, one of the country’s top trial lawyers, a few traits set excellent attorneys apart from mediocre ones:

1. Transparency with clients
2. Recent, relevant experience
3. A positive attitude
4. A playbook keeping the team goal-focused

John is the most recent guest on After the Crash, a podcast hosted by David Craig. David and John discuss the inside scoop on finding the right lawyer for your commercial motor vehicle personal injury case.

David was extremely excited to interview John for this month’s episode of After the Crash. John is an excellent attorney, skilled litigator and trial lawyer, but also a wonderful person. If anyone knows what you should look for in an attorney, it is John.

John Romano: Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame Inductee

When he was inducted into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2016, John joined the likes of John Adams, Thurgood Marshall and Clarence Darrow. The Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, which currently has 77 inductees, honors attorneys “who have left an indelible mark on the American legal tradition through a lifetime of service to the American public, the Constitution, and the American trial bar.”

The nonprofit organization, established by the National Trial Lawyers Association, welcomes past and present attorneys each year based on certain criteria. An eligible trial lawyer:

• Has 30+ years of practice in civil and/or criminal defense trial law and is at least 60 years old.
• Represents the best of their profession and has exceeded the public and peers’ expectations.
• Is a true champion and crusader for American justice with superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, etc. as a trial lawyer.
• Has achieved a substantial number of favorable results in significant cases.
• Continues to conduct themselves in a legal and ethical manner in accordance with the highest legal and professional standards.

The Inductee Selection Committee reviews all trial lawyer nominations and chooses the top few each year.

John’s numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts, his involvement in hundreds of civil and criminal cases, and his role as president of organizations like The National Trial Lawyers and the Florida Justice Association, among others, are listed on the website as contributions he has made to the legal system.

 Get to Know the Guest: Other Accomplishments

John is a partner at Romano Law Group, based in Florida. During his 50-year career, he has lectured across the United States, written three textbooks, and published hundreds of articles. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.

David invited John to speak with him for his podcast, “After the Crash,” in the first episode of 2025. Having navigated nearly every corner of the American legal field, he knows what it takes to be successful and what clients need during times of crisis.

“I want a lawyer who loves being a lawyer,” John said. “I want it to be somebody who’s going to be devoted to my family, my case, to me, and to what happened. And that, to me, is what we all have to try to do or be as lawyers.”

A Free Legal Podcast for the Everyday Listener

More than four years ago, in the fall of 2020, David W. Craig launched After the Crash. The podcast is meant to educate and empower listeners in a digestible format. It is primarily aimed at the victims and the families of victims of semi or other large truck accidents.

It is David’s goal to empower them with the knowledge necessary to navigate this tough time in their lives. Anyone — from truck wreck survivors, legal professionals, healthcare workers, to anyone in between — can tune into After the Crash for free.

A new episode is released monthly, featuring a guest with an important perspective. In each episode, David interviews individuals involved in commercial motor vehicle cases, or experts whose skills are crucial to understanding trucking cases.

Episodes are posted on our website, YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Key Takeaways from Episode 53

To select the best lawyer — especially in a big case, like a semi-truck wreck — folks must know which traits to look for. Many attorneys claim to be trial lawyers or truck accident attorneys. But not all of these are qualified to handle complicated trucking cases.

However, by doing your own research, you can identify excellent lawyers. David and John discussed what you should expect from your attorney.

Here are four questions to ask yourself when you’re seeking an attorney for your commercial vehicle or big rig accident.

1. Does this attorney answer my questions clearly and honestly? If they dodge tough questions, you should see that as a red flag.
2. What recent, relevant experience does this attorney have? If they haven’t tried a large-truck wreck case in the past several years, they aren’t the lawyer for you.
3. Is this lawyer confident without being cocky? Your attorney should have a positive attitude, but they should not be arrogant.
4. Do they have a game plan to tackle my case and keep their team aligned? A personal injury attorney without a playbook of sorts is likely to miss things and fumble your case.

These criteria can help you filter out inexperienced, egotistical or sloppy lawyers. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.

John, an expert in his field, shared a wealth of information, including the dos and don’ts of finding an attorney after a truck wreck. Listen to the full episode now, and follow Craig, Kelley & Faultless on Facebook for more information.

Read about John and his law firm here.

Personal Injury Attorneys Near You

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared to help victims of truck wrecks caused by another driver’s negligence. Reach out to us for a free case consultation at (800) 746-0226 or online.

David W. Craig is a nationally recognized truck accident lawyer who sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. He was the recipient of the National Thurgood Marshall “Fighting for Justice” Award for his work helping victims of truck wrecks. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.