By Fadi Agour, J.D. · Updated November 11, 2026 · Facts last reviewed November 11, 2026
Key takeaways
- Screening is not a filter you add at the end. It is the cheapest way to lower your cost per signed case.
- The same eight questions, asked the same way every time, catch most dead-end cases in the first call.
- Statute of limitations and fault rules differ by state. Build your questions around the states you take cases in.
- Split the work: your lead source screens for your criteria, and your intake team confirms and signs.
Why qualification decides your cost per signed case
Every lead you pay for ends in one of three places: signed, rejected, or lost. Qualification moves leads out of "lost" and gets the rejects out fast, before they eat attorney or paralegal time.
Here is a simple example. The numbers are for illustration, not quotes from any vendor.
| Scenario | Price per lead | Leads to sign one case | Cost per signed case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loose screening | $200 | 8 | $1,600 |
| Tight screening | $250 | 4 | $1,000 |
The better-screened lead costs more and still produces the cheaper case. That is the whole argument for qualification in one line. Our cost per signed case guide shows how to run this number for every source you buy from.
The 8 screening questions
| # | Question | Why it matters | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | When did the accident or injury happen? | Every state has a filing deadline. In Texas it is generally two years from the injury. | The deadline is close or already past |
| 2 | Where did it happen? | Decides which state's law applies and whether your firm can take it | Out of your licensed states with no co-counsel plan |
| 3 | Who was at fault? | Fault rules can reduce or bar recovery. Texas bars recovery at 51% fault or more. | Caller admits causing the crash |
| 4 | What injuries, and what treatment so far? | Treatment records drive case value | No injury, or no treatment and no plan to get any |
| 5 | Is there insurance on the other side? | No coverage often means no realistic recovery | Uninsured at-fault party and no UM/UIM coverage |
| 6 | Have you talked to or signed with another lawyer? | You cannot sign someone who already has counsel | Already represented |
| 7 | Was a government vehicle, property or employee involved? | Claims against government bodies often have short notice deadlines and damage limits | Government defendant and the notice window is closing |
| 8 | Did you ask to be contacted, and is this the best number? | Confirms consent and a working contact for follow-up | Caller does not recall asking for help |
These are screening questions, not legal advice to the caller. Your attorneys decide whether to take the case.
1. Date of the incident
Ask for the date first. It is the fastest disqualifier. In Texas, most personal injury suits must be filed within two years, with limited exceptions such as minors. Other states run shorter or longer, so put your states' deadlines on the intake screen.
2 and 3. Location and fault
Location tells you whose law applies. Fault tells you whether that law lets the person recover. Texas uses modified comparative fault: recovery is reduced by the person's share of blame and barred at 51% or more. Ask an open question ("How did it happen?") before a leading one ("Was it the other driver's fault?").
4 and 5. Injuries, treatment and coverage
Ask what hurts, where they were treated, and what the doctor said next. Then ask about insurance on both sides. A soft-tissue case with no treatment and no coverage is a different case from a treated injury with a commercial policy behind it.
6. Existing representation
Ask plainly whether they have spoken with or signed with another lawyer. It saves an awkward call later.
7. Government involvement
City buses, county roads and state employees bring special rules. Flag these for an attorney right away.
8. Consent and contact
Confirm the person asked to be contacted and that the number works. This protects your follow-up and your compliance file.
Speed is part of qualification
A perfect script does nothing if nobody runs it in time. Hennessey Digital's 2025 study of law firm lead forms found a median response time of 13 minutes, with only 25% of firms responding in under five minutes. Clio's 2024 secret-shopper test found that only 40% of firms answered the phone.
Older research points the same way. A Harvard Business Review study of online leads found that companies that tried to reach a lead within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify it as those that waited even an hour longer.
Who should do the screening
The best results come from splitting the job:
- Your lead source screens for the criteria you set, such as accident type, date range, injury and treatment, and no current lawyer, before the lead reaches you. See our lead standards for how we screen.
- Your intake team confirms the answers, asks follow-up questions, and moves qualified callers to a signed agreement on the first call.
- Your attorneys make the final call on case acceptance.
Firms that want callers screened and connected live can use live call transfers. The screening happens before the call reaches you.
Five mistakes that waste qualified leads
- Asking the questions in a different order every time. Script them so every intake person gets the same answers.
- Leaving disqualified callers with nothing. Thank them and tell them to seek other counsel promptly, especially when a deadline is close.
- Not recording the rejection reason. Without it, you cannot tell your lead source what to stop sending.
- Letting qualified leads wait for an attorney. Sign on the first call when the case qualifies.
- Judging a source on one week. Give each source enough volume to measure its sign rate. Our conversion benchmarks show what good looks like.
How Best Case Leads fits
Best Case Leads sells personal injury and motor vehicle accident leads to law firms on a pay-per-lead basis, screened to the criteria you set before they are delivered.
FAQ
What does it mean to qualify a personal injury lead?
It means confirming, early, that the person has a case your firm can sign: a recent injury within the filing deadline, in a state you handle, with fault on the other side, treatment, available insurance and no current lawyer.
What questions should intake ask a personal injury lead?
Start with the date and location, then fault, injuries and treatment, insurance, existing representation, government involvement, and consent to be contacted.
How fast should a firm respond to a personal injury lead?
Within minutes. Hennessey Digital's 2025 study found a median law firm response time of 13 minutes, and only 25% of firms responded in under five minutes.
What is the statute of limitations for personal injury in Texas?
Generally two years from the date of injury, with limited exceptions. Other states differ, so check each state you take cases in.
Should the lead vendor or the law firm qualify leads?
Both. The vendor should screen for the criteria you set before delivery. Your intake team confirms the details and signs the client, and your attorneys decide whether to accept the case.
About the author
Fadi Agour, J.D., is the founder and CEO of FadiLaw Marketing LLC, the Houston-based parent company of Best Case Leads, Real Performance Marketing, Masstortsco, and Redostar. His companies have made the Inc. 5000 list seven years in a row.
Sources
- Nolo: Texas personal injury laws and statutes of limitations
- Hennessey Digital: 2025 Lead Form Response Time Study
- ABA Law Practice Magazine: Law's new first impression (March/April 2025), on the 2024 Clio phone results
- Harvard Business Review: The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (2011)
This article is general information, not legal advice. Best Case Leads is not a law firm.
Check availability in your market.
Exclusivity is limited by geography. Tell us your practice area and state, and we'll confirm what's open.