What the Better Business Bureau’s highest marks actually measure, and how to use them when you’re choosing a lawyer.
The Law Offices of Colby Lewis is now an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau, and we hold the BBB’s highest rating: A+. We’re proud of it. But a badge on a website only means something if you know what stands behind it. So let’s be straight about what these marks are, what they aren’t, and why they’re worth your attention before you ever pick up the phone.
What BBB accreditation actually means
Accreditation is not a sticker you buy. To become accredited, a business has to meet, and keep meeting, the BBB’s eight Standards for Trust:
- Build trust — maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.
- Advertise honestly — no misleading claims.
- Tell the truth and be transparent about how the business operates.
- Honor promises and agreements.
- Be responsive — address complaints quickly and in good faith.
- Safeguard privacy and protect sensitive information.
- Embody integrity in every dealing.
Before approving us, the BBB verified our licensing, looked at our time in business, and reviewed our complaint history. Accreditation isn’t permanent either. We have to keep meeting that standard or we lose it. Source: BBB Standards for Trust.
What an A+ rating means
The BBB scores businesses on a 100-point scale and assigns a letter grade from A+ down to F. An A+ requires a score of 97 or higher. The single most heavily weighted factor in that score is complaint history: how many complaints a business receives and, more importantly, how quickly and completely it resolves them.
Here’s the part most people miss. Online star ratings and customer reviews are not part of the letter grade. The A+ isn’t a popularity contest. It’s a measure of conduct — whether a business does what it says and makes things right when a problem comes up. Source: BBB Overview of Ratings.
Why this matters more when you’re hiring an injury lawyer
When you’re hurt, you’re handing a stranger one of the most important financial events of your life, often at the worst possible time, while you can’t work and the bills don’t stop. And here’s the hard truth: from the outside, most law firm websites look the same. Same promises, same stock photos, same big numbers. You can’t easily judge a lawyer’s competence or character from a homepage.
That’s exactly why an independent measure matters. The BBB has no stake in our cases. When a neutral third party that has reviewed our record gives us its top marks, it’s telling you something specific: this firm answers the phone, keeps its word, and resolves problems instead of ignoring them. That’s not everything you need to know about a lawyer. But it’s the floor, and a lot of firms can’t clear it.
Put plainly: I don’t want you to hire us because of a logo. I want you to hire us because you checked, and what you found held up. The accreditation is just a shortcut to a question you should be asking about every lawyer you talk to — does this firm actually do what it says?
What an A+ rating does not mean
Let’s be honest about the limits. A BBB rating measures how we run our business and treat people. It is not a prediction about the outcome of your case, and it isn’t a guarantee. No ethical lawyer can promise you a result, and we won’t. Every case turns on its own facts, the evidence, and the law. Any firm that guarantees you a number before reviewing your case is telling you something about itself, and it isn’t good.
How to vet any lawyer before you sign
Use our accreditation as a model, not just a credential. Whether you’re considering us or anyone else, do this:
- Pull the BBB profile yourself. Read the complaint history and how the firm responded — not just the letter grade. You can see ours here.
- Confirm the lawyer is licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of Texas. It takes two minutes at texasbar.com.
- Ask who will actually handle your case and how often you’ll hear from them. Responsiveness is the most common complaint clients have about lawyers, and the easiest thing to test before you hire.
- Be skeptical of guarantees. Trustworthy firms talk about process and risk, not promises.
Talk to a firm that’s accountable for how it treats people
If you’ve been injured in Texas, the consultation is free and there’s no fee unless we win. Come check our record first — we’d rather you trust us because you looked. Call The Law Offices of Colby Lewis or reach us through our website to get started.
This article is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. BBB, Accredited Business, and the A+ rating are designations of the Better Business Bureau; ratings are subject to change. Responsible attorney: Colby Lewis, Houston, Texas.
