There are a number of things to consider when looking for the best personal injury attorney to handle your case. You will find that there are many options and it can be overwhelming to weed through. You may even be asked by so-called “ambulance hunters.” While the industry’s reputation may not be great, there are many good personal injury attorneys out there. Here’s how to find one.
Find an experienced lawyer
Lawyers are usually specialists or generalists. Find a lawyer who specializes in personal injury and accidents. This person will better understand the laws that apply to your case. They also have the resources of experts and medical professionals to help you build a case and get treatment for your injuries. Don’t hesitate to ask how long the attorney practices personal injury law.
Ideally, your attorney will also have experience handling cases like yours. For example, if you suffered damage from a defective product, it is important to have an attorney experienced in product liability claims. If you were injured in a motorcycle or trailer accident, you want a lawyer who has handled these types of accidents before.
Ask about their success rate
You need a lawyer who has more than just the experience of handling personal injury cases. Almost all personal injury claims are settled between the parties, sometimes before a lawsuit is ever filed, but in a few cases it goes to court. You need an attorney who has successfully negotiated settlements and litigated personal injury cases all the way to a jury verdict. Ask the attorney what their success rate is. If they can’t provide it, they probably don’t have a high.
Ask for references
Almost everyone knows someone who has had a personal injury or employee injury lawsuit, so ask friends and family for referrals to find an attorney they have good experience with. Getting referrals will give you a starter list of attorneys to interview. If someone has had a bad experience with a lawyer, that is of course also valuable information. You can immediately delete them from the list and move on to the next prospect.
Work on unforeseen circumstances
Lawyers are expensive; they charge hundreds of dollars per hour for their work. If you’ve been injured, it’s probably something you can’t afford to pay out of pocket. The good news is that reputable personal injury attorneys are working on contingencies. This means that they only get paid when you get paid. It’s common for contingencies to be anywhere from 25% to 40%, so look for an attorney who works within those ranges. They take their share of your winnings and the good ones take the legal fees into the final settlement to make sure you get the most out of your claim.
Choose someone you get along with
A personal injury lawsuit can be a long journey to regain your health and get a fair settlement. This journey will have ups and downs and you want to feel good about the conversations you have with your lawyer. Therefore, choose a personal injury lawyer that you can deal with well. This means that the lawyer will listen to you, answer your questions and explain things in a way that you understand. You have the feeling that the lawyer wants the best for you. If you feel like they’re just taking the case for the money, you may want to go to someone else.
A professional office
A personal injury case has many moving parts with many deadlines to meet in order to keep settlement negotiations going or to meet legal requirements. A professional firm suggests that a lawyer has the processes in place to do their job effectively. Choose a lawyer who has an organized office with files that are properly stored. Your attorney should also be on time to meet with you and respond to you promptly.
Interview several lawyers
Talking to multiple attorneys will help you determine who is the best match for you. Compare them based on their experience, their costs and what their office environment looks like. You will also get a good idea of the expectations about your case by meeting several lawyers. Each gives you an idea of what the challenges of your case may be and what your likely success is. Be wary of someone who seems to have an exaggerated sense of your success – they may not be able to support it.