How To Choose A Personal Injury Lawyer
With the help of this guide, you will be able to successfully get legal aid for your personal injuries and accidents. While having an accident can be an overwhelming process, hiring the right personal injury lawyer can make all the difference in your recovery period.
Before you set about finding one, here are a few pointers that will help you make your decision more efficiently.
What is a personal injury lawyer?
A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer you need when you have been injured physically or psychologically because of the carelessness of other parties. With a personal injury lawyer, you can file a suit, settle a claim and get compensated for your injuries. These lawyers are equipped to provide you with the best outcome.
What qualifies as a personal injury?
Personal injury is any physical or psychological harm you have experienced due to the negligence of an individual, group of people, a company or governing body. Examples of personal injury range from car accidents and badly built streets to character defamation and defective products.
So if you were entitled to a certain level of service or comfort from another party, and this was denied to you, resulting in physical or emotional suffering, you have a case to fight in court.
What should you look for?
Choosing any lawyer can be a challenging process if you do not already have contacts, so when you are looking for a personal injury lawyer, there are some things to consider before you make your final choice.
1. Research their Experience
The first thing you need to look into is how much experience your personal injury lawyer has in this field of law. Do a background check to find out how many years has the lawyer spent practicing, how many cases he or she has worked on and how many of those cases were won.
You can also get an idea of what kind of lawyer you’re about to buy into, by ascertaining whether they prefer to settle the claim in or out of court. Ask the lawyer if he or she mostly represents plaintiffs (the people who have been injured) or defendants (the parties allegedly responsible for the injury).
Some lawyers are even affiliated or familiar with specific insurance companies, so you could find out whether this lawyer has any such connections as well. If you live in Los Angeles, for instance, you can find the reputable and experienced Greenberg and Ruby Injury Attorneys, APC. They can help you with work injury claims, ensuring you receive the best legal representation possible.
2. Look for references
One of the best ways to find a personal injury lawyer is via testimonials. This not only vouches for their work but also offers an insight into their quality of service from a reliable source. You can ask your friends or relatives for some suggestions.
Chances are, they will know someone who’s been in contact with a personal injury lawyer, or they would at least point you in the right direction. Some personal injury lawyers have an online presence. So you could find them on social media, websites and even podcasts.
While some lawyers may be highly recommended, keep in mind that they may not be the best pick for you, personally. So while these recommendations can be high on your list of candidates, remember to check them out on your own before locking in on one.
3. Find Out What They’re Offering
Different lawyers have different ways of handling cases. Some lawyers join forces and build cases between firms. Others prefer to work by themselves. Big law firms are usually stacked up with cases and may assign a personal injury case to a paralegal or less experienced attorneys.
Also, with big law firms, your expenditures may rise rapidly for little work. So you could opt for a smaller firm, where you will get due diligence and more attention for what you’re paying for.
Understand what their legal fees are, and how far they extend. For example, at The Barnes Firm, you get a free legal strategy session as well as 24/7 access to their personal injury legal team.
4. Observe Your Personal Rapport
When you finally meet with your candidates, observe how they communicate. Are they approachable? Are they able to explain the legal process to you in a simple manner, so that you understand what to expect?
Find out how accessible they are at different times of the day, and whether you can speak with them directly or you need to go through an assistant. Once you have done a background check, you will be able to determine whether or not they can handle high-pressure situations.
You need a lawyer who can withstand any challenges that may come up, and can carry you towards your settlement goal, with minimal costs and maximum results. If you feel you can speak and be understood by the candidate, he or she might be the right pick.
