If you’re considering suing someone (or a company) because you’ve suffered an injury, or worse, if someone you love has died due to negligence or wrongdoing, you need a good lawyer and law firm. You deserve a hard-working, tough, smart and experienced personal injury lawyer who’s going to fight tooth and nail for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations to hear a brief explanation of what happened to you or your loved one and what your goals are with your claim. It’s important to feel you can trust your lawyer right away, and it’s important to establish some level of rapport with the lawyer you choose to represent you in a personal injury claim.
Experience and Success Rate
First, you must realize that you may have to meet with more than one personal injury lawyer to find the right one for you. Because initial consultations are free, it won’t cost you anything but time to find the ideal lawyer for your claim. If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, it’s important to find a lawyer with a great deal of experience in these types of cases.
Vehicle accident claims require a team of experts to help re-create your accident and determine who was at fault if it’s not already crystal clear. Medical malpractice cases are also especially difficult because of the complex legal language required in these claims. Just because a personal injury attorney lists 20 or so types of claims he takes does not mean he’s good at fighting all those different types of cases.
It’s perfectly acceptable to ask personal injury attorneys how many cases they have fought and won. If they are reluctant or outright refuse to discuss their success rate, then meet with another lawyer. Experience is one of the most important qualities to look for when finding a personal injury lawyer.
Tenacity
Read reviews and look into your lawyer’s reputation. What have previous clients said about the lawyer your meeting with and is he known for being a shark when it comes to negotiating and litigation. While over 90% of personal injury claims never make it to court, it’s a good idea to find a lawyer’s whose reputation for being tenacious is known.
Cost
Your consultation will most likely be free, but if you hire a lawyer, you will pay attorneys’ fees and other costs associated with your case. With most personal injury attorneys, the total cost for representing you is contingent on how much you settle for with the defendant and/or how much you are awarded by a judge or jury. Most personal injury attorneys make 33.3% of your total award after covering the out of pocket costs of litigation. That means if you were to receive a truck accident settlement of $240,000 with $10,000 in expenses, your lawyer would make approximately $80,000; you would get the rest.
Ask Questions
If the lawyer seems annoyed by your questions at the consultation, he may not have the patience needed to fight your case. If you feel like his answers are unclear and confusing, he may not have the communication skills to be your voice. There will be red flags when it’s not a good fit; do not ignore those flags. Keep searching for the right personal injury attorney for your case and don’t settle for second best.
