When you’re searching for a personal injury lawyer to represent your case, it’s essential that you find the right fit. With so many lawyers available, how do you know which one is the best? Here are 6 things to look for when selecting a personal injury lawyer.
Experience
One of the most important aspects of choosing a personal injury lawyer is experience in similar cases. Make sure your lawyer has sufficient experience handling cases like yours and can provide references or prior court results as proof of their success. Many professional organizations have resources that provide information on lawyers and their qualifications, including their years of practice and areas of expertise.
Reputation
You should also consider each prospective attorney’s reputation among colleagues and clients alike. If a lawyer has had past successes with cases similar to yours, this demonstrates that they have a deep understanding of the law and what type of strategies work when representing clients in court. Additionally, if other lawyers respect them, it’s likely that they are well-respected within legal circles and can be trusted with your case.
Specialization
While some attorneys are general practitioners who may be able to handle any type of case, you will often get better results by choosing an attorney who specializes in personal injury law specifically rather than one who dabbles in several different areas of law at once. This will ensure your attorney knows the nuances related to this area of law and can use their specialized knowledge to better build your case.
Availability & Accessibility
If you need assistance outside normal business hours or communication is slow between meetings, this could indicate a lack of availability or accessibility from your attorney on an ongoing basis throughout your case – something you should certainly avoid! Your personal injury lawyer should be accessible as needed either by phone or email so that any questions or concerns can be addressed quickly without delay or interruption during proceedings.
Fees & Payment Terms
Before hiring any attorney, make sure you understand what kind of fees and payment terms they offer – including whether they require any payment upfront or will wait until settlement proceeds come through before collecting payment from you personally (known as a “contingency fee”). Ask specifically if there are any additional costs such as filing fees which must be accounted for during the process as well so there won’t be any surprises down the line regarding money owed due to additional paperwork expenses incurred along the way!
Objectivity
Finally, it’s essential that your chosen attorney remain objective throughout proceedings – meaning they don’t get caught up in emotions such as anger or revenge but instead remain focused on providing sound legal counsel while pursuing just compensation for their client(s). This is especially true when working with insurance companies since settling out of court often requires careful negotiation skills which come from remaining objective instead of allowing emotions to take over during discussions about settlements or damages awarded by courts!
Author Info: Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake. You can find her on Twitter.
