Finding the right lawyer is key to winning a personal injury law case. If you’ve been injured as a result of negligence, you probably feel wronged. For justice to be served, you have to do everything by and through the law. A good lawyer will get to know you, your circumstances, and the law enough to be able to serve that purpose. How to find the right personal injury lawyer? Here are our tips.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
1. Listen To Word Of Mouth
Personal injury accidents are more common than you think. You probably know someone who knows someone who had been involved in one accident or had to sue for negligence or medical malpractice. Ask around about good trustworthy lawyers. We all have a friend who knows everyone in the city, that friend can be of great help in finding you a lawyer.
2. Do Your Research
You’ve heard about lawyers here and there, whether from friends or family or the internet. Do your homework by researching them. Read reviews online, check their websites, and know each lawyer’s methods. For example, according to the lawyers at a personal injury law firm in Norcross, if the injury is a result of a car accident, you need to make sure your lawyer will get the police report. Doing your research about lawyers and law firms will help you make a good decision. After thorough research, make a list of potential lawyers and try to compare them to one another.
In the next few points, we will talk about the criteria you should consider:
Experience
It will help to learn more about your lawyer’s experience and how long they have been practicing. The kind of experience you’re looking for in your lawyer is court experience. A good lawyer can settle without a trial, yes, but they should be confident about going to trial if they don’t settle. The defendants’ lawyer will offer a small or inadequate settlement if he knows that yours won’t go to trial anyway.
Accessibility
Your lawyer should always make time for your case. Yes, people get busy but if they prove that they don’t give it much thought, they can’t win the case. Their office or firm should be ready for any questions you have, and you should be able to reach them personally if needed.
Reputation
As we mentioned, you should research your lawyer. Every lawyer is listed in the database of the local bar association of your state. Check their bar status to be sure no actions like sanctioning or disciplinary action have been taken against them. That way, you will rule out the possibility that your lawyer has bad work ethics.
Fees
You should be knowledgeable about what you’re expected to pay. Generally, you should give your lawyer a third of your compensation plus office expenses. Sometimes a lawyer can advertise a ‘no fee if no recovery.’ rule but you still need to be sure of the fees. Plus, have the agreement of the fee written in papers to ensure everything is documented.
3. Book A Consultation
You probably now have a list of potential lawyers to choose from. The next step is to meet them in person. Book a free consultation and get ready to make the decision. You can judge the consultation based on the professionalism and the lawyer’s attitude. If they overpromise victory before you even provide adequate details, it’s a red flag. After you provide the details, they should give you a clear plan for the next steps. If they don’t and they seem to be guessing, they’re probably not experienced enough.
Feel free to ask all questions that you have and listen carefully to their answers. A question you need to ask is: what are you going to do to prove that my case is valid? They should tell you the essentials like that they will get medical records, police reports, and listen to witnesses if found. And finally, you should be sure that the person you meet is going to be the one who will handle your case personally. Not their assistant or secretary or paralegal. They should be able to spare you some of their time.
When finding the right lawyer, you need to remember to trust your guts. You will feel comfortable talking to one lawyer more than the other. They will incite confidence and trustworthiness. If you don’t trust your lawyer, you’re not likely to get along. Remember that cases can take from months to years. But besides your instincts, evidence will speak for a well-reputed lawyer. You will hear about his previous cases through reviews, words of mouth, and testimonials.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
COMMENTS