Choosing a personal injury lawyer is a complex process that needs to be handled carefully. If you’ve never had to hire one before, you are no doubt feeling a little overwhelmed. That’s where we come in. We want you to have the criteria you need to make the best, most informed decision. Read on to find some expert tips on how to find the best personal injury lawyer.
1. Decide If You Have A Case
First things first, you may be wondering if it’s even necessary to start this process. Are you still unsure if you really have a case? Are you unclear about what category of personal injury your case falls under? A great place to start is with Rocket Lawyer’s resources, such as the personal injury frequently asked questions. You can find the easy-to-understand breakdown, as well as a number of legal guides regarding personal injury cases, plus other legal advice for beginners, on their website.
2. Ask For Recommendations
Once you’re sure that you do need a personal injury lawyer, start by asking friends, family, and acquaintances for any recommendations. You want to make sure the personal injury lawyer you hire is someone you can trust. And what better way of ensuring this than to have a personal recommendation from someone you know you can count on. Even if your friends and family haven’t needed a personal injury lawyer themselves, they may know of others in their circles who have. You can also ask individuals plenty of in-depth questions about their own experience with the recommended attorney.
If you have friends who are lawyers, or if you have worked with other attorneys in the past, be sure to ask them too, even if they aren’t personal injury lawyers. They may not be taking your case, but they could have excellent recommendations.
3. Do Your Own Research
You may end up with the perfect fit on a personal injury attorney thanks to a friend’s or family member’s recommendation. But you should still get a broader idea of what’s out there for legal professionals.
Some things to consider while doing your research are the size of a firm, how long it’s been around, and the experience of the staff. Also, make sure the attorneys all have the necessary qualifications, certifications, licenses, and registrations. Visit the American Bar Association’s website, choose your state, and search for the attorneys you’re interested in.
4. Contact Your Top Choices
Once you have a list of your top lawyers, call them and ask to schedule a consultation. Make sure the first consultation is free of charge. In most cases, it will be. If a law firm does ask a fee for even this first consultation, it could be a red flag.
In this initial meeting, remember that you are essentially interviewing the lawyer for a job. Make sure to ask all the important questions. These can include:
● What are their fees, and what general charges may be included?
● What’s their estimate for how long the case could go on?
● What’s their estimate for your possible compensation if you win the case?
● Do they think your case will be successful?
● Do they think your case could go to trial?
● How involved you will be in the case?
● Which lawyer(s) would be working on your case?
Also, it’s very important that you bring all the necessary paperwork and documentation to this consultation. This can include medical bills, police reports, any important correspondence (including emails), insurance paperwork, and so forth.
5. Be Honest About Your Expectations
Don’t hold back when discussing the possibilities regarding your potential settlement. The lawyer should be able to give you a general idea of what this could look like, even if it is a wide range. You should also discuss the ideal circumstances of the settlement. Do you only want the highest amount you could get, even if it takes ages? Are you more interested in settling things quickly and easily? If you’ve already received an offer, how much more do you think you are entitled to?
6. Observe The Attorney’s Demeanor And Interactions
Pay attention to the lawyer’s conduct during the consultation as well. If they are polite, competent, easy to speak with, and entirely focused on your case and the conversation about it, that’s a great sign. But don’t disregard if they are sloppy, distracted, rude, or seem confused by the questions you are asking. It cannot be overstated how important good communication will be to your case. Don’t brush aside any concerns about this.
7. Visit Several Law Firms
Meet and have a consult with more than one lawyer, even if you think it can’t get better than the first one you find. Exploring your options never hurts and only helps. You could just meet with one firm that looks right on paper, only to later discover that you don’t work well together.
8. Choose The Best Lawyer For Your Case
Make sure your personal injury lawyer is the best fit for your specific circumstances. This could mean a number of different things. For instance, it could mean the personal injury lawyer you choose has experience with cases similar to yours. Or it could be that you’re looking for extensive history with personal injury cases in general. If they do have a long history, you should also ask about their case record to get an idea of just how successful they really are.
Be sure to look into which side they’ve represented. If they have more experience representing insurance companies than individuals, they may not be the right choice for your case.
Another way of making sure of this is to ask the lawyer questions about your specific case during your consultation. For instance, if they think your case could go to trial, inquire further about their experience with trial cases specifically related to personal injury.
At Warren Allen, you’ll find excellent personal injury lawyers among our staff. You can count on our decades of experience, excellent customer service, commitment to our community, and top-tier legal advice. We are one of the largest Portland-Vancouver area full-service law firms and here to serve individuals and businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest. You can find more information on our website or call to schedule a consultation regarding your personal injury case today.
