When picking a personal injury lawyer, do not simply give the case to the attorney with the most powerful advertisement on the radio, television, newspaper or Yellow Pages. These attorneys may not be the best to fight your specific claim the way you wish. Instead, you should carefully examine several personal injury attorneys before hiring one to represent you. Do you know people who have had similar claims to yours? Then try to ask for a referral of their personal injury attorney. Here are the most essential things you should look at when hiring personal injury lawyers:
1. Do the attorneys you are going to hire have experience representing the type of claim that you have? Personal injury lawyers tend to focus on specific types of claims and are very good at representing cases within that scope of practice, but may not be particularly suited to handle other types of claims. For example, a personal injury lawyer who has handled a large number of car accident cases, may not be best suited to handle your medical malpractice claim. Different laws govern different types of torts and you want to choose an attorney who is not only familiar with the laws that will help you receive compensation for your damages, but an attorney who is an expert at handling your type of case.
2. How successful has the attorney been at recovering financial damages for their clients? You want to hire a personal injury lawyer with a proven track record for helping their clients receive the financial compensation they are entitled to. Some important things you will want to consider when determining the attorney’s success rate are how many cases the lawyer has brought to trial (and the winning rate of those trials) and how many cases the attorney has settled out of court. Even if you are planning on settling out of court, you want an attorney with good courtroom knowledge in the event that a trial is the only way to receive financial compensation for your damages.
3. Does the attorney belong to any professional organizations like their state’s Trial Lawyers Association and/or the American Association for Justice? Belonging to professional organizations like their state’s Trial Lawyers Association and/or the American Association for Justice may be indicative of a commitment to promoting fair and effective justice.
4. What type of fee does the personal injury attorney charge for your type of claim? Many personal injury lawyers will work on a contingent fee basis. That is, they do not receive any payment for their services unless they recover money for you in settlement or court proceedings. The money an attorney receives when working on contingency is a percentage of the amount he or she recovers for you. It is a good idea to ask what percentage of your recovery the attorney will take and receive the terms of your fee arrangement in writing.
In the end, ask how many years of experience the personal injury legal firm has, where their attorneys went to law school and if they have any additional practice or experience in your kind of claim. The more information you receive about your potential personal injury law firm, the more likely you will be able to hire someone who can help you get the compensation you are entitled to receive.
You want to hire a personal injury legal firm with a high recovery rate with cases like yours, so you need to consider the attorney’s personality and legal philosophy as well. During your case, you will be investing a lot of time with your attorney and placing a lot of faith in their character and competence. Therefore, it is substantial that you feel good with your attorney’s attitude and philosophy.
It is important that you compare all of the information you have received about potential attorneys so you can select the one who not only has the most experience handling your type of claim, but the one who will work with you to help you receive fair compensation for your injury. Not all attorneys will be able to help you recover the maximum amount of money you deserve for your damages; therefore, it is important to take the time to research several attorneys and select the one with the highest qualifications.
If you have a personal injury or a wrongful death case, contact the Personal Injury Attorneys at Shaked Law Firm immediately to schedule an appointment for a free initial consultation. Click here to submit the case evaluation form. There are time limits that require that you act promptly to protect your legal rights!