how to choose a good personal njury lawyer

4 Steps to Choosing the Best Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Case

1. Find an Attorney You Can Trust. You must have total confidence in your attorney. ...
2. Compare the Lawyers on Your List. Every personal injury case is unique, and every attorney-client relationship is different. ...
3. Evaluate Your First Impression of Each Attorney. Choosing an injury attorney now becomes more personal. ...
4. Ask Each Lawyer These 7 Key Questions. ...

Full Answer

How do I choose a personal injury lawyer?

Talk with friends or coworkers who have been represented by a lawyer in their own personal injury claims. If the friend or coworker says good things to you about a lawyer, put the lawyer on your list of people to consult. But do not make a decision about a lawyer solely on the basis of someone else's recommendation.

How do I choose the right lawyer?

The first step in the process of choosing the right lawyer, then, is the research phase. Ideally, you want to start with the names of several lawyers, and, as with the purchase of most other services, personal referrals are often the best place to start.

What should you look for when hiring a lawyer?

You want to make sure that the lawyer you hire has experience in the area of law in which you require assistance. There are many practice areas in the legal field, and most lawyers tend to handle cases in specific practice areas. Potential costs.

How does a personal injury lawyer work?

Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. (See " Managing Lawyer Costs & Expenses in a Personal Injury Case ".) This arrangement means that the lawyer's fee is a percentage of what you ultimately receive in compensation. And if the amount you are likely to receive is small, most lawyers won't take on the claim.

Tips for Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

Do you think a personal injury lawyer is the right person to handle your case and help you get the compensation you deserve?

1. Consider Their Specialization

The first step toward hiring a good personal injury lawyer is to find someone who specializes in helping clients whose situations are similar to yours.

2. Look at Their Trial History

In most cases, it’s a good idea to hire a lawyer who has a history of taking cases to trial when necessary. Ideally, you won’t need to go to trial and will be able to settle your case out of court.

3. Look at Their Verdict and Settlement History

This is especially important if you’re dealing with a large case and serious injuries.

4. Consider Their Professional Affiliations

Look for a lawyer who is affiliated with professional organizations. This includes state and national trial lawyer groups.

5. Find Someone with Lots of References

When you’re looking to hire a personal injury lawyer (or any kind of professional, really), they should have plenty of references ready to go.

6. Conduct an Interview

It’s always best to meet with a lawyer before you decide whether or not you’re going to hire them.

What to do before hiring a lawyer?

Before hiring any lawyer, contact the lawyer disciplinary agency in your state to confirm that they are in good standing as a member of the bar. For an online listing of each state's lawyer disciplinary agency, review this directory of lawyer disciplinary agencies.

What do lawyers know about other lawyers?

Lawyers know the skill and reputation of other lawyers. Attorneys may be able to provide information about a fellow lawyer that you may not find in a book or online, such as information about a lawyer’s ethics, competence level, demeanor, practice habits, and reputation.

How to find out if a lawyer is right for you?

To find out whether a lawyer is right for you, sit down with the lawyer to discuss your claim and possible ways of handling it. Bring copies of all your documents: police report, medical records and bills, income loss information, and all correspondence with the insurance company. Most lawyers do not charge anything for an initial consultation. But before you meet with a lawyer, find out whether he or she will charge you for the first interview. If the lawyer wants to charge you just for discussing whether or not to take your case, go somewhere else.

How to negotiate a personal injury settlement?

After you have discussed the facts of your case and the history of your settlement negotiations with the insurance company, you may be able to get some sense from the lawyer about how much your personal injury case is worth, and how difficult it may be to get the insurance company to pay that amount. This is when you should let the lawyer know which of the following you want him or her to do for you: 1 obtain a certain settlement amount for you with as few costs and as little hassle as possible 2 obtain an amount higher than what the insurance company has offered as soon as possible, or 3 obtain as much as possible, no matter how long it takes.

What is a lawyer referral service?

Referral Services. Most local bar associations have referral services in which the names of lawyers are available, arranged by legal specialty. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are supposed to be approved by the state bar association.

How to get referrals for personal injury?

There are several ways to get referrals to experienced plaintiffs' personal injury lawyers. Once you get referrals, be sure to comparison-shop. Get the names of several lawyers and talk or meet with each of them to discuss your claim before you decide to hire someone. And be prepared for rejection.

Do lawyers charge for initial consultation?

Most lawyers do not charge anything for an initial consultation. But before you meet with a lawyer, find out whether he or she will charge you for the first interview. If the lawyer wants to charge you just for discussing whether or not to take your case, go somewhere else.

Is it normal to have more than one attorney in an office?

It's normal for more than one attorney in an office to work on the same case, and to have less experienced attorneys handle routine tasks. Find out which lawyer would have responsibility for the case and which lawyer you would be dealing with directly.

Do you want to be represented by someone who has experience with personal injury cases but who has primarily been a lawyer

You do not want to be represented by someone who has experience with personal injury cases but who has primarily been a lawyer for defendants. Their way of thinking may be too closely tied to the attitudes of insurance companies and they might not fight as hard—consciously or not—for your claim.