So you’ve been in an accident that resulted in an injury?
If it wasn’t your fault, you might want to find a personal injury lawyer who can help you get a settlement.
Personal injury lawyers are hired for a variety of issues, including things like being injured on the job or car accidents. They can also help with wrongful death suits.
However, not every personal injury lawyer is one you necessarily want to hire. Like anything else, you’ll want to shop around to find the very best in the business.
After all, your future could be riding on your personal injury lawyer and his or her skills.
Start By Deciding What Type of Personal Injury Lawyer You Need
Personal injury can fall under a wide range of categories. This can include anything from slander and defamation to wrongful death. Depending on the injury you or a loved one has sustained and how it happened will depend on the type of lawyer you need.
While many personal injury lawyers are equipped to handle a wide variety of cases, you’ll want someone who specializes in exactly what it is that happened to you.
You can often narrow this down by searching on websites like Avvo that can give you different types of personal injury lawyers in your area.
While online reviews may not always be accurate and reflective of the lawyer’s ability, you can get a feel for him or her by what others have said.
Remember, most often people leave reviews when they’re angry. Additionally, people can receive incentives for leaving positive reviews. Therefore, don’t base your decision on online reviews alone. Hiring the proper attorney is a big decision. It isn’t like trying out a new restaurant based on how many stars people have given it on the Internet.
Talk to Friends and Family
You trust your friends and family to recommend things to you, most likely. As such, you probably trust them to recommend good lawyers and other services.
Talk to people you know about your situation. It is very likely that someone will know someone who has had to hire a personal injury lawyer at some point or another. You can get an honest review from your friends or family members about the lawyer’s services.
If someone was very happy with someone’s services, but they don’t necessarily deal with personal injury law as it pertains to your case, you might want to contact that lawyer anyway. That lawyer could possibly forward you to another lawyer he or she trusts who does specialize in your type of case.
Interview Several Lawyers
Before you decide whom to retain, you should interview several different lawyers. You shouldn’t hire the first person that “looks good.”
Instead, you’ll need to get a feel for how the lawyer works, if he or she is passionate about your case and what else he or she can do for you.
You’ll also need to know if your lawyer will be charging you for his or her services or if he or she works on a contingency basis. A contingency basis means that in the event you win a settlement, your lawyer will take an agreed upon percentage of it as payment for his or her services.
If he or she is not operating on contingency, you’ll need to know the payment schedule and how much he or she expects and when. Miscommunication over money can become a big problem between lawyers and clients. Instead, know up front what they’re expecting so you know what to expect as well.
Prepare a list of questions before interviewing each lawyer. You can do so on the phone or in person.
You’ll need someone you also feel you mesh well with, as depending on the extent of your injuries, the case could be drawn out for several years. This means you’ll want to ensure that you can have a professional relationship with this person for that long.
Watch Out for Red Flags
Not every attorney is a good one just because he or she is technically qualified. So you’ll need to watch out for red flags so that you don’t fall into any traps.
Don’t hire an attorney that seems to make claims about your case that are too good to be true. Most likely if something seems too good to be true, it is!
You should also always look at the bar website in your state to verify your attorney’s credentials. They can verify that your attorney is certified to practice in your state and that he or she is in good standing.
If you feel your attorney isn’t taking your case seriously, is missing court (without a legitimate excuse), isn’t billing you correctly or is evasive with your questions, it may also be time to search for someone new.
Remember, this is your case and your money. You deserve to be represented by someone who will give your case the attention it deserves.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a personal injury lawyer is a process you should take seriously and try not to rush. You’ll want someone who believes in your case as much as you do. You’ll also want someone, like this personal injury lawyer in Carrollton, Texas that has the experience you need to ensure your case is victorious.
A court case is stressful enough, especially after a serious injury or death of a loved one. This means you’ll want to be sure hiring a lawyer isn’t going to provide you with even more stress.
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