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Choosing a personal injury lawyer can be a difficult thing if you do not know what you are looking for. There are several things to look for in accident attorneys like the attorney's reputation, experience in handling accident or personal injury cases, out-of-courtroom and in-court settlement track record among other things. If you are not in a business relationship with a personal injury lawyer, you can look for someone local through newspapers, TV, online ads, or your local bar association. Even the National Association of Personal Injury Lawyers is a good source of reference.
Below is a list of things you need to look for before hiring a personal injury lawyer:
1. Find a plaintiff's lawyer: When you are the victim of an accident which happened because of someone's negligence, you are the plaintiff and you need to find a personal injury lawyer who is a plaintiff's lawyer and not one who defends against personal injury lawsuits. You can find accident attorneys through ads or even by asking any of your business friends. The internet is also an increasingly reliable source for finding an attorney. Check to see if the lawyer belongs to some association like the American Association for Justice or your State Trial Lawyers' Association.
2. Look at the professional profile: Look at your personal injury lawyer's professional profile. How much legal experience do they have? Where did they attend Law School? Is it from a reputed Law school? How many cases have they handled so far? Have they ever been citied for professional misconduct by their local bar? How many cases settled successfully? Measure the lawyer's experience in terms of number of happy clients.
3. Check for Trial experience: Some personal injury lawyers are better only in settling cases out of the courtroom. They are good enough to threaten a strong suit against insurance companies, and then manage to get their clients reasonable, out-of-the-courtroom compensation. But such things can turn against you sometimes. If insurance companies or their attorneys know that your lawyer has no trial experience, they may continue with the case and take it to the courtroom. So, find an accident attorney who has both courtroom and out-of-courtroom experience.
4. Check for the type of claims he/she handles: Look at how niche and focused the lawyer is - some attorneys handle just any kind of claims they come across. Some are more specific, and such attorneys excel in their niche field. Your attorney can practice Car Accidents, Auto Accidents, Truck Accidents and other personal injury accident cases. Others may practice a mix of personal injury, criminal and family law cases. The more focused a attorney is on a certain area of law, the more experience they will have in that area. Therefore, look into your lawyer's case history and get to know them better.
5. Talk to the lawyer's clients: Always ask for a track record of suits in which your lawyer has recovered clients from damages. Check if the clients received the damages they are entitled to. If possible, talk to the clients to know how their cases were settled. If your case is similar to theirs, get to know the details and processes involved. This would help you to be mentally prepared and increase your trust in your lawyer.
6. Go for contingency fee agreement: Most of the personal injury law firms go into a contingency fees agreement with their client. Based on the agreement, they do not charge anything for the legal advice or during court proceedings, but receive a percentage of the damages recovered. This is far better than regular fee as it assures you do not pay out of pocket if the lawsuit is unsuccessful.
7. Never be led by false promises: Some lawyers are experts in making you believe that your suit is worth more money than it actually is. They make you believe that way, and then they cannot deliver the results that were promised. Such suits may end up in the insurance company's favor, with you getting a meager out of the court settlement, after the attorney fee. Check with more than one lawyer to ensure that you are filing for the appropriate amount for damages. Don't go overboard or settle too low.
8. Consider your attorney's personality, legal philosophy: Remember that your Personal Injury Lawyer is someone whom you need to work with for months. So, it is better if you choose someone whom you like talking to/working with. Consider the lawyer's legal philosophy as well. You can avoid egoistic bottlenecks with your lawyer.
9. Compare and then choose: Verify the above things with regard to 3 or 4 accident attorneys. Then, compare and choose between the lawyers based on who is the best personal fit for you.
10. Ensure you have every document needed: Before you proceed to file a law suit, ensure that you have every other detail required, calculated and prepared well in advance. By this, we mean the amount filed for, the witnesses that maybe needed to develop the case, proof of your insurance documents, validation of your injury and the loss it has caused to/may cause you etc. Check with your lawyer on all this before you file the suit.
11. Seek expert counsel: In case you are not happy with your Personal Injury Lawyer in between proceedings, consult a law expert, lawyer referral agencies or other lawyers to know the exact future of your case. Usually it is better to talk things out with your lawyer, as they are the only person with enough knowledge to give you a complete picture of your case. If your insurance agent wants an out of court settlement, consult your lawyer before settling for anything.
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