The best way to make sure that you know what you are doing when it comes to personal injuries is to have a lawyer who specializes in it when they are needed. If you have been injured, you may get far less from an opposing attorney or the insurance company than you might be entitled to for your injury and lost wages. You may also need a workers compensation lawyer if the injury happened in the workplace. The best law firms for personal injury are the ones that specialize in it and have a history of winning cases for clients.
You may wonder, can I get a settlement without a lawyer? The answer is that yes, you can get a settlement, but it is likely to be less than what you would get if you had an attorney fighting for you. You may need that injury assistance law firm so that you don’t sign away your rights to more money and can negotiate for a better settlement. So, how to find a good accident attorney? Start by asking around in your local area and finding out which law firms have a good reputation and a good history of settlement negotiations.
If you’re looking to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit, then one of the best assets you can have on your side is a top-notch personal injury attorney to guide you through the legal system and ensure that you’re being treated fairly. But even going to the so-called best law firms is no guarantee when it comes to choosing a lawyer, and all too many people focus on the wrong things when screening prospective personal injury attorneys. Here are five of the biggest mistakes you definitely don’t want to make in your search:
- Choosing an Attorney With Little Experience
Someone who has gone to law school and passed the necessary exams can put “attorney at law” after their name, but it doesn’t mean they have the experience to handle your case. Instead of asking about where a prospective injury attorney went to law school, ask about his or her experience with cases similar to yours.
- Choosing an Attorney Who Gives You Guarantees
No ethical attorney will ever try to guarantee an outcome. That’s simply not how the legal system works. An attorney may be able to estimate the strength of your case based on the available evidence, but he or she simply can’t know how it’ll turn out for sure.
- Choosing an Attorney Determined to Litigate
Although some personal injury cases do end up going to court, those lawsuits are actually in the vast minority (definitely less than 5%, and possibly as low as 2%). It’s good to find a lawyer who is willing to fight for you in court, but in some cases it’s to everyone’s advantage to accept a settlement before a lawsuit is ever filed.
- Choosing an Attorney You “Click” With
Feeling a personal connection to your attorney is a nice plus, but it shouldn’t be among your primary motivating factors when it comes to hiring. You shouldn’t pick an attorney who makes you feel intimidated or uncomfortable, of course, but you don’t need to see yourself getting margaritas with this person 15 years down the road, either.
- Choosing an Attorney Too Late or Not at All
By far the worst mistake a person can make when it comes to attorneys is not hiring one at all or delaying so long that important legal deadlines are missed. Personal injury cases sometimes have a short statute of limitations, leaving you with a fairly narrow window to choose your best course of action.
Do you agree with these tips on hiring an attorney for personal injury concerns? Share your thoughts in the comments.
