Getting in touch with a personal injury lawyer is necessary for the accident’s aftermath. Whether you’ve been hit by a speeding car or got injured due to a loose piece of railing, you need the right legal advice and strategy. The Clark Law Office is one such place where you’ll find the legal expertise needed to mount a credible legal challenge for justice. Usually, the negligent parties want to settle. After all, going to trial could be much costlier if a sympathetic jury awards a significant sum of money for damages. Occasionally, the accused parties refuse to settle and decide to take their chances at trial.
You have a right to self-representation. However, this is ill-advised unless you have a law degree or equivalent. Hiring a personal injury attorney increases the chances of getting compensation. You need a competent personal injury attorney to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Consider the following things hiring a personal injury lawyer:
1)Area of Practice
Most personal injury attorneys usually focus on one specific area of such cases. For example, a lawyer might focus exclusively on handling road traffic accident cases or personal injury at the workplace. You need to consider a personal injury attorney’s area of expertise and whether it’ll apply to your situation. It makes no sense for you to contact a personal injury attorney specializing in medical malpractice if you’ve been hit by a bike. You should hire an attorney well-versed with similar cases like yours, meaning they’ll understand the case in question.
2) Trial Experience
As mentioned, most personal injury cases get settled out of court. However, if the other party is uncooperative, you want a personal injury attorney willing to play hardball, and they must be willing to go to trial. A personal injury attorney without much trial experience will most likely bungle your case and erase any chance of getting a settlement. Look for an attorney with trial experience.
3) Attorney Fees
Most attorney fees in personal injury cases are contingent upon winning. However, this may not always be the case. Before signing a contract with a personal injury attorney, ensure to understand their fee structure, including the mode of payment and timetable. Some attorneys can be cagey about this. Ignore these things at your peril!
4) Qualification
The personal injury attorney you choose to hire should have the proper credentials. Ensure to ask about this during the initial consultation. While such a line of questioning might be uncomfortable, a good personal injury lawyer will view it as an opportunity to alleviate any concerns you might have about their expertise.
5) How Easy Are They to Work With?
Look for any signs to indicate unreliability in an attorney. For example, are they always re-scheduling appointments or not returning calls on time? Such things will give you a clue of how easy (or not) it will be to have such an attorney representing you. You want a personal injury lawyer that will take your case seriously; This means being there to answer your questions and address your concerns when you need them.
6) Recommendations
You know you’ve got the right personal injury attorney if you get praise and positive comments about their work. Notably, This is very important; Positive reviews and recommendations from those close to you are a good sign that the personal injury lawyer is competent and good at what they do. Always ask about a personal injury lawyer’s past clients and, if possible, speak with them before retaining the lawyer.
7) Will They Prioritize You?
It’s not uncommon for a personal injury law firm to hand your case to a ‘junior’ lawyer once you’ve signed a contract. You want to ensure that the personal injury lawyer you hire gives your case the attention it deserves. Admittedly, any lawyer worth his salt will usually have other cases to juggle with yours. However, you want to ensure that they’ll give your case priority when necessary.
8) Items of Concern
The internet is a beautiful resource capable of giving you a ton of information in seconds. Before hiring a personal injury lawyer, take time to research them. You want to look for negative reviews, complaints (official or otherwise), lawsuits, etc.; This will give you an idea of the kind of lawyer you’re dealing with. Take note of anything that raises a red flag. For example, sometimes, former clients may leave bad reviews. How the personal injury lawyer handles, such a situation will tell you a lot about their character.
9) Honesty
You want a personal injury lawyer that will give an honest assessment of your case based on its merits rather than personal opinion. Of course, as legal experts, they’ll most likely be familiar with how such cases play out. Watch out for personal injury attorneys that guarantee you a particular result. You want a personal injury lawyer that’ll give it to you straight.
10) Patience
The inevitable stress of handling a personal injury case can strain all those involved, including you and the lawyer. You want a personal injury lawyer who won’t lose their cool when you ask questions during such instances. Look for a personal injury lawyer that has patience and can handle the stress of the case.
