The worse thing about accidents is that they are uncertain and can happen to anyone.
When you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, the last thing you want to do is make a mistake that could jeopardize your case or leave you with an inexperienced lawyer. Moreover, hiring a personal injury lawyer is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Don’t make these mistakes when hiring an attorney for your case.
Not Meeting in Person
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, it’s time to schedule a consultation with each lawyer on your list. This will allow you to get to know them and see if they fit your case well. They can also keep you posted with Paraquat Parkinsons lawsuit updates if you are a victim in such a case.
Not Checking for Experience
When looking for a personal injury attorney, you want someone with experience handling cases like yours. An experienced lawyer will know the ins and outs of the legal process and will be able to fight for the maximum compensation possible.
Other things to keep in mind include:
- Look for a personal injury lawyer with experience handling similar cases.
- Ask the personal injury lawyer how many cases they have handled and what the outcomes were.
- Find out if the personal injury lawyer is a member of any professional organizations, such as the American Association for Justice or the American Bar Association.
- Ask the personal injury lawyer for references from past clients.
- Schedule a consultation with the personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
Not Asking for Referrals
If you know anyone who has hired a personal injury lawyer in the past, ask them for referrals. Getting a referral from a friend or family member is a great way to find a lawyer you can trust.
Not Checking the Reviews
Reviews are a must before deciding on a lawyer. Some online places to read the reviews include:
Type in the name of the lawyer you are interested in, followed by the word “reviews.” This will bring up a list of websites where people have left reviews of the lawyer in question.
Yelp
Yelp is a website that allows people to rate and review businesses in their area. Type in the name of the lawyer you are interested in, followed by the word “Yelp,” and a list of reviews should come up.
Avvo
Avvo is a website that provides ratings and reviews for lawyers, among other things. To find reviews of personal injury lawyers on Avvo, type in the name of the lawyer you are interested in and select “Reviews” from the drop-down menu.
Not Asking Questions
During your consultation, ask plenty of questions to understand the lawyer’s experience, how they would handle your case, and their fees.
Other important questions to ask the lawyer include the following:
What is your success rate in personal injury cases?
Inquire about the lawyer’s success rate in personal injury cases. This will give you an idea of their experience and whether they are likely to win your case.
Do you work on a contingency basis?
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if they win your case. Ask about this before hiring a lawyer, so you are not surprised by their fee structure.
How much do you charge?
If the lawyer does not work on a contingency basis, ask them how much they charge for their services. Be sure to get an estimate so you know what to expect regarding costs.
What is your trial experience?
If your case goes to trial, you want to hire a lawyer with significant trial experience. Ask the lawyer how many trials they have handled and whether they are comfortable taking your case to trial.
Not Having Realistic Expectations
When hiring a personal injury lawyer, it’s important to have realistic expectations. No lawyer can guarantee a certain outcome for your case, so be wary of anyone who makes promises they can’t keep.
Not Paying Attention to Your Gut
At the end of the day, you should trust your gut when hiring a personal injury lawyer. If something doesn’t feel right or you don’t have a good feeling about the lawyer, move on to someone else.
Final Word
Choosing a personal injury lawyer is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to be difficult if you avoid these five common mistakes. Be sure to research, ask for referrals, and meet with each lawyer in person before making your final decision. And don’t forget to ask plenty of questions!
10 comments
You made a really good point when you said that you should engage a trial lawyer if your case gets to trial. I’m sure I’ll tell my friend about this information because it brought to mind how he was injured on a construction site because there weren’t any warning signs. Thank you; I would advise them to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer as soon as is practical to defend him.
Great read!!! Thanks for sharing such a great blog.
You made a great point about how a good way to find a trustworthy personal injury lawyer is through referrals from family or friends. My boyfriend fractured a few ribs in a car accident two nights ago. The crash was not his fault, so he’d like to hire a lawyer to represent him. I’ll help him ask reliable people for recommendations for good lawyers.
A car accident that occurred last week left my brother’s shoulder fractured. Since he was not to blame for the collision, he is interested in having legal counsel on his side. You made an excellent point when you said that a good way to find a reliable personal injury lawyer is through referrals from family or friends. This is an excellent way to find a lawyer.
We are looking for a personal injury attorney for my brother, who is facing charges of physical injury. I like when you mention that an expert attorney will be familiar with all aspects of the legal system and be able to argue for the highest compensation. He defended himself after the man tried to hit him in the street. He punched the man in the face before he was shot.
You make an excellent point that word-of-mouth recommendations are often the best way to locate a reliable personal injury attorney. Two nights ago, my partner was in an automobile accident that broke many of his ribs. He wants to employ a lawyer since he is innocent of responsibility for the accident. I’ll assist him canvass dependable contacts for names of competent attorneys.
You had a pretty solid point when you suggested that if your case goes to trial, you should hire a trial attorney. This information reminded me of how my buddy got hurt on a construction site since there weren’t any warning signs, so I’m sure I’ll share it with him. Thank you; to defend him, I would suggest that they contact a personal injury attorney as soon as is practicable.
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I liked the straight-to-the-point question about the lawyer’s success rate in personal injury cases. The insurance claims and compensation depend on how good a lawyer is at fighting for their client. So it makes sense that a person would want to hire someone with a high success rate.
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