When you are recovering from a severe accidental injury, you need quality medical care and time for healing. A dependable support system also helps simplify your recovery. You need a network of friends and loved ones who willingly take care of your personal needs. If someone caused your injuries, you also need a personal injury attorney looking out for your legal interests. When you find the right personal injury law firm, they work to recover your legally owed compensation while you focus on recuperating.
Before your accident, you probably only thought about lawyers when you saw their billboards or heard their aggressive TV commercials. If you had an accident that became part of a public record, multiple attorneys have had access to your personal information. They have probably begun soliciting you by phone and by mail.
As an informed consumer, you need more than billboards, ads, phone calls, and mass-mailed letters to help you find a personal injury lawyer. First of all, you need to know what to expect when an attorney represents you. You also need guidelines that help you choose the best attorney for your injury claim.
Consult an Attorney as Soon as Possible
When recuperating from serious injuries, it is easy to simply rest and wait for time to pass. If you want to recover damages from the person who harmed you, you must act immediately. While you are recovering, you need an attorney working on your behalf.
Consult an attorney as soon as possible after your accident for several reasons.
- Accident scenes (vehicle crashes, slip and falls, etc.) begin changing immediately.
- People misplace or destroy evidence.
- Witnesses change their minds and evade contact.
- Drivers begin losing track of accident details.
- Property owners repair premises defects.
- Negligent vehicle drivers and owners stop cooperating.
- Vehicle owners alter evidence when they repair their damaged vehicles.
- Cars push debris out of the street and wear away skidmarks.
- Local governments repair or replace defective traffic control devices and clean up accident scenes.
What A Personal Injury Attorney Does for You
When you work with a personal injury attorney, they perform several professional tasks to move your case forward.
- Learn more about your accident by obtaining your version and conducting a thorough investigation.
- Review legal issues and relevant statutes.
- Place any responsible parties on notice of your claim.
- Deal directly with liability insurers, their investigators, and their attorneys.
- Present your damages and negotiate your settlement.
- Obtain your medical information and evaluate your injuries.
- Take definitive action before your statute of limitations runs.
- Negotiate or mediate your case, or file a lawsuit if necessary.
- Perform professional services for a contingency in compliance with the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.5, Fees.
When a law firm represents you, they work closely with you and handle several critical legal issues on your behalf. Establishing a trustworthy relationship is an essential part of that process.
Find the Attorney That Is Right for You
Any time you need important work done, you hire the best person for the job. Rely on the same high standards when you choose an attorney.
You Need a Personal Injury Attorney
When you sustain an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you need a personal injury attorney to handle your case.
Consider these points as you make your decision.
- Never let an attorney handle your case when they rarely (or never) handle injury claims.
- Most law firms focus on specific types of cases. That is how they become good at it.
- A few attorneys will agree to handle your case even if they have never handled personal injury cases before.
- You need to know if an attorney has experience with personal injury cases. That is why you must ask.
- Some big law firms take injury cases then hand them off to a junior associate as a learning experience.
Work With A Personal Injury Attorney Who Handles Your Type of Claim
In states that do not have lawyer specialization certification, attorneys still focus on specific cases.
When you talk to a personal injury attorney, find out what personal injury cases their law firm handles.
- Vehicle accidents
- Large truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Premises liability
- Dog bites
- Medical malpractice
- Product liability
- Slip and fall incidents
- Wrongful death cases
- Accidents with catastrophic injuries: traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple trauma, etc.
Organize Your Search
You must approach your search for an attorney just like an employer looking for the perfect job candidate.
If necessary, ask a friend to help you so you can find an attorney quickly.
- Make a list of possible personal injury attorneys: Get referrals from your friends or family members. Visit Super Lawyers or other attorney search websites. Call the attorneys from the mailers you receive. If you prefer one of the lawyers on a billboard or a late-night TV commercial, you also have that option.
- Visit Attorney Websites: When you check out a law firm’s website, you find lots of information. You will see their location, the cases they handle, and the judgments they have won. Most attorneys post their bios and show the law firm’s professional awards.
- Read Online Reviews: If you see a law firm you like, check out their online reviews. Both happy and unhappy clients post reviews to Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other sites. They talk about their experience and rate attorneys using a one-to-five-star system.
- Schedule a consultation: If you feel comfortable with or enthusiastic about an attorney on your list, give them a call. Most personal injury attorneys schedule free consultations. You talk about your case, and they give you a chance to ask questions. Many law firms offer several consultation options:
- Video conferences
- Phone consultations
- Online chats
- In-patient at a hospital
- In-home meetings
- Office consultations
Ask Your Most Important Questions
When you choose a personal injury law firm, you will be working together for a long time. Once you find one who meets your specifications, you need an idea of how the relationship will hold up over months and possibly years. When you schedule a consultation, be prepared to ask questions to help you find out.
Pay close attention to the responses. Are they too busy to answer your questions? Do you like their communication style? Did they answer your questions or politely dismiss them? Once you talk to an attorney, you will be in a more decisive frame of mind.
Here are a few questions to consider.
You will probably find some answers on the law firm’s website.
- What type of cases do you handle?
- How long have you been handling personal injury claims?
- How often do you handle serious injury claims?
- May I see your case results?
- How often do you negotiate injury settlements?
- Do you ever mediate injury claims?
- If your firm must try my case, will you represent me in court?
- How much do I pay you for handling my case?
- Can I reach you when I need to talk about my case?
Trust Is Important
No attorney will answer all of your questions perfectly, and that is okay. If you do not feel a sense of trust, that is completely different. So much of an attorney/client relationship depends on mutual trust. Contact the next attorney on your list if your consultation triggers trust issues. You can always reconsider your decision.
Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer to Handle Your Injury Claim?
Although personal injury lawyers have customarily produced better results, some injured victims handle their own claims. Attorneys understand complicated liability and damage issues. They know how to manage insurance companies and their defense attorneys. They handle complex legal issues on your behalf so you can focus on healing.
When you call for a consultation, a personal injury attorney spends time with you and answers your questions. You decide if and when to make a claim or file a suit. Contact Desai Law, PLLC for a personal injury attorney to get started today.
