You might be interested in finding a reputable personal injury attorney in your region. Finding someone who is the ideal fit for you and your situation in terms of experience, area of expertise, and even personality is crucial.
You shouldn’t randomly choose an attorney if you need assistance with your personal injury lawsuit. The following information will help you find a personal injury attorney for your case.
Why You Need an Attorney
Although resolving a personal injury matter on your own is possible, it’s not a great idea and can cause more harm than good. You might not be aware of all of the legal rights you possess. In reality, you could find it challenging to understand the law and apply it to your advantage.
Hiring a personal injury attorney offers many perks. Having someone else manage the details and negotiate on your behalf has significant emotional and legal benefits. It frees up your emotional resources so you can focus on your personal life and recover from your injuries.
Where to Look for a Personal Injury Lawyer
You must consider several factors when looking for the best personal injury attorney to handle your case.
Although the profession may not have a favorable reputation, many competent personal injury attorneys are available. However, you might be receiving solicitations from alleged “ambulance chasers.” There are many alternatives available, and sorting through them might be difficult. Below are some ways to locate a reputable attorney.
Consult Friends and family for References
Occasionally, someone you know might assist you in locating a competent personal injury attorney. Reach out to friends, family members, coworkers, or acquaintances who have dealt with a personal injury lawyer in your area.
If they recommend a specific attorney and have excellent things to say about their experience, make a note of the contact information and inquire about a consultation.
Recommendations from friends can be helpful in your search, but you’ll need to conduct a lot more research before making a choice. One person’s recommendation doesn’t always mean that an attorney will be the best choice for your case. However, it’s undoubtedly a good start.
Consider Lawyers You Have Worked with Previously
An attorney you already know, whether professionally or personally, may be an excellent choice. But this also depends on how familiar they are with your situation.
Even if you get along well with an attorney and they are excellent at what they do, it isn’t the best choice if they have little prior experience defending accident victims in personal injury matters. Someone aware of the intricacies of personal injury lawsuits will be much more beneficial.
Most lawyers will know someone who frequently handles your sort of case since lawyers often recommend cases to one another. So if the lawyer you’ve worked with before isn’t familiar with personal injuries, ask them to recommend a personal injury lawyer they know and trust.
But before making a choice, always arrange for a consultation — even if a fellow lawyer gave you the recommendation — just like you would with suggestions from friends or acquaintances.
Research Personal Injury Attorneys Online
You might be able to learn which personal injury attorneys are most well-known in your state by conducting an online search in addition to getting references. Keep in mind that while you might want to look for attorneys in your neighborhood, it could be preferable to travel for the best legal counsel.
Additionally, you can look up prospective attorneys on internet review sites. These websites offer peer-reviewed ratings to assist future customers in determining how reliable and competent a potential attorney may be.
Review Each Lawyer’s Credentials and Track Record
It takes effort and time to earn legal credentials. Various states and jurisdictions have different requirements for practicing law. Most states demand passing marks on the state bar test in addition to a Juris Doctor from an approved law school.
A lawyer may also need to meet the following criteria for their home state, their jurisdiction, or the legal firm where they work:
- Passing the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) before beginning law school
- Obtaining a legal degree from a university recognized by the American Bar Association
- Passing each state’s bar exam (for lawyers who want to practice in more than one state)
- Keeping current with legal changes that have an impact on their field of practice
- Continuing legal education, which is required in most states
Any personal injury lawyer you select should have the required license and a track record of success. Since you are pursuing your claim in the hopes of succeeding, a competent attorney may give you a general idea of the best result, depending on the specifics of your case.
Time for a Consultation?
Once you find a potential personal injury attorney, the next best step is to schedule a consultation. This gives you a good idea if the attorney is right for you.
Scheduling a Consultation
You should bring information regarding your case to the consultation, including copies of all pertinent paperwork, such as medical bills, the police report, proof of lost income, and any communications with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
Prepare to describe your situation in depth so the attorney can understand what they will be working on.
It also helps to consider the following matters during your appointment.
Inquire About Fees
Most personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning they are only paid if they successfully negotiate a settlement on your behalf. Most firms offer the consultation for free as well.
It’s important to verify there is no fee for the consultation when you get in touch with an attorney’s office to book one. During the meeting, request information regarding the attorney’s charges.
Find Someone Who Makes You Feel at Ease
Your personal injury attorney should be someone you feel at ease communicating and working with. Consider whether they respect your sentiments regarding your situation and whether they listen to you attentively. Additionally, they must make sense while explaining things to you and make you feel confident about your case.
You may get a sense of how you and the attorney will work together throughout your personal injury claim by seeing how you communicate throughout the consultation. From the very first encounter, it ought to feel comfortable.
Track Down Someone Passionate About Your Case
Make sure the personal injury attorney that you find is genuinely interested in taking on your case. In some circumstances, a lawyer can be reluctant to accept your case. You might want to reconsider if they believe the chances of winning are slim or if the settlement amount would be insufficient to pay their overhead costs.
Find an Experienced Trial Attorney
Most personal injury cases do not go to trial, but it does happen occasionally. If a lawyer has gone to trial, they will have expertise with (and a reputation for taking on) challenging matters.
Many lawyers promote the fact that they handle personal injury claims, but they have never set foot in a courtroom. You need someone who won’t give up and has experience fighting for injury victims in a courtroom.
Can a Lawyer Reject Your Case?
It’s not only up to you whether to retain legal counsel. There are a number of reasons why a lawyer can decline to handle your case, just as you might decide that a lawyer isn’t a good fit for you.
When you ask a lawyer to review your case, they base their decision on their research as to whether it is a good case to take on. They have to believe they can support and win your case.
An accomplished personal injury attorney has successfully handled several cases within and outside of court. They know the telltale signals that your case isn’t worth pursuing. It will be simpler to win if you have more favorable circumstances.
How to Spot a Bad Attorney
In the U.S., there are more than 1.3 million practicing lawyers. While most are effective lawyers, others are not the right fit. They could be inefficient, unscrupulous, or disregard your legal requirements. In any case, you must take great care to avoid selecting a subpar attorney.
Poor Communication
You and your lawyer should work as a team. Therefore, they should inform you of significant developments, plan the next steps, and get your input.
Your case may not succeed if your attorney doesn’t follow through with these essential steps since you two might not be on the same page. And even if you and your lawyer often communicate, you might still have issues if your communication styles don’t mesh.
The ideal lawyer should also be willing to make accommodations if you have a handicap that creates communication challenges.
For instance, an attorney shouldn’t phone a client during their work day if they are unable to take calls. Additionally, an attorney should never interact with a client in a digital format that they are unfamiliar with if they are not tech-savvy.
Lack of Priority
Your attorney is very busy with clients and responsibilities other than your case. However, this is in no way a justification for neglecting your case and your requirements.
Your lawyer should make it evident throughout your sessions that they have spent a lot of time thinking about your case and are prepared to fight for your rights.
Keep an eye out for physical and behavioral cues that indicate you aren’t being prioritized, even if your lawyer never openly states that you and your case aren’t at the top of their agenda.
One such trait is tardiness, and you should be especially cautious when working with a lawyer who frequently arrives late to meetings, forgets important dates, and neglects other obligations. In addition, your lawyer should have a credible, polished, and professional presence before the judge.
Unethical or Illegal Behavior
The majority of the items on this list are indicators of ineptitude or a lack of professionalism. But if you find out that your attorney is acting unethically or illegally, you should immediately look for other legal counsel.
Although it’s crucial to win your case, a lawyer should never attempt to accomplish it by breaking the law or acting unethically. Simply put, doing so disqualifies them as a lawyer.
Your attorney’s actions might land you in jail in addition to being unethical. Keep a watch out for the following if you think your attorney may be engaging in illegal activity:
- Tardiness to appointments and key meetings
- Missing filing deadlines or regularly submitting papers wrongly
- Failing to answer missed calls
- Making significant choices without your input
Change legal counsel as quickly as you can if you have any cause to suspect that your attorney is acting unethically or illegally.
Review Your Attorney’s Disciplinary Record
Getting in touch with the state’s lawyer disciplinary body is essential before hiring any attorneys to confirm that they are current members of their state bar. The majority of attorneys only hold state-issued licenses, although some have several licenses if they practice in more than one state.
To find out whether an attorney has received disciplinary action, look for their name in the state bar’s database. Information on attorney disciplinary actions is frequently published as well, generally in the state bar organizations’ members’ monthly magazines or newsletters.
Ready to Hire an Attorney?
Finding a competent lawyer is essential to ensure your case goes well. Finding the right personal injury attorney is crucial since the United States has roughly 5.4 million non-fatal automobile accidents yearly.
To select a lawyer who genuinely cares about your case results and will make every effort to guarantee you receive fair compensation, you should keep in mind the warning signals described in this article.
Essentially, find a personal injury attorney who is most qualified lawyer that you feel comfortable working with. Pick the best option. An accomplished personal injury attorney that is dependable, truthful, and enthusiastic about their profession is beneficial.
At The Joel Bieber Firm, we believe in upholding our promise to give your case our full attention. Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys are ready to fight for your rights. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation.
Interesting Reads:
Should I Handle My Own Personal Injury Claim?
Should I Hire a Lawyer for a Minor Car Accident?