Choosing the right lawyer is detrimental to the success of your personal injury claim. A good lawyer will help you handle the lawsuit, settle the claim, and prepare your case for arbitration. To do all that, you’ll need a dependable lawyer that you can trust.
But finding one is not an easy task. Anyone can make a nice website and look professional, but how do you know if they’re qualified?
Here are a few things you can do to determine the best lawyer for your case.
Ask Friends and Family
The most common way is to ask trustworthy friends or family to find a reliable personal injury lawyer that has represented them and whom they’ve had a good experience with.
There are too many lawyers on the market to go through one by one, so the opinion and experiences of a trusted person in your community can be quite helpful.
Research the Lawyer Online
Every state has a local bar association where all attorneys are registered. You can find out a lot of information like their bar status, if there have been any disciplinary actions filed against them, and if they’ve been sanctioned.
A simple Google search of a lawyer can show you if they are licensed and what their standing is in the state they work in. You will also likely find testimonials and reviews of their previous clients.
Discuss Fees Before Signing
Lawyers can be expensive, some even going as far as to charge hundreds of dollars per hour. Transparency is crucial for such a large financial transaction like this, so it’s important to ask about the fees upfront.
Typically, personal injury lawyers work on contingency, meaning they get 1/3rd of the final settlement, excluding office expenses, and other miscellaneous costs. Regardless of the case, always get the fee agreements in writing.
Take a Good Look at Their Office
A simple look at a lawyer’s office should tell you more than you need to know about their professionalism and efficiency. Since handling a personal injury claim includes tons of moving parts with a lot of paperwork included, a lawyer with an organized office and properly stored files is what you should look for.
A professional office gives off the sense that the lawyer has functioning processes in place to do their job well and efficiently.
Interview Multiple Lawyers
Once you have a list of capable lawyers that you’re interested in hiring, interview all of them and determine who is the best match for you. Then you can compare them based on their costs, experience, and professionalism.
Every lawyer you meet will also let you know how likely you are to succeed and what sort of challenges you might face in court. This should give you an idea of what to expect for your case.
