Whether it is a road traffic accident or fall that took place for no fault of your own, suffering a personal injury can be a nightmare. In addition to the direct physical pain from the injury, you may also experience some emotional distress from the trauma caused by the incident. Adding in the cost of ongoing medical bills and any loss of income caused by not being able to work, and it becomes incredibly frustrating when you consider that all of this was entirely preventable.
While it is possible to file a personal injury claim on your own, most people opt to hire the services of a personal injury lawyer to help them get the job done. However, with so many lawyers advertising their services, choosing the one that could get you the best outcome isn’t always easy. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance of getting a good settlement, you’ll need to find a qualified professional to represent you. According to Tario Law, getting quality personal injury law advice isn’t easy, so here are a number of qualities you may wish to look out for when weighing up potential personal injury lawyers :
1. The Lawyer’s Track Record
A simple way to gauge the degree of success is to see if they have a solid track record of successful settlement and judgments for past clients who’ve had similar personal injury cases to yours. A good place to start is by checking out their online testimonials. As with any line of work, not all attorneys operate to the same high standards. There are also firms that operate in a high volume and high turnover basis, meaning they take as many cases as possible and have them settled with a little effort as possible, which is clearly not what you want.
2. Being Part of a Specialist Firm
It’s important to remember that personal injury law is a broad field that covers everything from motorbike accidents to workplace injuries and dog bites, so it is key to find some who specialize in cases like yours. Check to see how specialized the law firm is and which areas they have experience in.
Ideally, you should try to find someone who works for a well-established law firm. This means there will be greater accountability, and that they’ll have access to a range of resources and support staff who can ensure none of the minor aspects of the case are overlooked. Remember, an attorney working for a reputable firm will be expected to maintain certain professional standards. Furthermore, if an attorney approaches you directly, this should also raise alarm bells.
3. Empathy
While courtroom dramas on TV would have you believe that lawyers are ruthless in the courtroom and will hold nothing back to get their client the best outcome, in a sensitive area like personal injury law, you want to deal with someone who is kind and empathetic. After all, the aftermath of suffering an injury is likely to be rather painful. You need someone who understands your plight and will do everything they can to alleviate some of the burdens during this challenging time.
An empathetic lawyer will also be better placed to articulate you suffering to the necessary parties in the courtroom. When it comes to empathy, it is best to trust your instincts.
4. Trust
On a related note, trust is a key quality to look for in a personal injury lawyer. While you’ll come across many attorneys with the right credentials and qualifications, you need to ask yourself whether this person not only has the expertise but the time and devotion to fight your case.
Trust is the cornerstone of the attorney-client relationship. Since you’ll be sharing personal information with them about your circumstances and injuries, it’s important to trust them from the beginning. A good way to build trust with a lawyer is to ask them as many questions as possible before entering into a service agreement with them – if they are open and willing to answer your questions truthfully, it is a sign of their trustworthiness.
5. Fees
One of the biggest fears that most clients have when looking for a lawyer is the cost of legal fees. However, you’ll find that the majority of personal injury lawyers work on a no-win, no fee basis. This contingency means that the lawyer will only claim their fee once everything is settled. According to crockettlawgroup.com, this model works because the attorney knows that they are working for nothing unless they win your case.
6. Availability
Lastly, you need to make sure your lawyer is fully available to give your case the attention it deserves. You don’t want to hire someone who is dividing their attention between too many clients, no matter how good their reputation is or how appealing their rates may be. The benefit of working with a lawyer from a large firm is that there will always be a strong support network to assist you with queries and keep you up-to-date, if your lawyer is otherwise occupied. If you need more help be sure to check joestephenslaw.com.
Furthermore, since their fee is usually a percentage of your compensation package, this acts as motivation for them to get you the best possible settlement. When you are looking for a lawyer, beware of firms that don’t explain fee structures clearly. It also important to ask if there are any additional costs you’d have to factor in. For instance, although firms may work on contingency, they may request you cover the cost of expenses. At the end of the day, a good lawyer will have the confidence in their abilities to work on a contingency basis.
Having to file a personal injury lawsuit isn’t something that many of us wish to do. However receiving adequate compensation from the guilty party is an important step towards closure and being able to put the incident behind you. For your case to be filed successfully so that you receive a decent settlement, it helps to have a good personal injury lawyer by your side. Hopefully, now that you’ve learned a bit more about the qualities that make a good lawyer, it will help you to narrow down your choices and hire the best person to represent your interests at this tough time.
