Being involved in an accident due to someone else’s fault and being injured is something that can happen with literally zero warning. You never know when life throws you a curveball and everything changes. Before you even know it, you start looking for a personal injury lawyer. But, who can you trust? A great way to choose is to look for the following things.
Solid Settlement Record
Never hire a personal injury attorney who does not have a good record of highly successful judgments and settlements. You can see testimonials on the law firm’s website but this should not be your only source of information. You should make sure to look for the records yourself so you are 100% sure they are correct.
A clear sign you found a wrong lawyer is when they pressure you into accepting low offers from insurance companies. This is particularly the case if the settlement would not even cover medical bills. The same goes when the attorney is not willing to negotiate. You can always negotiate. Look for someone else immediately.
Precise Specialization
Personal injury law covers several specialties. You cannot just look for the first injury attorney and expect everything to go perfectly. For instance, if you were involved in a truck accident, you want to hire the lawyer who has exact experience in dealing with truck crashes. If you were the victim of a negligent doctor, you need to hire a medical malpractice attorney.
The reason why you want precise specialization is that such attorneys already dealt with several cases similar to yours in the past. This means they have access to resources and connections that will be very beneficial for your case.
Empathy
When you need the services of a personal injury attorney, you go through a really challenging and painful time in your life. You have to adjust to the accident, you try to heal, you miss work, and bills keep getting higher and higher. There is even a possibility your life will change forever. Due to all this, you have to work with an attorney who feels true empathy for you.
The chosen personal injury lawyer has to articulate what you feel in front of insurance adjusters and maybe even a jury. You should always trust your instincts. Whenever you see that the attorney is distant or cold, simply walk away and look for someone else.
You Only Pay When You Win The Case
The best personal injury attorneys will only charge you when the case is won under the form of a percentage of the final settlement amount or jury verdict. If the case is not successful, the attorney does not get paid. This type of arrangement is very important since it helps victims.
If you see that your attorney asks you to pay for his hours or anything like that, the best thing you can do is look for someone else. You surely want to hire the very best personal injury attorney. To do this, you should only consider those using the contingency fee system.