If you have been injured, or have lost a loved one in an accident, the first thing you will need is to represent your case in front of the honourable court to justify your rights. And, to do this, you will be needing a professional personal injury lawyer near you.
But, how do you choose the right lawyer? Will the lawyer be good enough to get the full amount of compensation you deserve? Does this lawyer handle cases like yours? Doing some research before hiring an attorney helps you to make better decision to find the right personal injury attorney.
Ask for recommendations
Start by asking friends, relatives, and co-workers for recommendations. This does not mean that you will necessarily use one of the lawyers they recommend, but it does offer a starting point. Since, there are so many lawyers to choose from, you will climb the wall trying to get started without having a few names to start with. Try to collect the names of at least three or four personal injury lawyers.
Do a Google search
In addition to personal recommendations, you can start your search on the internet. However, not all personal injury lawyer work in all areas. If you have been bitten by a dog, you definitely do not want to hire a lawyer who has never dealt with a dog bite case. So when searching, be sure to include a description of your injury or accident.
In addition, when you meet a lawyer for the first time, you should be asking few questions about your case. If you are satisfied with the answers, you have found the right personal injury lawyer to represent your case.
Questions about your attorney’s payment
One of the most common questions that a personal injury lawyer receives is how much does he charge for his services? Most personal injury attorneys do not work hourly, but on a contingent fee basis. Which means that they do not charge fees to their clients until they successfully negotiate a settlement, or win a court sentence when they maintain a percentage of this award.
Conclusion
After choosing a lawyer that you would like to represent, and the lawyer agrees to accept the case, the lawyer will provide youwith some documents to sign, including a contract that describes the details of your working relationship. You must read these documents carefully, and understand everything you are signing.
