Nobody wishes to get involved in an accident. Especially when they’re careful, but someone’s negligence gets them injured.
If you or your family member is injured, you’ll most probably require to hire a personal injury lawyer. You deserve compensation for your injuries and loss.
However, the process is a challenging one. Your lawyer will help you go through it and get the compensation you deserve.
But, you’ll have to choose the lawyer and hire them to represent you. You want to get the best lawyer in the field, workers compensation lawyer and especially one with experience. Here’s what to look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer.
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What to Look for when Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer
1. Experience
An injury claim seeks compensation for medical bills, lost wages, other losses, and even future medical needs. If you are not paid for the amount you deserve, you might not get the medical attention you require. Some injuries will also affect your ability to work, so you may not earn income.
An experienced lawyer will know how to handle the insurance company’s adjuster and legal team and negotiate for the rightful pay. Also, they know what the documents and reports required to prove injury and liability.
2. Reputation
Hiring an attorney with a positive reputation increases your chances of getting your deserved compensation.
If the insurer knows the lawyer handles their case fairly and in the right way, you’ll be at better odds to get your case resolved quickly and probably get the amount you deserve.
Additionally, you don’t want an unscrupulous lawyer handling your case. They might try unprofessional means like forging the documents to get your claim settled. But this will put you at risk of losing the whole compensation altogether.
3. Practice Areas
You’ve probably heard of a “Jack of all trades.” You may be tempted to hire a lawyer who also practices criminal law, business law, divorce, and other practice areas. However, they might be a “master of none.”
You are better off with a lawyer who specializes in personal injury law. They may have unique skills and experience in determining liability, gathering evidence, and negotiating on your behalf. They will also be better at estimating the value of your claim.
4. Attorney Fees
Most personal injury attorneys require a contingency fee. This means you will only pay them after the settlement has been made. The lawyer’s fee is usually a percentage of the total amount settled.
There are usually no upfront fees, and you won’t receive any lawyer bills in the mail. Many lawyers also offer a free initial consultation.
Ensure you know the percentage of the lawyer’s fee so that you can make an informed decision. If you feel the fee is too high and cannot afford it, you can opt for regular consultation instead of hiring them.
5. Trial Experience
A lawyer might be experienced in dealing with insurers’ legal team and adjusters, but how about the trial experience? On the rare occasion that the insurer doesn’t want to settle or offers less than you deserve, the claim can go to court.
The jury will determine how much you should be paid. Thus, the lawyer needs to convince them by building a strong case.
Look for a lawyer who has experience taking personal injury cases to trial and history for high settlements. Otherwise, if your case goes to trial and they can’t convincingly present your case, you’ll probably get less than you deserve.
Hire an Experienced Lawyer
We can’t stress enough how vital hiring an experienced lawyer is. At Anderson and Anderson, we offer personalized and professional experience when handling your case. We have a reputation of standing up for our clients until they get the compensation they deserve, even if it means taking it to trial.
