What You Should Know Before Choosing Personal Injury Lawyers
If you have been the victim of an accident or other personal injury due to no fault of your own, you may be seeking a personal injury lawyer to fight on your behalf to help you get compensation you may deserve. You probably have seen commercials on tv of personal injury lawyers advertising their services and have an impression of what they do and how they work on behalf of their clients. However, personal injury lawyers are not created equal and while personal injury is a particular field of law, within that field there is a wide scope of specialties they may focus on and practice.
We have put together a guide exploring the things you should know and take into consideration when choosing a personal injury lawyer to help you make an informed decision to find the best one for your needs.
First, What is a Personal Injury Lawyer?
A personal injury lawyer is a type of attorney that works on behalf of individuals who have suffered from an injury or an illness due to an accident or at the hands of negligence and are now seeking compensation for their injuries.
Examples of the types of cases personal injury lawyers handle are: car accident lawsuits, work injuries or employees’ compensation lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits, slip and fall lawsuits, medical malpractice (involving lawsuits against healthcare administrators such as doctors, pharmacies or hospitals, etc.
1. Decide What Type of Personal Injury Firm Will Work Best
Personal injury firms may consist of a small practice with only a few attorneys or can be composed of a larger network with a much bigger team of attorneys who work together. One vital question you may ask yourself when choosing a personal injury lawyer is if you want a big, national firm or a smaller, local one. Some individuals may prefer working with a bigger firm with a larger team of attorneys pooling their energies and resources to work on their case. However, bigger firms also have many other cases they are working on. Others may feel it is better to work more closely alongside one or two attorneys in a smaller firm who will be more invested and devoted specifically to their case. Asking yourself such a question will help you decide whether to hire a local firm or a national one, so that you can feel most confident about the type of firm you select.
2.Understand the Firm’s Specialty and Area of Practice
As we briefly touched upon, personal injury law is a rather broad field of law that explores vast complexities that go beyond the concept of a simple personal injury. For example, handling a medical malpractice case is one type of challenge, while employee discrimination offers its own set of nuances a lawyer must understand to fight effectively on your behalf.
To help you decide which firm you should hire for your needs, ask your potential lawyer what areas of personal injury law they specialize in and the kinds of cases they take on. It is important that they focus on and specialize in the area of personal injury law that best suits your particular situation. It is also a good idea to get a sense of their success rate, and how often they win lawsuits for clients for those types of cases, to increase your self-assurance that they have what it takes to work effectively for you, too.
3. Know How the Firm Structures Its Fees
When you begin working with a firm, it is important that you are confident in your decision and also know what to expect in terms of the firm’s cost and fee structures. Different law firms structure their fees differently. Working with a personal injury lawyer can be costly, so it is important to know the kinds of fees that will be expected of you. You should ask your personal injury lawyer how much they charge per hour and if they charge any other additional fees. You should also discuss what expenses will be expected of you in the event that they lose your case, and how that would affect the financial agreement.
4. Schedule a Consultation
Entering into a legal relationship is a major venture, and before you make a commitment to your personal injury lawyer, you should be able to schedule a consultation. A consultation offers both parties, you and your lawyer, the opportunity to assess the situations and your case’s needs. You will be able to determine if your personal injury lawyer can work effectively on your behalf, while the lawyer can gauge the likelihood of winning your case.
Before signing anything or spending any money, it is important to test out your potential personal injury lawyer to evaluate their legitimacy and credibility and ability to work on behalf of your needs.
If you suffered from a personal injury at the hands of negligence or an accident due to no fault of your own, you may be eligible for compensation. And the lawyers at the Whittemore Law Group may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve. Reach out to us today for a consultation.
