After an accident or injury, you may wonder if it is worth hiring a personal injury attorney. The answer will almost always be YES. Working with an experienced attorney will help the process go more smoothly and maximize your chances of receiving fair compensation.
Why You Should Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
The benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer begin with their specialization in personal injury law. As a specialist, they are better able to stay up to date with any changes to laws that may affect you and your case. It also means that they have more experience dealing with situations like yours. The experience of personal injury law firms helps you get the compensation you deserve. It would be best if you never attempted to handle the situation yourself. You already have to deal with injuries and should not have to worry about legal complexities. This fact is another reason to hire a personal injury lawyer. Instead of wasting your time learning about the relevant laws or filing tedious paperwork, you can focus on healing. Your attorney will already know the laws and have experience completing the necessary paperwork. Hiring an accident attorney also reduces the risk of important documents being misfiled or you missing deadlines. Moreover, an experienced injury attorney is already familiar with the local courts, and the other processes involved. They can guide you through everything, reducing your stress. Don’t forget that the experience of personal injury lawyers also makes them well-equipped to determine whether you are being offered a good deal in a settlement. They will know the amount you are likely to receive. They will also know how to craft the argument to show that the other party should be held liable for your injuries.
When to Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
You should always contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible following the car accident or slip and fall. This will help ensure that you do not make any early mistakes that could hurt your chances of getting fair compensation. Hiring a personal injury lawyer early on, also relieves your stress. They can handle the insurance company or at least walk you through the process. The other reason to contact injury attorneys as soon as possible is that this makes it easier for them to collect evidence. It tends to be more challenging to gather evidence as time passes, which can weaken your case. Contacting the lawyer right away allows them to gather evidence while it is still easier to access. It also simply gives them more time to do so.
How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer
You now know why you hire a personal injury lawyer, but how do you choose the right one? This is an important decision, as you want someone that you can count on.
Check Their Practice Areas
Start by looking for attorneys with a relevant practice area. While you could hire an attorney, hiring a personal injury attorney will be the best choice because of their experience in personal injury law.
On top of that, many personal injury lawyers tend to specialize in a set of cases. Look for a lawyer who specializes in your type of case. So, if your injuries are from a car accident, find a lawyer who specializes in personal injuries from car accidents. If they are from a slip and fall at work, look for one specializing in workplace injuries. Some personal injury law firms may have several specialized practice areas.
Talk to the Attorneys or Firms
After you find a few options for personal injury attorneys, take the time to talk to a few of them. This lets you confirm that they are easy to communicate with in order to discuss your case. It also gives you the chance to ask about past cases and the typical outcomes. During the conversation, ask them what they expect from your case. Find out if you would likely have to go in front of a judge and jury or if they hope for an out-of-court settlement.
This is also the time to confirm who will work on your case. If you choose to work with a large law firm, your case may get relegated to less experienced lawyers or paralegals. No matter the firm you work with, you should expect paralegals to handle part of your case, but the lawyer should be involved in most of it.
Ask About Payment
Be sure to ask the lawyer about payment as well. Some personal injury lawyers charge an hourly fee or a retainer, while others work on a contingency basis and only charge if you win your claim. Neither is necessarily better than the other. It depends on your situation.
Check Their Reviews
Go online and see what former clients have to say about the attorney or the firm. You would be surprised what you can learn!
