The good news is that you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. But, before you do anything else, it's important to think about how you can get the best possible outcome. Legal experts can help you with this.
In this article, we will discuss 5 things to consider when choosing a personal injury lawyer.
1. Does The Lawyer Specialise In Personal Injury?
Not all lawyers are created equal. Some lawyers may specialise in criminal law while others may specialise in family law. When it comes to finding a personal injury lawyer, you want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with specialises in this area of law.
On average, 2 million drivers experience a permanent injury every year in the U.S. Getting a lawyer who has experience in not only handling car accident cases but also in dealing with the insurance companies, is critical to ensuring you get the best possible outcome.
2. Does The Lawyer Have Experience With Your Type Of Injury?
There are different types of personal injury cases: car accidents, slip, and fall accidents, medical malpractice, and more. You want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with has experience in handling cases that are similar to yours.
For example, if you were in a car accident, you want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with has experience in handling car accident cases. A few questions you may want to ask the lawyer are:
- How many car accident cases have you handled?
- Did any of those cases go to trial?
- What was the outcome of those cases?
Asking questions like these will give you a better idea of whether or not the lawyer is a good fit for you.
3. If You Are In Hospital, Will The Lawyer Be Able To Make Visits?
If you're in the hospital, you want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with is able to make visits. This is important because you may not be able to come into the office for consultations. Some lawyers have a policy where they will only meet with their clients at their office or in court. Obviously, this is not ideal. You want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with is willing to make hospital visits, regardless of how serious your injuries are. If the lawyer is not willing to make hospital visits, you may want to consider finding a different lawyer.
4. What Type Of References Do They Have?
When you're looking for a personal injury lawyer, it's important to ask for references. You want to make sure that the lawyer you're consulting with has a good track record. Most lawyers will provide you with a list of references upon request. You can also do research on what others have said about working with your potential lawyer by using sites Avvo or Google.
Once you have a list of references, you should reach out to them and ask questions about their experience with the lawyer. Some questions you may want to ask are:
- Did the lawyer keep you updated on the status of your case?
- Were they difficult to work with?
- Did the lawyer return your phone calls in a timely manner?
- Were you happy with the outcome of your case?
After you've asked these questions, you should have a better idea of whether or not this is the right lawyer for you.
5. What Are Their Fees?
Personal injury lawyers typically work on a contingency basis, which means they only get paid if you win your case. The lawyer's fee is typically a percentage of the settlement or verdict. Most personal injury lawyers will charge between 33% to 40% of the total amount.
It's important to ask about fees before you hire your lawyer. You want to make sure that you're comfortable with their fee structure.
Other fees that often come up before a verdict has been reached include standard court fees and the cost of investigating and preparing your case.These fees can add up, so it's important to ask the lawyer for an estimate of how much money upfront you will need in order to budget your case properly and to ensure no surprises pop up.
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