Finding a good personal injury attorney is not always easy. In case you’re willing to take your case to court, you want to hire someone with enough experience to handle your personal injury claim to your benefit. If you’re not sure what to look for in a good lawyer, we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll show you how to find the right lawyer to represent you in court and what you look for in his or her resume to determine whether they are qualified for the job.
Finding Someone with the Right Background
The practice of law became increasingly specialized in the last couple of years. In practice, this means that not every lawyer knows how to deal with a personal injury case, regardless of experience and years spent in the courtroom.
That’s why one of your first tasks is to find someone that represented claimants in many personal injury cases. Sometimes, you might come across lawyers that worked with insurance companies that know exactly how these cases work. However, if they haven’t worked on the other side, they might be too accustomed to working with companies and might not fight hard for the plaintiffs.
On the other hand, anyone with experience representing personal injury defendants or companies can be a real asset, especially in big personal injury cases.
Accepting Your Case
Looking for a lawyer might be easy, but getting them to work on your case is not. Every lawyer has the right to reject you as a client and redirect you to someone else.
As most injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, they will receive the money only after winning the case. This type of arrangement is good when you’re expected to get a significant amount of money. Another reason for rejecting the claim might be the odds to win the case, as certain lawyers like to maintain a winning streak. Plus, if the sum you’re likely to receive is small, most lawyers will not accept your case.
The solution to the problem is to offer your lawyer an hourly fee to pay for their time and useful advice. Once you have that out of the way, there’s no doubt that every personal injury lawyer with over 45 years of combined experience in Houston will get your case to a favorable outcome. With a seasoned lawyer by your side, your chances of winning will improve significantly.
Arrange a Meeting
On paper, everyone can sound perfect for your case. But only when you arrange a meeting can you access if that person is a good match to discuss your claim. As most lawyers don’t charge the first consultation, it might be great to discuss the case’s basics and see the lawyer’s opinion regarding its outcome.
The first meeting is important since the injury lawyer can access the case, so it’s necessary to bring all the paperwork. Documents like police reports, income loss information, medical bills, or insurance company correspondence are useful as they show the scope of your claim’s damage and seriousness.
Experience in Personal Injury Cases
Always try to find more about the firm or individual lawyer and their previous experiences in these matters. It’s important to know how long they’re in practice or whether they’re working with plaintiffs or defendants.
When it comes to working with law firms, keep in mind that large offices don’t invest too much of their time and concern into small personal injury cases. On the contrary, if you decide to go to a small law firm, they’ll give you all their attention, and you might be surprised with the number of great lawyers you might come across there.
Work Towards the Same Goal
After you’ve found a lawyer and discussed all the details of the personal injury case, the last thing to agree upon is the amount of money you’re expecting from the settlement. With a lot of different strategies at their disposal, the lawyer should discuss the various options on how to approach the matter.
Working with a personal injury lawyer you trust is a great first step in the right direction. Someone experienced will know how to make all the right moves and help you get decent compensation for everything you’ve been through. Or, even if things turn the other way, it can wrap up your case and finish it in the right moment.