Choosing the right personal injury lawyer can be an intimidating experience. You have just been through an accident involving a serious injury, and now you have to find a lawyer to file your claim.
Searching on the internet for a list of personal injury attorneys will give you a ton of results, probably leaving you further confused.
Below is a list of tips to help you in the process of finding the right personal injury lawyer for your case. Let’s get started.
Factors to Consider in Choosing a Good Personal Injury Lawyer
If you want to find the best lawyer for your case, the Orange County personal injury lawyers of DiMarco Araujo Montevideo recommend using the following process.
1. Start with Personal Referrals
One of the easiest ways to proceed is to ask friends or family members for help regarding a lawyer. If any of your friends or family members have been in a case involving a personal injury claim in the past, their recommendation may give you peace of mind.
You should try to ask them as many details as possible. Look at whether your friend or family member was satisfied with the outcome of the case. Ask whether the lawyer was able to respond to all their questions and concerns. Try to determine whether the attorney they are recommending has adequate experience in handling personal injury cases like yours.
2. Look for Personal Injury Attorneys in Online Directories
Another way to sort through personal injury lawyers for your case would be to look at online legal directories. You will have to proceed with a bit of caution here, however, because some of these websites simply advertise for lawyers who pay a fee. If you find a lawyer from a directory, do subsequent research such as reading their online reviews.
3. Make a List of Factors that are Important to You
It is important to identify any particular needs that you might have while considering the services of a personal injury lawyer. The kind of accident that you were involved in may lead you to someone with expertise in a particular kind of case. Some of the criteria that you want to keep in mind would involve the lawyer’s experience in your type of case, the lawyer’s availability to take your case, the track record and credentials of the lawyer and the law firm, how the lawyer handles case fees, and information you get from client testimonials.
Referring to such a list can aid you in shortening the search process by helping you dismiss lawyers who do meet your search criteria.
4. Prepare a List of Lawyers to Meet
Once you have completed a list of important criteria, you should compile a list of those lawyers whom you want to meet with. Most personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation so they can determine if you have a case. Schedule some free consultations with your list of lawyers, and during the meeting make them aware of the facts of your case. Then you can both determine whether they would be a good fit to deal with your case.
Only choose those who meet most of your requirements. Do not be coerced into hiring them if they don’t feel like a good fit, because they will benefit by receiving part of the compensation that you get. You want to make sure they genuinely have your best interests in mind.
5. Check Out Each Lawyer’s Credentials and Track Record
It is equally important to look at the track record of each lawyer that you are interviewing. In this context, you can consider things such as client testimonials, years of experience, case results, and collective experience of the law firm. Choosing a bigger firm may not always be better, as the lawyers may be too busy to give you the attention you want. A young attorney with less experience might be preferred, especially if the firm has a record of great service with exceptional client representation. Big firms, however, generally have more experience with a variety of cases.
6. Consider Your Settlement Goals
You also need to consider your goals while searching for a personal injury lawyer. If you want a quick settlement, choose a firm with experienced negotiators. If your case is complicated and could well end up in a trial, you need a law firm with seasoned trial attorneys.
Every firm and lawyer has a different approach. Some may be concerned with getting a quick settlement with as few costs and hassles as possible. Others may get you more than the insurance company had initially agreed. Another firm might be working to maximize your compensation, no matter what time is involved.
Choosing a personal injury lawyer is an important decision. You should consider the quality of communication they have with you, how quickly they are available to answer your queries, and the overall efficiency of the staff and attorneys. Schedule some consultations, ask good questions, and trust your gut.
