It is time to hire a lawyer if you have been hurt in an accident. These guidelines will help you navigate the process.
Are you a generalist or a specialist?
While your divorce lawyer may have done an excellent job for you, he might not be the right choice for your injury case. Look for a lawyer that focuses on injury cases.
Make a list of questions
You should personalize your list of questions. So don’t be afraid to use your imagination. These are some questions you might want to include on your list.
A. What is her experience in injury law?
Notably, five years is a good time. To learn any law area, it takes five years.
b. What are the cases she has handled?
Notable: She has five years of experience and would likely have handled more than 100 cases.
c. Has she dealt with cases similar to yours?
Not all cases must be handled by the same attorney, but it is a plus if you have a unique case.
d. Which settlement or verdict is her largest?
Notice: Even though your case is $50,000, it might not be relevant that she has many half-million cases.
Is there any article she has published on personal injury law?
Notice: This indicates a genuine interest in injury lawyers and the ability to communicate in writing. This is important because most of the negotiation in an injury case happens via written communication.
f. Have she spoken with other lawyers about injury subjects?
Notice: This shows an interest not only in injury law, but also a public speaking ability that could prove to be valuable for the courtroom.
g. Will she really work on your case?”
Noting: A lawyer who has more experience will work on larger cases. A junior lawyer may be assigned to small cases. As long as the senior attorney is still supervising the activities, this is no problem.
h. Is she certified in injury law?
Not all states offer board certification in injury laws. However, if your state does and your attorney has obtained it, it is a good sign.
i. Is she covered for malpractice?
This coverage is almost guaranteed for all injury lawyers who are successful. It is a red flag if your candidate doesn’t have this coverage.
j. What is the value of your case?
Notably, most successful lawyers won’t give you an estimate of the case’s value without reviewing your medical records and bills. To get you signed up, some lawyers will give you an estimate of the case’s value. Don’t fall for this. Avoid any lawyer who does this.
K. Why do you think she should take care of your case?
This question is similar to the questions asked at the end beauty pageants. This gives the lawyer an opportunity to sell herself.
Once you have compiled your questions list, it’s time to begin searching. These are some ways to compile your candidate lists.
Refer a friend
An experienced lawyer in injury law will be recommended by your divorce lawyer. Ask your lawyer for a recommendation. Your chiropractor may be able refer you to an experienced injury lawyer if you’re seeing a chiropractor who is skilled in treating injury cases. Your friends might have had great experiences with their injury lawyer.
Search the Internet
Nearly all lawyers and law firms have a website. Start by searching for “Wisconsin personal injury lawyer” or “Albuquerque injury attorney”.
Complete your List
Use your internet research to find the right injury lawyers candidates.
Get in touch
Once you have created your list, it’s time to start communicating with your candidates. Send an email or call. Find out how long it takes them to reply.
Reduce your List
You can remove from your file any lawyers who took longer than 24 hours to respond to you.
Talk to them on the phone
Use your list of questions to guide you in a phone conversation with each candidate lawyer. Get to know them. What do they think about your case?
Schedule an appointment
Make an appointment with the lawyer/lawyers you feel most at ease. You can trust your gut instincts when choosing who to meet with. This appointment is generally free of charge. This is called an “initial consult”. This allows you to get to know your lawyer better. Bring your questions. You are now ready to find more answers.
Make a decision
It is possible to feel confident enough at your first appointment that you make a decision. You can use your intuition again. You’ll probably be able to tell when you have found the right match.
Conclusion
It’s like any major life decision. You need to do your research and then draw an inductive conclusion. You usually need both research and intuition to make great decisions. Hiring a lawyer is no exception.