How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Lawyer
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer isn’t just a question of getting a referral or looking in the Yellow Pages. Finding a good personal injury attorney takes a bit of research, and you may even need to meet with a personal injury lawyer before you can tell if he or she is the right one. What should you think about when you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer?
Litigation Experience
Finding a personal injury lawyer with litigation experience can drastically improve your chances of resolving your case successfully. Most personal injury attorneys prefer to settle a case rather than going to trial, and some attorneys will do anything to avoid trial; even settling for a lowball price. A Los Angeles personal injury attorney with litigation experience isn’t afraid to take his case into a courtroom. He can afford to play hardball and get you the recovery you deserve. Many insurers cave and offer settlements just before trial, but if your personal injury attorney is afraid of trial, you may never get that great settlement offer.
Practice Areas
Some personal injury attorneys are great in certain practice areas, but lack the experience to successfully litigate in other areas. When you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer, find one who has experience with the type of case you’ve got. Don’t hire a car accident attorney if you’ve got a medical malpractice case. Make sure the attorney you choose is familiar with the law surrounding your personal injury case.
History of Recoveries
Take a look at the lawyer’s history of recoveries. Many personal injury attorneys now list some of their best recoveries on their websites. If you don’t see a good list of recoveries with reasonable settlement or jury award amounts, the attorney might not have enough experience or may lack a history of getting good settlements.
Personality and Accessibility
Sometimes you just don’t mesh with your lawyer’s personality. You want someone who can empathize with your experience, but you also want someone who can be forceful with opposing counsel and advocate for your rights. You may have to meet with more than one attorney to find the right personality match. Also, consider accessibility. Will you always be talking to a receptionist, or can you speak with the attorney when you want to? Is that even important to you? Answering these questions can help you choose the right lawyer for you.