Filing an insurance claim after an injury is a daunting task. It is difficult to follow up for compensation while healing from your injury. It is, therefore, advisable to get an excellent personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers come in handy for compensation for injuries, damages and losses brought by the negligence of another party or entity. It would be best if you considered the following things in the quest to get a good personal injury lawyer.
- First, develop the specifications or criteria for selecting a personal injury lawyer
It is important to first decide on how to pay the lawyer. It could be on a percentage of the amount paid. Some charge an up-front fee. Others may work on a contingency fee basis, whereby they are paid only when the claim is successful and is paid. Other criteria that one could use are:
- Success in handling cases that are similar to yours
- The credentials and experience of the personal injury lawyer
- Amount of fees charged
- Criteria for charging their fees.
- Satisfaction and expertise, as well as referrals by their other clients
- Duration in handling their claim cases
- Size of the law firm in terms of resources and capacity
- Years that the law firm has been in operation
Having set the criteria for selecting the right personal injury lawyer for you, you can now proceed to the actual search.
2.) Consider their experience and success in handling personal injury claims
It would be best to look at several personal injury lawyers’ success rates to settle for a good one. The track record does not lie. It attests to the capability and experience of the lawyer that you may want to hire. The higher the success of compensation claims, the higher your chances of a favorable outcome. It also means that your claim will be paid on time.
In the practice of law, many lawyers specialize in different areas. Do not seek lawyers specializing in criminal, financial, or other fields. They may not be very successful in personal injury claims since this is not their area. Go for a personal injury lawyer.
3.) Seek referrals from other people
It is good to ask other people, like friends and family, for the names of the good personal injury lawyers they know. Some of your friends or family may have worked with or heard of a good personal injury lawyer whom they can refer to you.
The best people to assist in identifying a good personal injury lawyer are those that have been assisted in receiving a claim. You can ask them how the personal injury lawyer handled their compensation claim in detail. Please get to know about their experience and their level of satisfaction after working with the lawyer. It is also good to ask whether they would recommend them to someone else. If yes, they put the personal injury lawyer on your list for consideration.
4.) Consider the size of the law firm
A large law firm would have enough resources and workforce to handle your case well and expeditiously. Therefore, the cost and the expected claim must be balanced. Large firms may charge more. They could also be more inclined to handle cases that bring them more money than personal injury claims.
The other advantage of working with large firms is that a personal claims lawyer with less experience in such a firm has enough support to win the case. Such law firms also have different departments specializing in different types of cases. They could have a department specializing in personal injury claims, financial law, criminal, civil, and land law. It ensures that the personal injury lawyer has adequate resources and experience to succeed in your claims.
5.) Search for Personal injury lawyers online
Most personal injury lawyers have an online presence through their websites, Facebook pages, Instagram, and other online mediums. The internet has made it possible to get personal injury lawyers by searching using search engines like google.
Therefore, looking for a personal injury lawyer near you is very easy. Use online rating sites to see the ratings of the personal injury lawyers you find online. Check the reviews and comments by prior clients to know what they have to say about their service and professionalism.
Please know whether they would recommend the personal injury lawyer to someone else. Also, check whether the clients were happy with the service they received.
6.) Mode of payment
It is important that you work with your personal injury lawyer on a contingency-fee-basis. It means you get to pay them a percentage of the amount you receive from the claim. If the claim does not succeed, you do not have the burden of paying the personal injury lawyer from your pocket.
Do not agree to pay the lawyer on an hourly basis. It would mean that you are paying them from your pocket at a time when you are struggling to recover from trauma.
Paying your personal injury lawyer on a contingency fee basis causes the lawyer to give their all. It helps you towards the speedy completion of the claim and get better compensation.
7.) Visit various personal injury lawyers before making a decision
Make a point of visiting the various personal injury lawyers you have selected to enquire more. Get to know about their services, mode of payment, and availability. Also, enquire whether they are willing to take up your case. It is not automatic that once you visit the personal injury lawyer, they will take the case.
They may have too many other court commitments to take up your personal injury compensation claim. Some may also be unwilling to take up the claim since they operate on hourly charges. Therefore having a list of several potential personal injury lawyers helps you stay calm. Shortlist and visit at least five personal injury lawyers.
In conclusion
Do due diligence in getting the best personal injury lawyer because this will determine whether you will get compensation.
