Personal injury cases are particularly sensitive to handle. Many clients are dealing with lifelong physical trauma, as well as mental trauma that comes from serious incidents like car accidents and dog bites. So, how do you find the best personal injury attorney for your needs? The process is fairly simple. It’s a combination of understanding how the field of personal injury law works and what you should expect through the process.
How do I find the best personal injury attorney?
First and foremost, if you find yourself in need of a personal injury lawyer it’s important that you sit down and organize every important piece of information that you have. Things like medical bills and police reports will help whoever you consult with decide whether your case has the potential to win. On the other hand, don’t wait until you have every possible piece of information to consult with a lawyer.
Once you have whatever information you have gathered, begin looking for an attorney that has experience representing plaintiffs. Not all attorneys represent plaintiffs and going with someone who has experience working for insurance companies means that you may not get the highest quality representation possible
Consider Communication
The judicial system moves at a notoriously slow pace. This means that you’ll be spending a lot of time waiting. You’ll be waiting for papers to be filed, depositions to happen, back and forth between the insurance company, doctors, and anyone else involved, and so much more.
You’ll want an attorney who is skilled at not just communicating with all of the major players of the case, but also keeping in touch with you.
Many lawyers make it a point to call, and email because this is the best way to ensure clients are kept up-to-date on everything that’s going on. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your lawyer, ask questions, and be in the know. Likewise, your lawyer should be ready and willing to talk with you whenever you have questions. They should also respond to emails and voicemails within a reasonable timeframe (that doesn’t mean immediately!).
Knowing that your attorney is available to communicate with you is the best way to ensure you’ll be kept up-to-date on everything you need to know about your case.
Check Reviews
Taking the time to research the attorney you’re interested in hiring and reading their reviews can save you tons of time. Beware of attorneys who have reviews where people complain about poor time management and communication. You want to make sure anyone you hire has given proven results to others in similar situations.
Understand The Lawyer’s Personal Injury Experience
You need an attorney who has experience working in personal injury. These types of cases require an extreme attention to detail and experience with them is an absolute must. You don’t want to be someone’s guinea pig. Look for someone with several years in the industry and those who might deal with your specific type of case. For example, if you were injured in a motorcycle accident then look for someone with experience in motorcycle injuries. If you were a victim of a drunk driving accident make sure your attorney has experience in drunk driving cases.
How Payment Works
Personal injury attorneys are usually paid on a contingency basis. This means that they make a percentage of your total claim. If an attorney reviews your case and doesn’t see the potential for enough money to be paid out to you, then they aren’t likely to take on your case.
In cases where the potential payout is high, attorneys sometimes decline a case because the chances of winning the full amount are low. Oftentimes this is because a person carries significant blame for their own accident or had insufficient insurance coverage (or no coverage).
At Cohen & Winters, once we take a look at your case and evaluate not just what we think you could get for it, but also how likely it is the insurance company will actually pay out that estimate, you can then begin to decide if our approach is what you want, or if you want to approach it from another direction.
Common approaches include:
- Going “whole hog” and trying to get as much as possible regardless of time – these cases can go on for years
- Getting more than what the insurance company has already offered in the timeliest manner possible
- Settling the case with as few costs and hassle as possible
Have you found yourself in a situation where you need a personal injury attorney and aren’t sure where to start? Get in touch with our experienced personal injury attorney team. We have over 50 years of combined experience and over 100 5-star reviews.
