It is a fact that who you choose to represent you can be one of the most important decisions you make regarding a personal injury case. While the percentages charged by personal injury attorneys are usually very uniform, how much money you end up taking home can depend greatly on the attorney you select.

 

Here are some tips on how to choose a top-notch personal injury attorney to help you.

 

ASK QUESTIONS

 

1. What results has the attorney achieved with the type of case that you have?

 

This is important because there are many personal injury areas such as truck accident or product liability that require specific expertise not found in other personal injury cases.  It is also important that you look at results from the type of case that you have because that is what will matter in the end. The fact that an attorney has a huge verdict or settlements in a business dispute is not proof that they are right for your personal injury case.

 

The more experienced the attorney the better. You do not need an attorney learning on the job with your case. Generally, the longer the attorney has been in practice the better.

If you have been hit by an 18-wheeler, you should look for an attorney who specializes in 18-wheeler truck accident cases. 

2.  If you sign up with this law firm who actually will be doing the work on your case?

 

It is best to require a specific answer to this question because if you get a vague answer such as “I’ll be overseeing it”, or anything other than a firm commitment that the attorney you are choosing will handle it themselves, the odds are pretty good that you’re going to get handed off to an inexperienced associate.


The key consideration is which attorney is actually going to do the work on your case. Who will take the depositions and respond to the court?


Do not make the mistake of hiring a top firm and getting junior lawyer.

 

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

 

Investigating potential attorneys requires a little bit of time up front, but can save you a lot of heartache later on. Some of the things you will want to research through ratings or reviews of former clients include the following:

 

A)   What kind of reputation does the attorney have?

 

 Look at peer review ratings from other attorneys and client reviews for clues on how your case may be handled by the law firm or attorney.

 

B)  Will this attorney return your telephone calls or be responsive to your questions?

 

One of the biggest problems with personal injury attorneys as they are not paid by the hour. Therefore, many try to minimize their time in a file in order to make it as profitable as possible. If you suspect you will have a hard time getting the attorney to return your telephone calls or getting a straight answer from the office, you may want to look elsewhere.

 

C)  Does this attorney have a volume practice?

 

 A busy attorney can be a very good attorney but a poor choice for your case. The higher volume of cases the attorney handles the less likely you are to be satisfied with the representation.

 

D)   Do you feel comfortable with this attorney?

 

If you get a gut feeling that your attorney may not be trustworthy, honest or straightforward, you are better off passing on this choice and looking for a different attorney. The best attorneys are ethical.

 

E)  What does the office look like?

 

 An attorney with an organized, efficient and tastefully decorated office is likely to treat your case with the same respect. Likewise, if the office is a mess and there is paperwork everywhere, is this really someone you want working on your case?

 

F)  How do you feel about the staff?

 

 How professional the staff is speaks volumes about the attorney and their expectations for your case. Frequently quite a bit of client interaction occurs with the staff and it is important that you are comfortable with them as well as the attorney.

 

 By doing your due diligence before you sign paperwork engaging the attorney you can improve the odds of selecting the best attorney for your case. The most important thing for you to feel is that you are comfortable with the attorney and the law firm.

 

Often, people are referred to a law firm or attorney and hire them before having done research only to find out later on that they made a poor choice.

 

Personal injury lawsuits can, in some cases, last years and it is extremely important that the attorney you choose be the one that is best for your case.