1. Get a lawyer who specializes in Personal Injury law.
Personal injury law is complex and comprised of many specific regulations and procedures. Attorney’s that specialize in trusts, bankruptcies, wills, or divorces can be versatile, but lack expertise. They usually don’t take cases to trial and insurance companies can lowball them with that knowledge.
Your representation quality is at risk if you select an attorney that doesn’t specialize in personal injury law.
2. Choose an attorney with a history of taking cases to trial if necessary.
Many attorneys that handle personal injury cases have never seen the inside of a courtroom. Once they get your case, they’ll pressure you to settle for a less than you deserve. Insurance companies can be assertive. If they think your attorney is afraid of the courtroom, they’ll take control of negotiations and make absurd offers and make no effort to settle your case.
They know your attorney’s bark is worse than his bite and will push you to fold when he sees that they won’t budge. If your attorney won’t present a case in front of a jury, the insurance company will know it, giving them the power in negotiations.
3. Pick a personal injury lawyer with a proven history.
If you’ve got a big case with serious injuries, it’s imperative to know your attorney can deliver the goods with a large settlement. Don’t be afraid to ask your attorney how many million dollar settlements he’s had. Find out if he’s a member of the Million Dollar Advocates? They’re a group of attorneys who’ve tried cases and made settlements upwards of a million dollars.
Not all cases are worth such a high amount, but knowing that your attorney has handled those cases gives you the assurance they can deliver the goods.
4. Hire an attorney that’s an active member of State and National Trial Lawyer Groups.
Legitimate personal injury lawyers cooperate, participate, and learn from other distinguished personal injury attorneys.
In today’s atmosphere where insurers won’t hesitate to use underhanded tricks to make an injured person look bad, it’s vital to be informed and prepared for what the insurers might have up their sleeve.
5. Choose an attorney with the resources to take your case in earnest.
Does your attorney look successful? Is their office in a closet or does it look like they’re struggling financially? Does your attorney have the financial means to prep for your case? Personal injury cases are expensive to assemble. Lawyers need experts to strengthen a case. Typically doctors require depositions taken and later need to appear in Court. Experts like accident reconstructionists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, economists, and life care planners may be needed for the case as well.
The expenses for a case can exceed $100,000+ if prepared correctly. You need to ensure that your attorney has the resources to play with the big boys.
6. Your attorney should welcome you to talking to his past clients.
If the attorney is good they won’t have any problem with allowing you to talk to their past clients? Any attorney that’s proven his worth has a history of satisfied clients that you can speak to.
If your attorney won’t allow you to speak to past clients, you should consider that perhaps there’s a reason for that. If they’ve done a poor job in the past then of course they don’t want you to speak to their clients.
7. Keep a lawyer who’s lectured or written on personal injury law.
Ask any attorney you’re looking to hire about any publications they’ve had in personal injury field and they’ve given any presentations on personal injury law.
Have they presented publicly like on a TV show where they’ve talked dealing with personal injury issues. If the personal injury lawyer has never given presentations or never published in the field, then you should reconsider how much he really knows about his field.