How should you hire someone to litigate a case?
Injuries caused by negligence of another person can permanently alter your financial situation and life. Your medical bills can be hundreds of thousand of dollars high if you suffer chronic or permanent pain from your injury, are forced to change careers or miss significant work time because of the inability to do tasks that were previously possible, and/or require several therapies.
Ideally, the insurance company would cover all costs. The insurance company will be reluctant to give you your full settlement because it would mean they'd lose money. Their interest is paramount. These insurance companies have lawyers who are experienced and can make it difficult for you to represent yourself. According to research, plaintiffs that hire personal injury attorneys have a higher chance of getting verdicts and settlements than those who file claims by themselves.
It's true that there are many law firms. If you live in Florida, you will see more lawyer ads than you can count. What do you look for when choosing a lawyer? Which attorney should you trust? You should remember that the amount recovered could have a direct impact on your healing process and even affect your overall quality of life.
The task of selecting a personal injury attorney can seem daunting. Here are some of the things you need to verify, and questions that you can ask yourself during your research.
As a first step, make sure that the lawyer you are considering is really a personal injury lawyer. An experienced personal injury lawyer will know medical terminology, diagnoses, as well as negligence laws. Criminal and real estate lawyers would, for instance, lack the niche knowledge and experience that you need.
Local lawyers are best suited to the case. They should be from the same area as the accident, either in the city where it happened or the surrounding state. You will need a lawyer who is local - preferably in your city or community but definitely within the region of your state where the accident occurred.
It is important to find a lawyer that has an excellent reputation. It's not good to see only negative reviews or ones that are unenthusiastic on an attorney's Google page or Facebook profile. If you have friends or coworkers who are familiar with the attorneys that interest you, ask them if their opinion is similar to yours.
In the same vein, you should also look into their own legal history. If you want to know if an attorney has ever received complaints or been suspended, then it is easy to check their disciplinary records. If you are in Florida, visit the Florida State Bar's website and type the bar number of your attorney to see all negative marks ).
It may be advisable to search for a firm or lawyer that is specialized in the type of injury case you have. You may choose a personal injuries firm that is primarily focused on motorcycle accidents if, for example, you are injured in an accident. A car accident lawyer may not be able to provide the same quality litigation if your loved one suffered injuries due nursing home neglect.
Hire a personal-injury attorney that has extensive experience in courtroom litigation. Finding out whether they've had a successful track record is obvious. Lawyers that consistently lose are losing for good reasons.
You should not choose a lawyer solely based on word-of-mouth recommendations. Also, do some research online! Google the candidate's name and look at their website to see if you can find any useful information. You can ask lawyers questions such as how many other cases similar to yours have they handled and the outcome, how many of their attorneys will handle your case, for how long, and continue reading about the fee structure. Do not be afraid to pose blunt questions. You're worth it, and your lawyer will be willing to answer all of them.