Knowing how to choose the right personal injury lawyer in Winder for you —means the difference between excellent and subpar handling of your personal injury case. Not all lawyers are alike. Some see the person, while others see the payout.
Many law firms dedicate their time to a managed workload of selected clients, others take on as many clients that walk through the door, minimizing their ability to efficiently dedicate the time your case deserves for an optimal and deserving outcome.
Finding a reputable attorney involves more research than clicking on a sponsored ad on Google. While the law firm represented by the ad may be a good fit for your personal injury case, it’s uncertain without considering these factors before hiring a lawyer.
Identify Your Personal Injury Needs
Personal injury law envelops a multitude of negligent acts and accidents. Choosing the right personal injury attorney for you involves finding one with experience handling cases like yours. Common personal injury needs include:
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home injuries and abuse
- Birth injuries
- Wrongful death
- Car accidents
- Trucks accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slip and falls
- Dog bites
Some personal injury firms have attorneys skilled in different areas of personal injury law, while others focus on specific types. Finding a lawyer who best represents your precise needs is crucial for obtaining maximum compensation from liable parties.
Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer Who Works on Contingency
Fortunately, most personal injury lawyers work on contingency. That means they require no upfront fees and only get paid if they successfully recover compensation for your claim. There is no reason to hire a personal injury lawyer who requires money upfront.
Schedule Free Consultations to Interview Personal Injury Attorneys
Personal injury attorneys offer free consultations for the initial evaluation of your case. Take advantage of the opportunity to interview a few firms before you hire a personal injury lawyer.
Come prepared with questions and trust your instincts. If something feels off, consult with other firms. There is no cost to you, so speaking to a few before committing poses zero risk. However, there are statute limitations on personal injury claims, so don't wait to consult a lawyer about your case.
Ask the Right Questions
Asking the right questions is vital to determining how to choose the right personal injury attorney for you. Questions that you want answers to include:
- How much is your contingency fee, and will it increase if my case goes to trial?
- What happens if you don't win my case? Will I still owe you any money?
- Which attorney, specifically, will be representing my case from your firm?
- How many personal injury cases have you handled like mine?
- Do you have trial experience handling personal injury claims like mine?
- How long do you anticipate it will take to settle my accident claim?
- How often do you communicate with me about my case, and will you take my calls?
- What issues or challenges do you see with my personal injury case?
- What percentage of your personal injury cases are referrals from other lawyers?
Asking questions about case and trial experience is essential for knowing if your consulting firm is qualified to handle your personal injury claim. Find a different attorney if the attorney you’re interviewing has zero experience with cases like yours.
You don’t go to a cardiologist and ask them to help you with your kidney. Similarly, you don’t have a personal injury attorney who only handles motor vehicle accidents to represent your medical malpractice case.
Research Before Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer for You
Researching before hiring a personal injury lawyer is essential for determining which attorney best represents your case needs. A few things to look into are their credentials, reputation, resources, past case results, trial experience, communication skills, and personal compatibility.
Credentials and Reputation
Research the law firm's credentials and the credentials of the personal injury lawyer representing your case. Look at their education, certifications, and any professional associations they are a part of, as well as disciplinary actions for complaints on their records.
You can check into an attorney's credentials and reputation in the following ways:
- The Better Business Bureau: Visit the Better Business Bureau Lawyer database to explore positive and negative reviews of local personal injury lawyers before hiring one.
- The State Bar Association: You can confirm a personal injury lawyer is in good standing and licensed by visiting the State Bar Association's directory.
- Lawyer Review Sites: Several lawyer review websites, including NOLO, Avvo, and Justia, allow you to read testimonials of local personal injury lawyers.
- Online Reviews: Reading online reviews is another way to investigate an attorney’s reputation. Client reviews on sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook may help better inform your decision.
Keep in mind you'll likely encounter some less-than-favorable reviews. One or two bad reviews may not be a true reflection of their services. However, a history of bad reviews is a red flag warning you to look elsewhere.
Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth referrals. Ask your trusted people if they’ve worked with a reputable personal injury lawyer they can refer you to.
Resources
A personal injury attorney depends on many resources. An experienced attorney will have a valuable network of resources, professionals, and experts to prove negligence and maximize compensation in personal injury claims. Depending on their personal injury areas of practice, their network may include:
- Medical Experts —including general practitioners, OBGYN, surgeons, neurologists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, pediatricians, internists, dentists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
- Rehabilitation Experts —including vocational rehabilitation and physical, occupational, speech, and language therapists.
- Mental Health Experts —including psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and social workers.
- Engineering Experts —including automotive, truck, mechanical, civil, chemical, forensic electrical, aircraft manufacturing, and environmental engineering experts.
The economist expert is a significant member of a personal injury attorney's village. They help assess the financial impact of injuries sustained. Economists employ their knowledge of finance and economics to calculate monetary damages and provide expert testimony in the courtroom, during depositions, and arbitration.
Communication Skills
The right personal injury lawyer for your case will communicate with you about it. They should make complex legal concepts understandable and answer questions directly without side-stepping into complicated legal jargon meant to confuse you.
Note how well an attorney listens and responds to your questions during initial consultations. Does the lawyer you’re speaking to sound knowledgeable, sincere, and passionate about fighting for your financial justice? Or does what they say sound like a sales pitch? Trust your instincts.
Personal Compatibility
Finally, personal compatibility is a significant consideration when choosing the right personal injury attorney. Sometimes, an attorney can be perfectly qualified and reputable, but something is off.
Whether it's personality differences or something you can't put your finger on, your comfort level with an attorney is important. You must trust who you choose to represent your legal interests. Choose a lawyer that instills confidence in their ability to recover compensation for your personal injury claim.
If you have been injured or suffered the wrongful death of a loved one due to personal injury, schedule a free consultation with a local attorney to discuss your legal recourse for obtaining financial compensation for your injuries and other damages.