According to the American Bar Association, the U.S. is home to roughly 1.3 million lawyers. Conservative estimates suggest about 10% of these lawyers work in personal injury. This should make it relatively easy to find a personal injury attorney, but it may also leave you wondering which one is the right personal injury lawyer for your case.
So, what is an effective way to choose a personal injury attorney? Take a look at our tips from industry insiders below to see how you can select the right lawyer for your personal injury case.
Look for a Personal Injury Lawyer With Extensive Experience
IBISWorld reports that the personal injury industry is currently worth over $50 billion. This figure could increase in value soon, too, since Americans continue to file hundreds of thousands of personal injury lawsuits each year.
Since the personal injury industry has experienced such a boom in recent years, many younger lawyers are making personal injury their focus. This could lead to you working with an inexperienced personal injury attorney if you aren’t careful.
The right personal injury lawyer is usually one who has extensive experience within the industry relevant to your circumstances. They can provide valuable insight on personal injury cases while you work with them rather than seeming like they’re learning on the job while tackling your case.
Contact our team today so we can fight to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Search for a Personal Injury Lawyer With Knowledge in the Right Areas
One of the many reasons the personal injury industry has grown to be as big as it is today is that it encompasses many different practice areas. People often associate personal injury cases with car accidents, truck accidents, and other motor vehicle collisions.
However, these are just a few areas where a personal injury lawyer might provide legal assistance. Other examples include:
- Slips and falls
- Dog bites
- Construction accidents
- And more
The right personal injury lawyer will offer the specific services you need. They’ll have the knowledge it takes to gather evidence and argue your particular type of case in court.
Read Through Client Reviews for a Personal Injury Lawyer
A recent survey suggested that about 98% of Americans read online reviews for products they buy before purchasing them, at least occasionally. Many people won’t buy something as simple as toothpaste, socks, or light bulbs without checking out reviews for them first.
So, why not take the same approach when deciding on the right personal injury lawyer? Spend at least a little time sifting through the client reviews people have left for them in the past to see what you can expect in working with them.
If a personal injury attorney has a long list of positive reviews from former clients, this will show that you can likely count on them to do a respectable job when working on your case. If they have almost nothing but negative reviews, this will serve as a red flag and indicate you should stay away from them.
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Seek the Services of a Personal Injury Lawyer With a Proven Track Record
As you read through client reviews for a personal injury lawyer, pay attention to more than just the ratings people have provided. You, of course, want to have a four- or five-star attorney in your corner for a personal injury case, but you also want someone with a proven track record.
Find reviews for a personal injury lawyer from clients who brought the same type of case to them as you’re preparing to bring. Focus on those who have made clients happy while working on this type of case to put yourself in a better position to choose the right personal injury lawyer in your area.
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Compare a Personal Injury Lawyer’s Contingency Fee With Their Competitors’ Fees
Ideally, you should avoid working with a personal injury lawyer who charges clients by the hour or asks them to pay a retainer fee up front. Instead, opt for one who will only collect a contingency fee if they help you earn a legal victory. This can prevent you from paying a lawyer a bunch of money to represent you, only to come up short in court.
Compare the contingency fees that different personal injury lawyers in your city charge, too. The average contingency fee typically lands in the 30 to 40% range.
If you hire a lawyer who charges less than that, they might not have the experience you’re looking for. If they charge more than that, their contingency fee could eat up a large portion of a settlement or judgment and leave you with less than anticipated.
Locate a Personal Injury Lawyer With a Winning Personality
Personal injury lawsuits have earned a reputation for taking a long time to play out. Even if a personal injury attorney negotiates a fair settlement in your case, it could still take months to reach this point. In the event they can’t work out a settlement, you could spend several years in limbo as your case hangs in the balance in court.
For each of these reasons, you should search for a personal injury lawyer with a good personality. Make it your mission to hire an attorney with excellent communication skills and a knack for putting complicated legal jargon into layman’s terms.
Find someone who is more than happy to answer questions and address concerns, too, while carrying out the other responsibilities of a personal injury lawyer. This can help make an otherwise stressful legal situation so much easier.
Trying To Track Down the Right Personal Injury Lawyer? Accident Hotline Can Assist You
Locating the right personal injury lawyer isn’t always as easy as you might initially think, especially when there are so many options to consider.
Accident Hotline has a nationwide network of personal injury attorneys, including those in New Jersey, Montana, Washington, Georgia, and elsewhere. Contact us to find a personal injury lawyer and refer to the glossary on our site to learn some of the key personal injury definitions you need to know.
For a free consultation, call 888-340-7454