How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been in an accident, seriously consider contacting an experienced personal injury attorney rather than trying to sort things out on your own. Personal injury attorneys have experience negotiating fair settlements with insurance companies and those at fault. Personal injury attorneys are also able to pull from experts and evidence to provide a more accurate estimate of the actual damages you suffered, in terms of injuries, treatments, therapy, lost wages, lost quality of life, etc.

If you have never met with a personal injury attorney before, you may wonder how you can find a good one, how exactly they help you, and what you should ask them. So here are some suggestions for choosing a personal injury lawyer.

How Do I Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer?

It can be difficult to tell whether someone is a good personal injury lawyer. But there are some guidelines you can follow to help you find a good one.

First, make sure you look for a lawyer who practices in the state where you live or the state where you were injured.

Second, look for lawyers who handle your kind of case. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, look for a personal injury lawyer who handles car crash cases. You can usually find this information on their website.

Third, once you have a working list, check and see if there have been any disciplinary actions filed against the lawyer you are thinking of contacting.

Fourth, find out what you can online. Look at the attorney’s website and content, check for reviews, both good and bad. You should be able to find out enough information to decide if you are willing to do a consultation with them.

Fifth, schedule an initial consultation. Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations, since most work on a contingency basis rather than charging by the hour. After you meet with the lawyer, you should have a good idea of whether it’s a good fit.

The initial consultation provides you not just with an opportunity to get to know an attorney and decide if you want to hire them, but also to get some of your questions about the process answered.

Question to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

When you go in for an initial consultation with a lawyer (or meet over the phone), there are a number of questions you can ask in order to figure out if the lawyer is a good fit for you, how they can help, and how they work.

For instance:

• How many years have you been practicing?
• How many personal injury claims have you handled? How many were successful?
• How many cases like mine have you handled (for example, the specific category like slip and fall, construction, car accident cases)?
• Do I have other options besides filing a lawsuit?
• How much do you charge?
• If there are anticipated expenses that I must pay, what are they?
• How much do you think my case is worth?
• What kinds of resources do you bring in if the case goes to trial?
• How long do you think it will take to resolve my claim?
• What is the statute of limitations on my claim (the amount of time you have under the law to bring a claim once the accident happens)?
• Will you handle this case yourself or will it go to another attorney?

These questions can give you a good idea of what would be expected of you and what the lawyer will do if you hire them. And that brings up another question — what exactly does a personal injury lawyer do?

What Do Personal Injury Lawyers Do?

An experienced personal injury lawyer will start off by listening to you tell your account in its entirety, and provide an opinion on whether you have a case, and how strong your case is. While you are deciding on whether to hire the lawyer, they are also deciding whether to take your case.

If you both decide to proceed, your lawyer will start gathering evidence to support your case. This may mean hiring an investigator, speaking with witnesses and police, and examining the evidence and records that you provide.

They will also counsel you about the process, how long it could take, what is involved, what results you might expect, etc. A good personal injury attorney will zealously fight for your right to the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.

That could include payment for:

• Property damage or vehicle damage
• Medical bills
• Loss of income, current and future
• Loss of ability to take care of your family
• Pain and suffering caused by your injuries.

Let Jim Leach Help With Your Personal Injury Case

If you have a serious case, you need a serious lawyer. Jim Leach Attorneys at Law has been working in the personal injury field since 1995, providing exceptional client service and representation for accident victims in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and surrounding areas in Wood County, and in Marietta, Ohio, and surrounding areas in Washington County.

If you are not sure that you need a lawyer, come talk to us anyway. We’d be happy to discuss your case and provide you with some free advice.

But know that you do not have to do it on your own. We are here for you. Studies show that accident victims receive more money when they work with a lawyer than when they represent themselves.

If you have been injured as a result of someone’s negligence, you deserve fair compensation. Our attorneys are dedicated to making sure that you get the compensation you deserve and that and your family are treated with compassion.

We won’t take your case unless we believe we can get a better outcome for you than you can on your own. Don’t settle for less than you deserve, both in resolving your case, and choosing your attorney.