How Do I Find the Right Personal Injury Lawyer for My Case?

Once you decide that you need a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim, finding the right one can prove critical. How do you know that you have chosen a good lawyer to handle your case? What questions should you ask to determine whether you have selected the right lawyer for your needs?

Every personal injury victim has a unique claim and unique needs when choosing a lawyer. You need a lawyer that can help focus on your specific needs and increase the compensation you deserve for your injuries. By asking the right questions, you can increase the odds that you found a lawyer who can help with your needs.

Where Can You Find a Lawyer?

You have several options for finding personal injury lawyers to choose from.

1. Talk to friends and family members.

If a friend or family member has used a lawyer, they can give you a good idea of what they liked and did not like about working with that lawyer and provide recommendations. You may find yourself surprised by how much advice a friend or family member can give as you pursue a lawyer to handle your personal injury claim.

2. Use your existing connections.

You want a personal injury lawyer to handle a personal injury claim, not a lawyer who focuses on things like family law or criminal law. However, if you have an existing lawyer that you work with regularly, they may connect you with a personal injury lawyer near you who can handle your claim.

3. Look online.

You may have several options for looking online. A simple Google search can turn up lawyers near you very quickly. You can also use sites like Lawyers.com, Avvo, or LegalZoom to narrow down available lawyers near you and even check out potential recommendations. Make sure you look specifically for personal injury lawyers to handle your personal injury claim.

How Do You Hire a Good Personal Injury Lawyer?

Sometimes, you will simply know that you have found a good personal injury lawyer. You may click with that person or feel confident in your research, often based on the recommendations of someone you trust.

Other times, however, you may find it much more difficult to find the right lawyer for your personal injury claim. Look for these critical elements to help you determine whether you have made a good selection

#1. Choose an attorney that focuses practice in personal injury law.

Personal injury law makes up a very specific subset of laws. An attorney who focuses on another area of law, including family law, likely does not have the niche knowledge to represent your claim.

Think of it like a doctor. If you have a general health need, you might go to your general practitioner. On the other hand, when you know you have a specific need, you see a specialist for your care. You also would not see a doctor who specializes in podiatry when you need an orthopedic surgeon to take a look at a wrist injury.

The same goes for law. When you need to file a personal injury claim against another party that has committed an act of  against you, you need a personal injury lawyer to handle that claim.

#2. Look for a lawyer who practices in the jurisdiction where you need to file your claim.

If you need to file a personal injury claim in Florida, you want a lawyer who practices in Florida to take on your claim. Ideally, you should choose a lawyer who works in the county where you will file the claim.

Personal injury laws may, in some cases, vary by state. If you work with an attorney who does not have basic familiarity with the laws in your state, that lawyer may not provide you with the same standard of legal advice you could receive from a lawyer who knows the local area.

Furthermore, a lawyer who works in the local area may have a better idea of how to navigate the local court system. That lawyer may know local judges or have presented claims in those courts before, which may provide you with a better blueprint for how to move forward with your claim the most effectively.

#3. Check reviews online.

As you do your research online about an attorney, take the time to read through reviews. Keep in mind that not every review will offer an honest assessment of actually working with the attorney both when it comes to good reviews and when it comes to bad ones.

Instead, look for overall consistency. Consider what people, on the whole, seem to think about working with a specific attorney and how that information might apply to your claim. A good look at those reviews can help you decide who to contact.

#4. Ask about the law firm’s current schedule and client load before you make a decision.

When you need a lawyer, you may not want to hire a little-known law firm that has an extremely small client base and an equally small office staff.

On the other hand, before you sign a contract with a larger law firm, make sure the firm has room on its schedule to handle the needs of your case. You do not want a lawyer who rushes through the details of your case or fails to give it the attention it deserves. Even if you have a relatively small personal injury claim, you want your lawyer to help maximize the compensation you can recover.

By going over the law firm’s current client load ahead of time, you may get a better idea of whether the law firm can provide you with the attention you need and deserve as you manage your claim.

#5. Look at the law firm’s experience.

When you look at a law firm’s past cases, you want to see two key things: what types of claims the firm has handled in the past, and what types of results the firm has acquired for its clients.

The Firm’s Past Claims

When you take a look at the firm’s past claims, you will get a better idea of what types of cases the firm has handled in the past. Does the firm, and the specific lawyer you intend to use, primarily have experience with car accident claims? Does the lawyer prefer to focus on handling larger injuries, like traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury? Has the lawyer successfully navigated premises liability claims in the past?

As you hire a lawyer to help with your personal injury claim, you want, when possible, a lawyer who has dealt with claims much like yours before. Ideally, you want a lawyer who has experience navigating those types of claims so that you have confidence that your lawyer understands the law as related to those claims and will provide the support you need to move forward with your claim.

The Results

When it comes to a personal injury claim, results matter. You want a lawyer who has successfully obtained results for past clients: one who has helped those clients maximize their compensation and will likely provide the same support for you. Consider the types of cases the law firm has taken in the place as well as the actual dollar amounts.

#6. Ask who, at the firm, will handle your claim.

Sometimes, law firms will have very experienced, well-known lawyers with a proven history of successful results on their letterhead and displayed prominently on their website. As you research your law firm, you may notice that those lawyers have a proven history of results and appear in local news articles fairly regularly.

If you have a low-profile claim, those lawyers might not handle your case. You may find yourself dealing with junior partners or partners who do not have the same experience

which may work out just fine.

The lawyer you meet with for your free consultation may not handle your claim. Sometimes, a lawyer with availability will handle that vital face-to-face meeting for the first time, but someone else may handle your case.

As the victim of a serious accident, you need to feel comfortable regarding who actually handles your claim. Before you select a law firm, make sure you know which lawyer will actively manage your case and what that may mean for your future efforts.

#7. Talk about the lawyer’s preferred communication style ahead of time.

Communication can prove critical as you navigate a personal injury claim.

The compensation you recover through your personal injury claim matters. You need that compensation to help cover the cost of your medical bills, manage the other expenses you have dealt with after your accident, and provide assistance rebuilding your life, especially if you suffered the kinds of injuries that will require you to make modifications to your lifestyle or your work. You need to hear back from your lawyer, and you need to feel confident that you will remain informed about your case.

What method does the lawyer prefer to use to communicate?

Think about how you prefer to receive communications. Do you prefer phone calls, or do you dread talking on the phone? Do you appreciate text messages or email updates? You want a lawyer whose preferred communication style matches yours, when possible.

Not only does a matching communication style make it easier for you to get in touch with your lawyer, since you can easily send off a message, but you may also find that matching communication styles makes you more comfortable hearing from your lawyer. For example, you don’t want to find yourself cringing when the phone rings, especially if your lawyer just wants to ask a quick question or deliver an update.

How often does the lawyer usually communicate?

If you prefer to hear updates at every step of the way, including those moments when your lawyer might not have much to report, make sure you choose a lawyer who does exactly that. On the other hand, if you want to remain hands-off with the case, letting the lawyer handle it unless they need something from you, make sure you choose a lawyer who won’t contact you with unnecessary updates.

#8. Ask what the lawyer feels he or she can recover in compensation for your injuries.

During your initial consultation, ask the lawyer how much he feels he can recover for your specific injuries. Ideally, you want a lawyer who feels relatively confident that he can recover the compensation you deserve.

That does not automatically mean that you should go with the lawyer that offers the highest number, especially if you contact a lawyer who seems to offer a number vastly different from the number provided by other lawyers. However, you do not want to go with a lawyer who offers a very low number or who does not seem to feel that you deserve adequate compensation for your injuries.

#9. Request contact information for past clients.

If you have questions about what working with a lawyer will look like, a past client can provide you with the best idea of what to expect. Many lawyers will connect you with past clients: those they have represented and worked with in the past, and who will let you know what they appreciated most about working with them.

Choosing the right lawyer for your personal injury claim can prove incredibly personal. You want a lawyer who fits your unique needs and has experience with the type of claim you need to file and one who will fight for you as you manage your claim. Start the research process early and contact an attorney as soon after your accident as possible for the support you deserve.