Tips to Selecting the best lawyer for your Personal Injury Case

The first thing you want to do when choosing a lawyer is to sit down with your possible legal representation and discuss the details of your claim and the possible ways of handling it.

Make sure you bring copies of all the important documents including:

• police reports
• medical records and bills
• income loss information
• all correspondence with the insurance company.

Critical Questions to Ask your Personal Injury Lawyer

After you tell your attorney what your case entails, there are a few basic things you will want to ask your attorney:

1. How long have you been in practice?
2. On average, what percentage of the law firm practice involves personal injury cases? 
3. Do you represent plaintiffs more often or defendants? You will want to be represented by someone who has experience in personal injury law but who has foremost been representing defendants. Their style and perception of cases may be too closely tied to the attitudes of insurance companies, and they may not fight as hard-consciously or unconsciously for your claim   
4. Will you be personally handling my case or will it be passed along to another perhaps less experienced lawyer in office? It isn’t out of the ordinary (especially at larger law firms) to have more than one attorney in an office working on the same case and to have less experienced attorneys handle routine tasks. Find out which lawyer will be taking charge of the case and which one will be handling routine tasks.

In most instances, after being injured in an accident, you will quickly become bombarded with questions from doctors, insurance companies, and law enforcement.

Hiring a personal injury attorney to handle your accident injury can help you feel at ease when you have so much on your plate so quickly.

What you are looking for in a Quality Personal injury Attorney:

• They will give honest advice on whether or not to pursue your case- Hiring an attorney that is experienced with cases like yours can tell you from the beginning whether it is worth filing a claim or not. If you are unlikely to win your case, you can avoid time and expense preparing for litigation.
• Working on a contingency fee basis- Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee, which means that if you don’t win your case, you will not pay any attorney’s fees. However, you will be responsible for costs not directly related to a lawyer’s services, such as the fees doctors charge for reviewing your records or being interviewed.
• Dealing with all legal matters in injury claims- Complicated legal procedures, confusing medical terms, and lots and lots of paperwork are common in personal injury lawsuits. An experienced attorney can work through the maze of paperwork necessary to resolve your claim so that you can get back to your routine. When you meet with your attorney, he or she will ask you to provide documents you have relating to your injury claim.
• Working with investigative teams- A lot of the time, attorneys work with a team of investigators who have experience in specialized areas and will carefully examine the technical aspects of your case.
• Having an unbiased opinion- Anger, pain, frustration, and fear may impact your ability to see the facts clearly. An attorney can provide a fresh look at your case and won’t jump to any rash decisions. For instance, you may be tempted to go for a quick payout, but an attorney could advise you that your best interest would be to wait for an appropriate payout.
• Experience dealing with other lawyers- An experienced personal injury lawyer can deal most efficiently and quickly with the other side’s attorneys. This is especially useful during the fact-finding part of the litigation when parties are required to exchange facts and documents.
• Knowledge negotiating with insurance companies- Personal injury attorneys are comfortable working with insurance companies and will not be confused by their tactics nor easily buckle when pressured to settle for an unsatisfactory amount.
• Getting the highest settlements- Many personal injury claims come to terms by negotiating a settlement instead of going to a trial. By accepting a settlement, the plaintiff gives up the right to sue in exchange for payment from the defendant or insurance company.
• Most favorable jury verdicts- If your case does proceed to trial, a personal injury lawyer can passionately represent you in court and work toward achieving the best possible jury verdict. Your attorney will develop a legal strategy designed to help get you accident compensation available for your injuries.

Use these tips to help select the right Attorney for you and know that if you were injured in an accident, don’t wait to contact a member of our legal team for assistance.

Mandatory time restraints are set in place when filing an injury claim, and if you wait too long, your rights and compensation could be at stake.

Our Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys offer a Free Case Evaluation to help give honest guidance on your case.