Post on 16-Jul-2015
How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal Injury Lawyer legal counselors are lawyers who speak to an offended party, somebody who has been wrongfully harmed who wishes to gather harms for their wounds. The settlement will generally cover doctor's facility costs, loss of pay and your agony and enduring. With such a great amount hanging in the balance, how would you pick
Step
Identify lawyers who work in
the jurisdiction you were
injured. Even if you are from out
of state, the lawyer has to
practice in the state where you
were injured. Eg. If you were
injured while visiting Canada but
live in Uk, you must contact a
lawyer who practices in the
Canada area
Step 2
Verify the statute of limitations in the state from Step 1. Depending on the state you usually have 1-3 years since the time of the accident or the time the injury was discovered to file a claim
Step 3
Choose a lawyer who has experience in
your specific type of injury. Some
lawyers specialize in car accidents, others in medical malpractice or bicycle injuries
Step 4
Begin collecting a list of lawyers in your area. Use a search engine like Google or Bing to make a list of lawyers you may be interested in to research further
Step 4
Check your lawyer's report card. Once you have
narrowed down your choices, check the lawyer's
background on niche specific sites like AVVO or Martindale-
Hubbell that score lawyers based on their ability and
notoriety. Also check in with the State's Bar to verify the lawyer is in good standing and has not been disbarred
Step 5
Ask about their fees. Contact multiple law firms in your area and ask
about the lawyer's contingency fee. The contingency fee is the amount of
the settlement your lawyer is entitled to keep as "payment". Usually this is between 25-35% of the settlement
Step 6
Take advantage of free in person consultations. Have important
documents ready when you first meet your lawyer. Some things to
bring include: medical bills, proof of lost income, copies of the accident report and any notes from your doctors about your injuries
Step 7
Choose your attorney. Using your research and gut
instinct choose a lawyer who will best be able to
represent you in your case and let your lawyer handle
all the paperwork and preparation of the case for you