If you have been seriously injured and are looking to hire a law firm or individual attorney to obtain the compensation you want, there are some very important things to consider. I’ll cover the three that we think are the most important.
Any lawyer should not
Don’t call just any attorney; you need one who specializes in personal injury cases. Personal injury is a very particular area of law and when the stakes are so high, you want an expert in that area to represent you!
These attorneys know how the insurance industry works and how to get results. There is a lot more involved here than just getting money. A good injury attorney will know how and where to access the various community services that will be an important part of your journey back to health.
I know this sounds pretty “tiring”, but you want to ask for referrals from people they have represented in the past. Ask them for customer references. Check them out on Google; you may be surprised what you can find. It is always best to interview at least different attorneys / law firms before making a decision.
What is your track record?
Are they successful in getting their clients the money and help they deserve, too? What you want to know is what amounts have been obtained by others in a similar circumstance. Just because, in most cases, the law firm will get a percentage of the final settlement does not always mean that it will get the maximum amount possible. Maybe they were quickly settled out of court just to make a quick buck.
Most of these cases are settled out of court, but you still need to educate yourself on what is fair and what is not. Because recovery can take months or even years or maybe not at all, don’t settle just because it is recommended. Do your homework.
Good communication!
Communication is a very important part of the process. Ask how and how often it will be updated and from whom. In personal injury cases, there is an “immediate need” for information because there is pain and suffering and time is of the essence. You don’t want to sit around not knowing what’s going on with your file. There is tremendous emotional stress associated with physical injury and good communication is essential to your mental health and you are well through recovery.
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