If you’ve been injured in an accident, finding the right lawyer is crucial. You’ll want to put your case in the hands of an experienced attorney. Most importantly, you’ll want to choose an attorney you can trust to obtain financial compensation while considering your goals and interests.
Recommendations
To find the right lawyer, it may be useful to ask friends and family for recommendations. If your friends or family were previously involved in a personal injury case, they’ll likely be able to connect you with an attorney. If you don’t know anyone who was previously involved in a personal injury case, don’t worry — many attorneys’ websites feature testimonies, reviews from previous clients, and case results. The website of one Superwoman Super Lawyer features a list of previous case results with brief descriptions of each case, complete with settlement amounts obtained for the clients. This is a useful tool for potential clients looking for cases analogous to theirs, or looking to get an idea of possible settlement amounts for their claim.
Additionally, many websites offer the option to chat with a personal injury attorney. For instance, if you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in Irvine, a quick Google search will return a multitude of websites that will allow you to chat with an experienced professional for free.
Choosing the best lawyer
Before choosing a lawyer for your case, make sure to explore the options available to you. It’s important to sit down with attorneys to discuss the details of your case and explore possible ways of handling your claim. When meeting with an attorney, don’t forget to bring all relevant paperwork, including a police report of the accident, medical records, and insurance company information. Make sure you have an idea of what you plan to ask for as a settlement. It’s also essential to find out whether the attorney charges for initial consultations.
After discussing your claim, you should inquire into the attorney’s past experience, specifically with personal injury cases. If the lawyer is inexperienced, don’t be afraid to ask whether he or she has a more experienced colleague who would be better able to handle your case. Similarly, if your attorney’s primary experience is representing defendants, you should look for an attorney who has more experience representing plaintiffs.
Settlement
After discussing the details of your case, your attorney will likely tell you how much he or she believes your case to be worth, as well as the likelihood that the insurance company will pay you that amount. Your attorney will take the defendant’s assets and insurance into consideration as payment for damages. If the defendant does not have the means to pay for a high settlement, it’s unlikely that you will receive that amount. Make sure to mentally prepare for a lower amount than the settlement you’re initially asking for.
At this time, you should let your attorney know what you’re looking to get out of your case and the way you’re looking to go about it. For instance, you may want to work toward a settlement that involves the least amount of costs and hassles, or a settlement that can be paid to you as soon as possible. Another option is to work toward the highest amount possible, regardless of time and costs. Choose the option that you’re most comfortable with, and voice to your attorney any questions or concerns you may have about moving forward.
Make sure you’re on the same page with your attorney with regard to what you want to get out of your case. Remember, your attorney’s primary goal should be helping you obtain the financial compensation you deserve while keeping your goals and interests in mind. All in all, the most significant factor in choosing a personal injury attorney is ensuring that you choose someone whose abilities and experience you feel comfortable with.