What You Must Consider When Choosing a Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury cases are quite common. This may be due to a dog bite, slip, and fall, medical negligence, work injury, or even a car accident. It would be imperative for you to hire a personal injury attorney to represent your case in court and ensure you get the justice you deserve.

With several personal injury attorneys handling such cases, you’ll need to be cautious before settling on the one you need to take over your case. If you’re facing such a situation, don’t fret since we at Flagler Personal Injury Group have your back.

Below, we’ve summed up what you should consider when choosing a right personal injury lawyer. 

1. Location

Different locations have different by-laws governing their legal system. While hiring an attorney, you should consider hiring an attorney who operates within your area since they are more familiar with the legal outline of that location. Picking a local attorney may be an added advantage since they will easily commute for court sessions as they may be familiar with how that particular court operates. Face-to-face consultations will also be made easier due to proximity. 

2. Area of Specialty

Just like other careers, the law also has various branches such as family law, criminal law, personal injury law, and many more. While searching for an attorney, choose one who has focused on personal injury law. The chosen lawyer should know the strategies and tricks required to win such cases since it is their main area of practice. That should give you an upper hand since they know their way around that field over those who have specialized in other areas.

3. Experience

Experience matters. Go for a lawyer who has handled several cases similar to yours. You don’t want an attorney who’ll use your case to gain legal experience. The more cases an attorney handles, the more the skills and knowledge are increased. An attorney who has tackled insurance defense cases before may be in a better position to handle your case. This is because they are well versed in how insurance companies assess and handle cases.

You should also consider an attorney’s trial experience. According to a study conducted by Christopher John Bodnar and Tracy Walter McCormack, most attorneys fail to reveal their lack of skills and trial experience. Ensure and confirm the lawyer you are to hire has trial experience should your case proceed to court. They should be well-acquainted on how to handle a jury. 4. Fee Structure and Billing

A large number of personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency-fee-basis. This means that the attorney only receives a percentage of the total amount received by their client once the case settles. On the other hand, other attorneys demand payment upfront irrespective of whether they’ll lose or win the case. Before deciding on your pick, familiarize yourself with the billing and fee structure of that law firm to avoid future surprises. 

5. Reviews and References

References and reviews should be another vital factor under consideration while vetting for possible personal injury attorneys. Hiring a lawyer may not be the same as shopping on eBay or Amazon, but you should probably check any existing online and Google reviews. The better the reviews, the better the choice. 

Apart from reviews, you can also consider references from colleagues, family, friends, and other attorneys offering the same services. These references can be a great way to obtain valuable leads worth a follow-up

6. Aggression

Insurance companies and their legal teams often strive to pay as little as possible. Remember, Insurance companies are business entities and not charity. To handle their lawyers, you also need a competent personal injury lawyer who is not only enthusiastic but eager to represent their clients aggressively.

This is the simple reason why reputation matters for many lawyers. If your lawyer doesn’t have that extra edge, then you should look for one who will ensure you find justice. Besides doing general research, ask relevant questions. Find out if the lawyer has handled such cases before and what the outcome was. This way, you can gauge their level of aggression.

Finding the best personal injury attorney should not be as overwhelming as it seems. As long as you know what you’re looking for in an attorney, the above tips should come in handy.

At Flagler Personal Injury Group, we have a group of top-rated and tough personal injury lawyers who will stop at nothing to ensure you’re well represented. Contact us today for more information on our services.