If you are currently looking for a personal injury lawyer, your life is probably in a place where it’s recently been turned upside down. If your life has been drastically changed by the negligence or malpractice of supposed professionals or other humans, you’ll want to find a great personal injury lawyer who will be able to get you the best possible compensation for your situation. According to The de la Garza Law Group, a Houston personal injury law firm, “for some clients, avoiding the need for a potentially long trial is a primary concern, while for others being able to hold an at-fault party publicly responsible for their actions is important.” No matter what approach you desire, here are some basic things to look for in any personal injury lawyer.
A Specialized Practice
Because of the number of cases where people may want compensation for personal injury, there are a multitude of lawyers and law firms that purport to do personal injury law. While larger law firms may be able to do it all, the vast majority will have certain focuses that they will be better at getting results for. Getting a lawyer or firm that specializes in personal injury is the first step to getting the best possible results.
Experience and Track Record
In addition to having a specialized focus on personal injury law, you’ll also want a lawyer with extensive trial experience and a proven track record. There are some lawyers who are more experienced in settling cases out of court, but the last thing you want is for your lawyer to be actively trying to settle out of court. Insurance companies are able to sniff these types of lawyers out and will be adept at settling for less – which means a smaller compensation for you. In addition, a lawyer with a proven track record will also put pressure on insurance companies to give you fair compensation for your personal injury case.
Necessary Resources
If you choose a microfirm or individual lawyer with less experience, no matter how good your attorney looks on paper, you may find yourself stuck with a lawyer who doesn’t have the resources to properly pursue your case. Many personal injury cases require serious and extensive investigation, which can get expensive quickly for an attorney without the necessary resources. Being able to hire medical experts and other professionals may be the difference between winning and losing a personal injury case, and you deserve an attorney with the resources to make it happen.
Referrals
The biggest difference between a mediocre lawyer and an exceptional one is in the quality of their referrals. Some lawyers get their cases through ads and people who click on the firm with the most advertising dollars behind them on Google. An exceptional lawyer, however, will receive the majority of their cases through referrals from satisfied clients or other lawyers. This reflects the skill of their representation and the proven track record that will make insurance companies more likely to give you better compensation.
Contingency Fees
When looking at lawyers, you will probably also have it at the back of your mind that you will eventually have to pay them. There is one method of paying for lawyers that is almost unique to personal injury law – the idea of contingency fees. What this means is that you won’t pay your attorney’s fees unless you are successful in your case. If your lawyer agrees to be paid on contingency, this means that they are confident in your case and your cause and believe that they are likely to get you impressive compensation for damages.
By following these tips, you will be able to find a personal injury lawyer that will represent you well against the insurance companies, ensuring that your claim and your rights are protected while maximizing your recovery of damages.
