A Guide to Picking the Right Attorney After a Serious Injury
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By PAGE Editor
It's not easy to find the right attorney after a serious injury. You might be too confused or in too much pain to know what questions to ask, or even where to begin looking for a good lawyer. After all, the wrong choice could result in your claim being dismissed outright, leaving you with nothing but a bigger hospital bill and a permanent lack of feeling in one of your fingers. This guide will give you some insight on how to pick the best possible attorney for your case.
Research
One of the first things to do is research the lawyers who are available in your area. Many cities have personal injury attorneys advertising on billboards and hanging flyers on supermarket doors. These are usually not for people with serious injuries, but rather will be for people who slipped and fell at a grocery store or someone whose dog was bitten by another animal. You should definitely avoid these advertisements as they are most likely designed for those with minor injuries, not those with severe damage from a car accident or construction site.
Instead, you'll want to find an advertisement from a law firm that specializes in serious injury claims. For example, if you've been involved in a car accident where three people were killed and two others severely injured, it would be a good idea to seek a personal injury attorney that deals with serious injury cases.
You can easily find these advertisements, as well as law firms' contact information, by visiting the website for the State Bar Association where you live. This is a great place to start.
Experience
Once you've found a few advertisements for personal injury lawyers, it's time to start looking at their experience. Whatever kind of serious injury you have, chances are it has happened before. The lawyers at www.herrmanandherrman.com explain that it's best to get an attorney who specializes in your type of case because this lawyer will know exactly what needs to be done in your case and how quickly they need to act in order to get the most results.
Get Different Price Quotes
Once you have a list of potential lawyers, it's time to start calling them up and asking a few questions. You can start with something easy like "What is your fee structure?" In fact, you should even get different price quotes from a few different attorneys. This ensures that you're getting the best possible deal for your claim.
Many will work exclusively on contingency fees, which means they'll get paid when they win or settle your claim (usually somewhere around 30%). You should definitely ask what an attorney's fee structure is before allowing the lawyer to represent your claim, as it's important to be familiar with any fees that will come out of your settlement.
Customer Service
Of course, the most important aspect of dealing with any personal injury attorney is how you will communicate with them. No matter how serious your case is, there's no need to deal with a lawyer who gives off even the slightest impression that he or she doesn't care about your claim.
There are many ways to find out if an attorney has good customer service. You can call them up and try talking to a secretary or assistant. If you're put on hold for several minutes at a time, it might be a sign that the lawyer is too busy with other clients. Another good way to find out about customer service is by asking for a consultation. Most attorneys will offer one free of charge so it's worth going in and seeing what kind of rapport you have with an attorney before committing your claim to them.
Look For Negotiation Skills
In addition to customer service, you'll also want to find out about a lawyer's negotiation skills. A good attorney will be able to negotiate a settlement that gives you the best possible compensation for your injuries. In some cases, this might mean going to court and having a judge decide on an appropriate amount for your claim.
Regardless of whether or not you go to trial, finding an attorney with great negotiation skills is important because it ensures you can get what you deserve at every step of the process. For example, if a lawyer has had success negotiating lower medical bills from doctors, then there's a big chance that they can have your car repairs done at a cheaper cost than what the insurance company would give you directly.
With so many attorneys available these days, it's important to find one who specializes in cases like yours and has experience handling them. Most lawyers offer consultations, so that is something you should definitely take advantage of. Finally, it's important to find an attorney with good customer service and negotiation skills.
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