Many people find it difficult to find the right attorney for their case. This could be for a car accident, slip & fall, dog bite or premises liability. How do you begin to search or conduct a Google search? How can you tell if an advertisement is being clicked on when you search online? What qualifications should my lawyer hold? What experience should my lawyer have
Top 7 Signs That You Have Hired the Best Attorney for Your Case
- Experience
- Results
- Trial victories
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Objectivity
- Pragmatic Optimism
These are just some of the many questions you might have if you need the best legal representation. Finding the right attorney to represent you after a car accident, or any other type of injury can prove difficult.
Here are the top 7 signs that you have hired a reputable lawyer to represent your personal injury case. We will also discuss how to file a claim following a car accident, or any other type of personal injury.
These are the Top 7 Signs You Have Found a Good Personal Injury Lawyers
1. Experience
It is important to hire an experienced attorney for any type personal injury case. This means that, beyond the years of experience a lawyer has, it is important to search for someone with a broad background.
You might ask yourself a few questions (or have someone else determine during the traditionally free consultation phase).
Is the lawyer just passing the Bar Exam to start a boutique law firm? Or does he/she have experience working in an established law firm with veteran lawyers?
Is the attorney still practicing in this area or did they switch to another focus?
How much experience have they had with sub-subsets of the law (dog bite, car accident, etc.) if the attorney has been practicing a particular area of law, such as personal injury? )?
What amount of experience has the attorney in handling your particular type of claim? If it is a case involving a car accident, how many cases has the attorney closed successfully?
2. Results
The results speak for themselves, but there are a few specific results that can be easily determined and that you might want to take into consideration:
An attorney’s win/loss record, or “win percentage”
The amount of damages that an attorney has recouped for clients through settlements and verdicts
The win/loss record of the attorney and the time taken to recover the total damages amount (i.e. It’s not as notable as $100 million in 20 years, but $10 million over 50 is not nearly as impressive as $100 million over the same period.
3. Trial victories
You should ask potential candidates whether they are willing to take cases to trial. A large number of lawyers don’t have any trial or courtroom experience, contrary to popular belief. This can lead to cases being dropped or closed if the case is not settled. This can mean that you will need to begin the attorney search process again. Depending on the statute, your claim may be at risk.
Ask your attorney if they have experience in trial work before you hire them. In the event of a settlement not being reached with the at-fault party, or their insurance company, you should ask if the attorney is willing and able take your case to court.
4. Honesty
You should have open communication with prospective attorneys about all aspects of your case, from their experience to how long it may take to settle your case to the estimated value of your claim, and of course the fees they will charge you if your case is successful.
Your claim for a car accident injury is not worth one million dollars. However, if you only suffered a minor injury and have had to pay a few thousand dollars in medical expenses, you may be entitled to a settlement. An attorney should inform you of this. If you have been seriously injured due to another party’s negligence, and an attorney says you should expect to receive a settlement that is much lower than your total expenses and losses as a result of the crash, you need to run and find someone trustworthy to represent you.
5. Integrity
A lawyer’s integrity can be demonstrated in many ways. For example, they might be willing to disclose a conflict of interest and respectfully decline your case accordingly. Or even let you know if they have made a mistake.
6. Objectivity
Integrity goes hand-in-hand. An attorney who is objective is more likely to make sound decisions for you. An attorney should not accept a case if there is any conflict of interest or bias. It’s crucial to ensure that your candidate remains objective from the first consultation until the day of trial.
7. Pragmatic Optimism
Your lawyer should be enthusiastic and positive about your case’s potential success. It’s important to assess if your lawyer is too optimistic or grounded in reality. An attorney who is cautiously optimistic regarding a case could be a sign they are able to see the bigger picture. They will try their best to ensure that your case succeeds, but there is no guarantee. This principle should be adhered to by both the clients and their legal representatives.