If you thought you can pick any lawyer to defend your case, you should start thinking again. Fact is that it is absolutely essential to pick the right lawyer to represent you in court. Because this simply increases your chances for a successful recovery. The insurance companies out there have enough financial resources to get the best lawyers with high specializations. So, the skills of your lawyer will play a vital role in how much compensation you get, in case you do. If you are an injury victim, time to learn the tricks.
If you were wondering how to pick the best lawyer/attorney without a big bill, you’ve come to the right place. Firstly, do not ever hire a personal injury lawyer from only the ads you see online. These “wannabe” lawyers will try their best to sell their firm to you. But settling quickly for the first lawyer you get is going to hurt your case. So, consider the following tips when you start looking for a lawyer that can represent your case in the court.
Tip #1: Use The Sources
There are sources that you can consult when you start your hunt for the best lawyer in town. You can go to online websites such as The Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry to find out how these personal injury lawyers are rated by their fellow lawyers. There is no official rating system but these reviews can help you out.
Furthermore, you can check Best Lawyers to get a list of peer-reviewed personal injury lawyers and medical malpractice lawyers.
Tip #2: Don’t Be Scared Of Asking Blunt Questions
When you contact a lawyer in your community for your case, you have every right to ask them the questions you need to. One of the main questions that you should ask them is about the percentage of their cases that are referrals from other lawyers. One lawyer can lead you to another one easily. So, the referral system can really help your case.
Tip #3: Beware Of Solicitation Letters
A lot of personal injury lawyers out there obtain traffic accident reports. Then the firm finds out the name and address of the accident victim. After this, the victim receives a solicitation letter which includes an offer for them. That the firm is willing to represent their case in the court. It is very normal for an accident victim to receive twenty and above solicitation letters. However, choosing a lawyer based on solicitation letters can really hurt your case.
Tip #4: Know What “No Fee If No Recovery” Means
A contingent fee will mean that you will not be charged any fee by the attorney if you receive a recovery. As long as the fee is a percentage of the sum you receive. But, it is not that simple and you have to be very careful when making a decision here. If the lawyer fails the case, you will not owe him or her anything. Because one-third of no recovery is no fee for the lawyer. This is different than the case expenses which are paid to third parties to make your case going.
Tip #5: Consider The Categories Your Lawyer Falls Under
Some lawyers are mostly general practitioners, meaning they handle almost every type of legal case out there. But if you have a serious case of personal injury, you should go for a lawyer that handles personal injury cases on day-in and day-out basis. A general practitioner in your case will be the wrong kind of decision.
With that, you should also consider their duration. How long have they handled personal injury cases for? The fee they charge does not determine how long they have spent in the industry. Lawyers with 3 years of experience will charge you the same as someone with 25 years of experience. So, you should ask your attorney about their practice duration instead.
Hopefully, these five important tips will help you screen-out your options before you land on the best one. Because in the end, getting a recovery is necessary and a lawyer that is no match for the insurance company’s lawyer will do you no good.