Personal injuries can be traumatic, painful, and life changing events. What is even worse is when you know another party is responsible for your injuries. You may be worried you will be left with a disability, reduced quality of life, or the inability to continue making a steady income. If any of these are the case, you should sue in a court of law. However, choosing the right lawyer can be tricky.
Consider Whether or Not You Have a Personal Injury Case
While you may still want to seek a consultation with a lawyer, it’s good to have some knowledge of what personal injury law entails. Just because you were injured does not mean you have a case. Instead, another party’s actions or negligence must have played a role. This other party can be a human being, a business, a corporation, or some other entity. However, there must have been some kind of duty of care that was breached that led to your injury.
Hire the Right Kind of Lawyer
There are a lot of attorneys out there. Unfortunately, not every lawyer should be hired for every case. Instead, what you should be looking for is a specialist. While you may know a lawyer who represented you in a family law case, that same lawyer is probably not the best choice for a personal injury case.
Instead, you need to search for a personal injury lawyer with years of experience representing clients with cases very similar to yours. While a lawyer may know something about personal injury law, that is not the same as having tangible experience in the courtroom. It’s also a good idea to ensure that the personal injury lawyer you choose has experience with your specific type of injury.
Check Their Track Record
Finding an attorney that claims to represent clients in personal injury lawsuits is one thing. Finding one with a good track record doing so is another thing entirely. Make sure to investigate an attorney’s track record regarding different cases. This should include any damages received via jury awards. It should also include settlements reached out of court.
Make Sure They Know the Local Legal System
However, you should also be aware that the legal system can vary widely between different legal jurisdictions. Just because a lawyer is familiar with cases in one part of a state, it does not mean the same strategies will work in another region. The judges and juries in different cities can act very differently from one another. You need an attorney with experience in the jurisdiction your case is likely to be tried in.
While you should act quickly, you don’t have to hire the first lawyer you find. Instead, find one with the right mix of experience, knowledge and success to improve your chances of obtaining the compensation you deserve.