If you’re filing a personal injury claim, you’ll need to consult with a lawyer in order to make sure that you get the best possible compensation for your injury. But you shouldn’t just choose any lawyer to help you with your case.
It’s important to have a personal injury lawyer on your side who is not only experienced with representing plaintiffs—the injured parties in a personal injury lawsuit—but also is someone you feel you can trust to represent you fairly, completely, and without prejudice.
How to find experienced lawyers
You can find referrals and resources that will point you to experienced personal injury lawyers in several ways:
- Seek firms that have successfully won settlements and judgments for personal injury plaintiffs.
- Look for high peer ratings such as the Martindale-Hubbell certification.
- Ask friends, family, and acquaintances such as co-workers for referrals to lawyers they have worked with.
- Ask non-personal injury lawyers you know for recommendations. It’s common for lawyers to refer clients to one another when their cases fall outside their areas or practice or specialties.
- Check with your local bar association to see if they have a lawyer referral service in place.
Deciding which lawyer to work with
When you have several referrals for experienced personal injury lawyers, it’s time to comparison shop. Arrange meetings with your top choices to discuss your case. This will help you decide which lawyers’ approach will work best for you, and also gives you the opportunity to meet with them in person so you can get a feel for them.
Keep in mind that you may be rejected by some of your choices, as some lawyers won’t take personal injury cases that either they can’t prove in court, or that fall below a certain potential recovery amount.
Also, if a lawyer charges you a fee for an initial meeting to discuss your case, take your business elsewhere.
Questions to ask your personal injury lawyer
During the selection process, you should have a list of questions to ask that will help you decide on the best lawyer for you. These questions may include:
- How long have you / has your firm been in practice?
- About how many cases in your practice involve personal injury?
- Do you usually represent plaintiffs, or defendants? (Note: A lawyer who typically represents defendants may be biased toward the insurance companies’ point of view, and will not present the best possible case for you.)
- Will you personally handle my case, or will I be working with a different attorney in your firm? (Note: If the lawyer you’re meeting with intends to pass your case to a different attorney, request to meet with that lawyer before making your decision).
The experienced personal injury lawyers at Baron, Herskowitz, and Cohen are happy to answer any questions you may have about our firm, our services, and our cases. Contact us today to discuss the details of your personal injury case, and find out whether we’re the right firm for you.
