5 Things to Look for in a Good Personal Injury Attorney

When you experience a personal injury due to the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to compensation. A personal injury attorney is someone who practices the body of law that addresses the compensation of individuals who have suffered injury, primarily bodily injury, for which others are liable. Damages recoverable by a personal injury attorney in these types of actions include reimbursement for the cost of treatment the injuries suffered, lost income and pain and suffering.
Not all attorneys are created equal though. Here are a few things to look for before hiring:

Education

Attorneys must all go through extensive schooling and pass a state bar examination to become a lawyer. The state bar exam is not only a requirement for a lawyer to receive license to practice, but this very challenging test also helps to regulate the level of competence in the legal industry.

Where an attorney went to law school can say a lot about their credentials. It can also say a lot about their connection to the community. Did they go to a law school locally? Or out of state? Different states have different education and state bar exam requirements.

Experience

How many cases similar to yours has the attorney taken to trial? How many years have they been practicing law? If they fresh out of law school, they may not have critical case management experience under their belt yet.

Fees

Most confident and experience personal injury attorneys do not bill their client unless monetary awards or damages are received. They understand that their clients are often in a difficult situation financially as lost wages and hospital bills pile up as a result of their injury.

Personality

Not only do you want to hire an attorney with a proven track record with cases similar to yours, but you will want to consider the attorney’s personality and legal philosophy as well. Over the course of your case, you will be spending a lot of time with them and placing a lot of trust in their character and ability.

Reputation

What are their previous clients saying about their experience?

Just like you may ask friends and family for a referral to a physician, it’s wise to ask them if they know or have dealt with a personal injury lawyer in the past. Chances are, if they’ve had a good experience you will too. But don’t hire the attorney based solely off of a recommendation; you should consult and meet with the attorney first to discuss the elements of your case and ensure you are comfortable working together.

Testimonials and online reviews can also speak volumes about an attorney’s ability to not only handle a case, but how their customer service ranks in comparison to others. You can usually find these testimonials and reviews easily by running a search online.

Not all attorneys will be able to help you recover the maximum amount of money you may deserve for your damages; therefore, it is important that you compare all of the information you have received about potential attorneys so you can select the one who not only has the most experience handling your type of claim, but the one who will work with you to help you receive fair compensation for your injury.