Personal injury lawyers specialize in tort law or civil cases that harm the victim such as by negligence, intentional harm, or invasion of privacy. If you or someone you know suffered from a workplace injury, car accident, medical malpractice, or other types of harm by other people, you should consult a personal injury attorney for legal advice about getting payment for damages. 

There are many lawyers online, and it’s easy enough to search, browse, and choose. However, few know how to choose the right personal injury lawyer. If you are in Syracuse, NY, no worries. This article summarizes three (3) key points to help you. 

Car and traffic accidents seem to be common in the USA. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration or NHTSA reported that a pedestrian is injured in a traffic or road crash every seven minutes, and that one dies every two hours. A personal injury case should involve an experienced personal injury lawyer. One with little or no experience in handling cases similar to yours can result in your being offered an unfair amount of compensation or even in your losing the case. 

In addition, according to Greene & Reid, the average person doesn't know his legal rights after an injury. This can lead to costly mistakes without a good lawyer. You may be tricked or cheated out of the fair compensation that you deserve and won't receive the benefits that you should get. That's why hiring an experienced lawyer who handles personal injury cases is a must.

Here are some tips to ensure that you're hiring an experienced lawyer:

● Don't limit yourself to a personal injury attorney who is readily available in your area. Ask your relatives, trusted neighbors, or friends if they know of some experienced lawyers so you can compare and choose the best. 

● Ask the personal injury lawyer about his experience handling similar cases in the past. For instance, if you've been a victim of a road crash, hire somebody who mostly handles car accident cases or a car accident lawyer. 

Lawyer's ratings serve as an objective indicator of knowledge, skills, and reputation. Make sure that the personal injury lawyer is a member in good standing of a local bar association and the state. 

Major bar associations usually have lawyer referral lists that you can access at no charge. Also, you can check rating guides online to get an idea of the lawyer's standing. 

Once you have checked ratings and received some recommendations for all potential personal injury lawyers, narrow down your choices to three candidates. After this, the next step is to make calls and set up appointments and ask relevant personal injury questions during your initial interviews with each of your prospective lawyers. 

This aspect is usually overlooked when hiring an attorney. When you’ve been recently involved in a vehicular accident or injured in the workplace or elsewhere, the last thing you need is a personal injury attorney who is not readily available to answer your questions, return your phone calls promptly, and update you on your case status. 

This is why it is important that you feel comfortable with how you communicate with your lawyer. You want a lawyer who will be there to bring you justice and not one who will only focus on the monetary aspect. Observe how the lawyer responds to your questions during your initial interview, including his verbal cues and body language.  For example,

● Speech Hesitation: Some examples of speech hesitation include stuttering, filled pauses, silent pauses, and delayed responses. During speech hesitation, an individual usually uses filler words such as “ahhs” or “hmms” and or “like” that does not offer any useful information. Sometimes, there are obvious gaps in dialogue that's often awkward.

● Liar's Body Language: You'll know if the lawyer is lying with micro-expressions of the face or other warning signs of lying body language. Some examples are blinking more often, and eyelids remain closed a little bit longer than usual, a smile is more pronounced in one side (like a sneer), rubbing the eyes, fidgeting (scratching or touching the nose, grab the ear, or scratching the neck), and covering the mouth with the hands. 

You probably know what to look for when hiring a lawyer, but the tips summarized in this article can be the most crucial ones. Knowing the lawyer's professional experience, reputation, and personality early on will make things a lot easier and smoother for the positive and fast resolution of your case. Following these tips can help you make an informed choice when hiring a personal injury lawyer that can help you get justice and maximum compensation.