Many factors contribute to either the success or failure of a personal injury claim, among them the lawyer that you hire for the job. Other things may include publicity, the extent of damage, and the behaviour of insurance companies. If the insurance company denies your claim or even try to pin negligence on you, then you'll definitely need a lawyer.
Compensation claims can be very challenging to prove, especially cases arising from medical malpractices. There is also no reason as to why a victim shouldn’t hire a personal injury lawyer while
common personal injury law firm practice areas are numerous, and charge at a contingency fee. It, therefore, means that clients don't incur any upfront costs, even if the case goes to litigation.
So, since compensation claim can be the most important case in your life, what are some of the things that you should look for when
hiring a personal injury lawyer? Well, they include but aren’t limited to the following:
● Trial experience
It would be true to say that almost every lawyer is experienced in drafting letters and proposals because that is what they have been doing since their times in Law School. However, what about the trial experience? It is, therefore, imperative to insist on a lawyer who has trial experience in compensation claims. Moreover, insurance companies have dealt with these lawyers for such a long time. They will definitely know who will settle for lowball compensation and who will insist on the right amount, even if it means walking through trial. Insurance companies also have a battery of lawyers who are not only experienced but also on a million-dollar budget to fight compensation claims from any angle. In other words, insurance firms are always more than ready to walk into a trial, and so should you.
● An attorney who represents only accident victims
Personal injury lawyers can either represent accident victims or insurance firms. It would help if you went for a law firm whose interest and loyalty lies with accident victims. A lawyer who once represented an insurance firm may still pay allegiance to the company and choose to negotiate for a lowball compensation. The victims may not even realize because the laws of compensation are complex.
● An attorney with necessary resources
The necessary resources include access to specialized treatment or specialized autopsy in the case of wrongful death. The attorney must also be financially stable to take care of the initial costs of litigation before the claim is awarded.
● Referrals
Referrals are like personal recommendations, and they will seldom fail you. When someone refers you to a personal injury lawyer, it simply means that they trust them and believe such a lawyer can help you. Moreover, the lawyer will now work harder so as to get other referrals from you too.
● Contingency fee
Lastly, in as far as something touches on personal injury compensation; you must not be put in a position to pay any upfront legal fees. Personal injury claims are handled at a contingency fee, and your prospective lawyer should support that. That includes the cost of specialized medical treatment or analysis. That is why we mentioned about going to a lawyer who has the necessary resources at his disposal.
Scoring the right personal injury lawyer is a great step in winning the case.