While most personal injury victims tend to handle small injury claims on their own to save money on legal fees, major cases can benefit from the knowledge and expertise of an attorney. Personal injury litigation encompasses a wide array of circumstances and occurrences. You may have been harmed in a vehicle accident by slipping and falling on another person’s property, or by a dog bite. All of these are considered personal injuries, and your injury’s severity can significantly impact the personal compensation you’ll receive.
In some instances, you may be able to handle a claim against the other person through insurance or Small Claims Court. On occasion, you will have to seek the counsel and help of personal injury lawyers. It depends on the extent of your injuries and the legal circumstances surrounding the event. Attempting to manage a claim on your own and then hiring a lawyer later can complicate the claim process, so it’s crucial to understand your capabilities and the consequences if you mishandle your case.
Make sure you know the personal injury protection coverage meaning. If you are not confident in your capability to handle a claim, consider calling an attorney as soon as possible after your accident for a consultation to see whether a lawyer is worth the expense.
Looking for a personal injury lawyer after an accident can seem like another source of stress, but with the ease of the internet and lawyer’s directories, it’s actually not very hard to find one. The trouble is narrowing down a list to find the right one. Here are a few tips on how to choose a personal injury attorney.
1. Compare Location
The first thing you should do when you’re comparing personal injury attorneys is consider where each of them is located. Geographic area is important for two main reasons. The first is that laws and guidelines vary by region and jurisdiction, so finding a lawyer who is familiar with the area your accident happened and case is taking place is important. Additionally, you are going to need to be in close contact with your lawyer and on occasion will need to meet with him or her, which can be difficult to do with an injury if a lawyer is a long distance from you.
2. Compare Expertise
Another important thing to consider when comparing two lawyers is their area and level of expertise. There are a number of different areas of practice when it comes to personal injury lawsuits, so you’ll want to see what kinds of cases they have handled in the past. Furthermore, you’ll want to know how long each lawyer has been in practice and the number of cases he or she has handled to get an idea of how prepared he or she is to fight your case.
3. Compare Rates
This is another important point, but perhaps not quite as important as the first two points on this list. The last thing you should compare when you’re choosing a personal injury lawyer is how much they’re going to charge you. Some lawyers only charge you if they win your case, some charge by the hour, and yet others charge a percentage of whatever settlement is awarded. Make sure that their rates are made clear to you before moving forward.
Do you have any advice on how to choose a personal injury attorney? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Find more on this topic here.
