Lawyers who specialize in Personal Injury lawsuits greatly differ from each other. Choosing the right one among the countless amount of personal injury attorneys who offer their legal services can make or break your case.
There are special types of personal injury attorneys for various kinds of lawsuits. Personal injury lawyers may dedicate themselves to workers’ compensation, medical malpractice, vehicle accidents, slip and falls, physical assaults, animal attacks, asbestos claims, product liability, among others. Just as you would like a specific doctor to give you medical attention for a particular type of disease, the practice of handling personal injury cases is specialized in every way. It is always best to hire a personal injury lawyer that has significant knowledge and experience in the area of personal injury in which your case falls.
As personal injury lawyers dedicate themselves to distinct personal injury areas, so do law firms. Further beyond focusing on an area in personal injury, some law firms focus on more particular injuries such as burn lesions or brain and spinal cord fractures. You will greatly benefit if you first examine if the law firm has extensive familiarity with your type of injury.
During an interview with a prospective personal injury lawyer, try to assess if he/she can competently manage your particular case. Ask how many personal injury cases he/she has handled and how many of them were successful. Find out who he prefers to represent – the defendant or injured party. Also inquire as to how many cases similar to yours he/she is presently handling or has handled.
During the initial dialogue, bring the necessary documents – communications with the insurance company, medical records and police reports. Avail of the opportunity to ask as many questions as you need to get a good feel of the personal injury lawyer, and he/she should be able to answer them efficiently and comfortably without rushing through the consultation.
You might also want to try and learn if the personal injury lawyer will represent your case in appeal, as some don’t. He/she will only have to represent you in matters specified in the retainer agreement. The personal injury lawyer generally has no further obligation to appeal your case once a final judgment has been rendered, unless a retainer agreement requires your personal injury attorney to do so.
A senior personal injury lawyer may conduct an interview and may decide if your actual case shall be passed on to a junior lawyer. If you decide to retain their services, ask the senior lawyer if your case will be handled by a support staff.
Before choosing a personal injury lawyer to represent you and handle your claim, it is in your best interests to learn as much about their skill, experience and expertise in order to feel as comfortable and confident with your choice as possible.
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