You hire a personal injury lawyer if someone else’s misconduct and carelessness caused your injuries. These experienced attorneys will understand your compensation requirements and get justice by holding the at-fault parties responsible.
According to Forbes, with their help, you can file lawsuits against people, the government, manufacturers, distributors, employers, etc. A personal injury attorney will surely help you get your well-deserved money for medical expenses, loss of income, emotional suffering, etc.
However, all these things will only be possible if you find a lawyer with a good success rate. That’s why you should compare their experiences, check their track records, consider their payment models, etc.
In this post, we will discuss these points in detail. Are you ready to get your deserved compensation with the help of the right lawyer?
#1. Find a Lawyer in Your State
You’ll have to interview multiple professionals before hiring one. Moreover, you must find attorneys who have passed the state’s bar exam and can legally practice law in your city.
For example, if you live in Colorado Springs, you’ll have to find a lawyer who has passed the Colorado Bar Exam and has experience in personal injury cases. Currently, there are 22,802 lawyers in the state, with 18,000 members in the Colorado Bar Association.
Thankfully, a few thousand of them have experience with the type of law you need help with. Therefore, finding the best personal injury attorney in Colorado Springs can be easy if you know what to look for. These lawyers usually specialize in vehicular accidents, slip-and-falls, product liability cases, etc.
According to Springs Law Group, they will manage to secure evidence, negotiate with the insurance companies, and get you fair compensation. They know everything about the legal system in your state and will abide by the statute of limitations for each case. These attorneys can also help prove the complexity of your damages during the trial to help you win your rightful claim.
#2. Assess Their Experience
A personal injury attorney with good experience has the skills to properly investigate, negotiate, and settle your claim. They’ll know the tricks to use during the litigation process to increase your winning chances. That’s why you should hire a lawyer who has years of experience with the type of case you’re presenting to them.
For that, you need to properly assess their level of experience and compare it with that of other attorneys. You can easily evaluate their overall experience based on the following factors:
- The type of general-practice law they specialize in. For instance, check whether they exclusively take personal injury cases or not.
- The trial experience your lawyer has for handling the specifics of your case in front of a judge or jury. For example, if you suffered extensive physical injuries, then the lawyer should know the exact compensation amounts you deserve.
- The number of years the attorney’s law firm has been operational. For instance, the firm should be recognized and well-respected in the community.
#3. Check Their Success Record for Similar Cases
In 2023, there were 1.33 million active attorneys. Among them, only 50,693 specialized in personal injury law. Most of them have enough experience to represent the case in your specific state.
Even with years of experience, the lawyers might not have a successful or strong track record. For example, there are some attorneys known to get lowball settlements from insurance companies. Similarly, others have won the toughest high-value cases and have proven results.
Therefore, you need to check the lawyer’s past cases to better understand their success rate. You can keep these questions in mind while checking the attorney’s success records:
- Have they ever recovered a multi-million-dollar settlement from similar personal injury verdicts?
- Are there any awards given to the attorney or their law firm for settling impossible cases?
- Have they won lawsuits that involve catastrophic injuries, like wrongful death claims?
#4. Ask About Their Fee Structure and Payment Model
Personal injury lawyers can be expensive. On average, they will charge anywhere between USD 100 and USD 500 per hour. Similarly, they’ll have a contingency fee of 33% to 40%, depending on the settlement awarded.
Currently, you’re probably dealing with a lot of financial stress due to your unprecedented medical bills. Moreover, the injuries may have limited your ability to work, leading to lost wages. That’s why it’s crucial to understand a lawyer’s payment model to avoid being surprised by the overall expenses.
The factors that affect the fee structure will depend on their professional experience, case difficulty, length of the trial, etc. Sometimes, there are some additional fees that the attorney might charge you for their services.
That’s why you must be open about your finances and expectations when communicating with the attorney. Doing so will help you and your lawyer come to a mutual agreement about the services offered based on the payment model.
In conclusion, you need a personal injury attorney to prove the liability of the opposing party or parties. Without their help, you might not be able to seek hefty compensation. That’s why you should find a good lawyer by evaluating their experience, checking their success rates, considering the payment models, etc.
Doing all these will help you find someone who will easily investigate your case, handle negotiations, and prove liability. They’ll also fight for the highest settlement you’re entitled to.