When you’ve suffered a personal injury at the hands of another’s negligence, it can be hard to know who to turn to for help. Your family may be there for emotional support, and your doctors are there to treat your injuries, but if you want to seek compensation for your damages, how do you know who you can trust with such a delicate process?
Hiring the right personal injury lawyer shouldn’t just consist of choosing the first one on the Google search page, or relying on the number you see on the side of a bus. Hiring the right attorney should be a careful and serious choice. You want someone on your side who not only has the experience and know-how to win your case, but the compassion to connect with you and understand what you deserve. Here are the top three most important factors to consider when looking for a personal injury lawyer who checks all the boxes.
Choose a Lawyer with a History of Going to Trial
Many personal injury attorneys who are active and have a high number of cases in their history have never actually seen the inside of a courtroom. This stems from their willingness to simply settle with insurance companies—even when it’s not in the best interest of their client.
When you suffer a personal injury and seek compensation for your damages from the at-fault party’s insurance provider, the first thing they are going to do is research the lawyer you’ve hired. And insurance companies do their homework; they are aware of a lawyer’s past cases, track record, and common actions they take on behalf of their client. If your attorney does not have an ample record of taking cases to court, the insurance company will become even more aggressive in their effort to take advantage of you. This is because they assume your lawyer is afraid of the courtroom, which means they’ve got nothing to lose by making a ridiculous offer or refusing to settle with you at all. If you select an attorney who is known to wave the white flag right away, and pressures you to do the same, you will end up with little to no compensation for your injuries.
Just as important as having a track record of taking cases to court, however, is a lawyer’s track record of actually winning court cases. If your specific case is large and consists of extensive injuries and a high dollar value, it’s extremely important to trust that your lawyer can deliver an impressive verdict or large settlement. They need to be able to perform under high pressure and high stakes. If your case is big, and they don’t have a record of winning big cases, you may want to look elsewhere.
Choose a Lawyer with Sufficient Resources
The resources needed to construct a strong personal injury case are vast. You certainly want a lawyer with extensive knowledge of the law and practice with your type of case, but it’s important that they also have resources and connections they can rely on to help build your case beyond the realm of their own expertise.
When you’ve been in an accident that results in injuries and property damage, there are a lot of different elements to be examined and presented to the insurance companies or in court. Many experts are needed in order to help do just that. Doctors who have treated your injuries may need their depositions taken or be prepared to appear in court. Other experts who can speak on your behalf, like accident reconstructionists, economists, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and psychiatrists or psychologists may need to make an appearance or provide a statement for your case. If you lawyer does not have experts they’ve worked with before who they can turn to for you, they may scramble to get together mediocre professionals, or even end up with none at all.
Your lawyer also needs to be their own sufficient resource. When you’re contemplating an attorney to hire, use your power of visual judgement. Does the firm look like it’s successful or well-off? Does their office look like they are doing well? Do they have a large team that looks happy and eager to work? Do they have sufficient lines of credit or assets necessary to properly prepare your case? If you have a case with a high estimated settlement value, then the expenses for fighting such a case can be assumed to cost more money to prepare as well. You need to feel confident that your lawyer has all the reliable resources they need to get the job done.
Choose a Lawyer Willing to Share Their Time and Details
If a lawyer isn’t forthcoming with you about their history, experience, previous cases, or personal insights, then it might be because they have something negative to hide. Most often, those could be a lack of experience, bad reviews from other clients, or their unwillingness to fight the way your case needs.
If you’re told that a specific lawyer from the firm is going to be the one handling you case, then you can and should expect that lawyer to make time to meet with you and hear your story. You may not be dealing directly with them every step of the way, as good, in-demand firms tend to keep their lawyers very busy, but you should feel entitled to at least some of their time and attention. Outside that, you should trust their other team members to treat you with openness, respect, and kindness.
A great personal injury attorney should also be willing to allow you to speak to their past clients if you ask. Any lawyer who is worth the salt their track record suggests should have no problem allowing you to speak to clients who they’ve successfully helped. If they’re unwilling to let you talk to any clients, there’s a good chance it’s because they know they didn’t do a great job for the client, or may not have had the best relationship with them. A lawyer who has a great past should always be willing to let you know about that great past, and should be able to repeat it with you.
The Whisler Law Firm is proud to say we fulfill all these recommendations and more. We pride ourselves on our successful court cases, our connections to trustworthy resources, and our relationships with our clients. When it comes to your personal injury case, we go above and beyond so that you don’t have to. That’s why every initial case consultation we do is free, and we charge you nothing for taking your case unless we win it. Call us at 833-529-5677 or fill out our online form to set up your free consultation with our team, and we’ll show you just how dependable we can be.
