After you are in an accident, you should base your hiring of a personal injury attorney on more than just picking a name off the Internet. There are some critical things to know about personal injury attorneys to remember so that you have the best possible experience and settlement:
Find out the maximum compensation you could receive.
Upfront Costs
Most quality personal injury attorneys work on what is called a contingency fee basis. This means you are not charged for the work the attorney does unless you obtain a settlement or verdict. If you do make a recovery, a legal fee is charged as a percentage of the amount you got. The typical fee is 33% for a personal injury or car accident settlement that is reached before trial and approximately 45% for a settlement or verdict during or after a trial. After this fee is taken out, you are awarded the rest. The fees are high on the backend because the risk that the attorney is taking on is high.
Experience
The more experience we have at doing a task, the better we are at it. The same is the case for personal injury attorneys. When you are choosing your personal injury lawyer, you should ask him if he is experienced in the type of case that you have. Some clients have extensive car accident injuries with high medical bills and weeks or months of lost work time. So it is important to have an attorney who knows how to get as much money as possible from the insurance company. Also, your attorney should be skilled in getting the best outcome if the case goes to trial.
Who Is Your Lawyer?
Many personal injury attorneys advertise on TV, but they may not be the actual attorney to handle your case. It is common for attorneys to refer certain cases to junior attorneys or attorneys in other offices. While this is a common practice and can work out well, you should know in advance who is actually going to handle your case.
Trust and Communication
Many personal injury and wrongful death claims involve a lot of money, and there is a great deal at stake. It is important that you are comfortable with your attorney and are able to communicate well with her. If you call your attorney for an update, you should be able to get an answer quickly.
Resources
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. So it is common for attorneys to have to pay for much of the costs of moving the case forward to a successful conclusion, and then being reimbursed later. Be sure the attorney has the financial resources to see your case through to the end. You do not want to be in a situation where the attorney does not have the finances to pay for things that are needed to conclude the case.
Case Value
A good attorney can provide you with a rough estimate of what your case could be worth (you can also calculate your car accident settlement amount here), but you should not work with an attorney that promises any particular number. Every case is unique; there are many variables that can influence the amount of compensation you get. That said, experienced personal injury lawyers usually have a reasonable idea what a case like yours could be worth.
