How to Pick a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you are shopping for a personal injury lawyer chances are you are bombarded with personal injury law firms and have a hard time distinguishing between them.  When you are choosing a personal injury lawyer, here are some things to look for:

Size of the Firm:

If you have a wrongful death claim or a catastrophic injury, the personal injury law firm’s size matters.  When you have a big claim, you want to make sure you use a personal injury attorney that has adequate support staff and other personal injury attorneys in the firm to work on your personal injury claim when needed. You don’t want to end up with a personal injury attorney that is spread thin because there are multiple personal injury cases and only one attorney doing all of the personal injury work.  If there are multiple support staffers and personal injury attorneys working on your behalf, you are less likely to leave money on the table.  The size of your injury should match the size of the personal injury law firm you trust to handle your case.

Years of Experience:

How many years of experience does your personal injury lawyer have?   Trust the law firm’s years of experience with your big loss or major injury.  With personal injury lawyers, experience matters when it comes to choosing a personal injury law firm.  An experienced personal injury lawyer knows the ins and outs of getting your personal injury claim resolved quickly and effectively to maximize your recovery.  If you have an inexperienced law firm you risk having your case drag on longer than necessary.  On the other hand, you may find a law firm that deals with  several other practice area and not much personal injury.  In that case, make sure the years of experience is specifically in personal injury cases.

Contingency Fee Agreement:

If the personal injury law firm is charging  hourly rates for  personal injury cases, they are banking on the fact that they get paid even if you don’t.  When a personal injury law firm takes a big case on a contingency fee basis, they usually have the financial capital to see your case through to a jury trial.  Experts  may be needed to prove your damages, explain the nature of your injuries or to recreate the accident to determine who was at fault.  If your personal injury lawyer is taking your case on a contingency fee basis, they are basically letting you know that they are financially investing in you and believe they can win a good judgment or settlement of your personal injury claim.

Win Record

You may not be able to tell just from meeting with a personal injury law firm whether they have won a lot of personal injury cases.  It’s a good idea to ask the personal injury firm what types of settlements or judgments they have won for their clients.  Be specific, ask the firm what settlements they have won for injuries and claims like your case.  If the law firm hasn’t successfully settled    a case like yours, then you should find a personal injury firm that is adept at handling and winning personal injury cases like yours.

Reputation 

Texas is saturated with personal injury attorneys.  With a saturated market you will have rising stars in the legal field and a few novices.  If you are trying to decide between a couple of firms, it’s a good idea to ask around to see what other lawyers, friends and neighbors have heard about the personal injury law firm or the personal injury attorney you are thinking of hiring.  A great reputation for winning big judgments and settlements is a key indicator of a successful personal injury law firm with dedicated personal injury attorneys.