Guide To Choosing A Personal Injury Lawyer

By Eloise Hewitt


Suffering from injuries because of another person is difficult enough without the headache and stress of a legal battle as well. You should be represented by an attorney. A personal injury lawyer can provide you with the legal help you need, but it is crucial to pick the right one. Multiple factors must be considered.

The means of payment is one factor, particularly if your income is limited. Many lawyers that handle injuries do so on a contingency basis. This means that they do not charge you for the representation up front. They do not get payment unless your case is won or settled. All expenses are recorded, including costs for expert testimony, court fees, and acquiring necessary documents. Be sure to pay close attention to your agreement and check for hidden or vague fees and costs.

The initial consultation is another factor. You should not have to pay for this meeting. Both you and the attorney should treat this meeting like an interview. Ask questions and provide as much information as you can about your injuries. The whole purpose is to gather information so that you can determine if he or she is the best option for you and your particular case.

Consider his or her experience. You need an attorney that has the proper amount of experience plus the education to back it up. He or she should be able to tell you the number of cases won in court and settled out of court versus the total amount of cases. The attorney may have a ton of cases that resulted in settlements, but very few cases won in court. While the experience is present for the settlements, he or she may not have the court experience you would like.

Make it a priority to check the licensing of each attorney that you are considering. A legal network called the Martindale-Hubbel network and the American Bar Association can help you with looking up attorneys and also with locating some in your area as well.

Knowing which venue to choose for your case is very important. Attorneys should be knowledgeable enough to know that injuries occurring in the city of residence such as Gulfport, MS, should be filed with that court system. They should also know the difference between a criminal and civil case and the appropriate court to use.

It is important to stay away from any attorney that makes promises or guarantees for certain outcomes. Any attorneys that give you a definite time for it all to be finished or a specific amount of money is not worth your time. Attorneys do not have the ability to know this information beyond a shadow of a doubt. They can only provide you with estimates.

After you have made a choice, remember that you do not have to stay with the attorney if something should go wrong. At any time you have the right to hire a different attorney. Keep in mind, however, that your previous lawyer can place a lien on attorney fees that may come out of your judgment or your new attorney's share.




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