How do you choose a personal injury attorney for your case? The first step might be to get a referral from a friend or relative. Most often, a referral from someone who has experience with attorney is a great way to find a lawyer. But if you don’t have a referral source, it may be little more difficult to find the right attorney. In a lot of states you might see billboard after billboard of personal injury attorneys as you drive down the road. Fortunately, in Iowa, we don’t really have the constant barrage of roadside billboards. Other times you will see commercials with catchy phone numbers and slogans, or lots of ads on the Internet with bots that constantly pop up on the website asking for your information while all you want to do is browse the site for information.
But who you choose to handle your personal injury case can make a huge difference. You want to try to find an attorney who is willing and able to obtain a favorable trial verdict, not just someone who wants to get a quick settlement that may not be to your advantage. It is important find an attorney who insurance companies respect or perhaps even fear.
Some questions to ask might include the following:
- What are the last three jury verdicts your law firm has tried to a jury verdict? If the lawyer can’t tell you at least about their last three jury verdicts, they aren’t likely the lawyer for you. It means they likely don’t have an active trial practice, and it is also means the insurance company is less likely to pay top dollar for your injuries.
- What cases have you handled that are similar to my case? While every case is different, you want to find a lawyer that has the background and experience to handle your case. A great example in our firm is that one of our lawyers is an avid motorcycle rider. The breadth of his background and experience is invaluable for clients that have been injured in a motorcycle accident. If you want someone to care about your motorcycle case, it sure helps to have someone familiar with motorcycles on your team.
- Do you feel comfortable with the attorney? This is a bigger deal than prospective clients might think. Litigating personal injury cases can be stressful. The relationship you have with your attorney is hugely important. You want to work with a personal injury attorney that cares about his or her clients.
The bottom line is that choosing your personal injury attorney involves more than just seeing an ad or responding to a catchy phone number. The financial impact and injuries can literally last a lifetime and you get only one chance to get paid what you truly deserve. Choosing a personal injury attorney quickly and without asking the right questions can literally cut your recovery. A truly qualified attorney will be very happy to answer each of them. If, on the other hand, an attorney is unwilling to answer your questions, or doesn’t have good answers for you, that attorney is probably not the right attorney for you.
If you have been involved in a personal injury case, take the initiative to contact us for a free case evaluation.