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Hear Us Out: A Lawyers Point of View on Personal Injuries

Anyone who has ever had to look for a lawyer to help them out with a case understands just how challenging the process is and the amount of time and effort it takes.

Regardless of whether the concerned party recently underwent hip replacement or was involved in a car accident, they’ll want to ensure they have the right representative.But considering that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can easily make a website today, how does one know which lawyer(s) are qualified?

Where should they begin their search? YourLawyer.com is here to make things easier!

1. Request for Referrals from Family and Friends

If there’s one thing that consumers can always rely on, it’s word of mouth. It has been around for decades, and it’s not going away anytime soon.

An excellent way to start searching for a reliable, honest, and trustworthy personal injury lawyer is by asking for recommendations from family and friends.

Reach out to them and request them to email the names of professionals they used in their cases. Other options include:

  • Directories
  • Facebook
  • Online Reviews
  • Google

These are the new word of mouth, and consumers can always rely on them for accurate info.

2. Inquire About Their Fees Before Hiring them

According to the law experts at YourLawyer.com, there’s a need to inquire about the fees payable. Such inquiries should happen early on in the hiring process

There’s a need to practice absolute transparency when engaging in any financial transaction, which extends to dealing with lawyers.

Clients need to ensure they have signed a fee agreement before the relationship between the two parties can progress any further.

Traditionally, the personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis: they are entitled to a third of the judgment or settlement, including office expenses.While this is the general rule of thumb, clients should inquire what an attorney means when they say “no fee if no recovery.”

It’s the surest way to understand the attorney fees from the beginning.

3. Run an Online Search for Attorneys

Clients need to research the attorneys they’ve found online to confirm they’re licensed and have an excellent standing in the state where they want the case filed.

All states in the US have a local bar association, and a corresponding database where lawyers allowed to practice within the state are registered.When researching a lawyer, individuals are advised to check the bar status of each lawyer to confirm whether:

  1. a) They have had any disciplinary measures leveled against them for any reason
  2. b) The bar association has sanctioned them

Considering what’s at stake, individuals shouldn’t shy away from asking hard questions.

4. Clients Should Always Listen to Their Guts

According to the lawyers at YourLawyer.com, a client should only work with an attorney who cares about them as a person. They should also have their well-being in mind.

It’s not uncommon to find attorneys that only care about the value of the client’s case. Such lawyers will tend to make decisions that benefit their bottom line, not their client’s welfare.

A reasonable attorney will be upfront with their client about any weak aspects of the case instead of attempting to showcase its strengths.

Clients need to pay attention to their gut feelings when hiring personal injury attorneys. They should learn to walk away if something feels off with the lawyer.

5. Establish the Lawyer’s Level of Training

Clients have an opportunity to ask all the hard questions before representation has begun. examples of excellent questions to ask include:

  1. Who will handle the case? Will they do it or delegate it to an associate?
  2. What percentage of their cases are similar to this case in their practice?

III. How many years have they practiced law?

6. Inquire on Whether the Attorney Will Personally Handle the Case

As a continuation of the above point, clients must confirm that the lawyer they’re speaking to will be the one handling the case.

They’ve to confirm that the person they’re talking to will be the one handling it. A lawyer who chooses to delegate the initial consultation to an intake person, paralegal, or secretary shouldn’t be worth their time.

It means that they won’t have the time to address the case in the matter it deserves.

Places Not to Look for Personal Injury Attorneys

YourLawyer.com advises clients to have a clue where not to look for attorneys. Clients should take time to check out the lawyer’s website before scheduling a meeting.

Common red flags to look for when searching for a lawyer include:

  • Poor client reviews
  • Lawyers that lack fee agreements in writing
  • Those that lack a reputation of trying such cases
  • Lawyers that overpromise

The Takeaway

While clients aren’t always assured of a face-to-face consultation, they should ensure they’re comfortable with the decision they’ve made. This involves confirming there’s a connection between them and making sure they can reach the lawyer whenever they have a pressing issue.


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