If you were hurt in an accident recently that wasn’t your fault, you probably are looking for a personal injury lawyer. There are many attorneys in Pflugerville and the surrounding area, so how do you know which is the best for you?
Tips to Find the Best Personal Injury Lawyer
There are many attorneys, but personal injury law is highly specialized. It’s vital to select a personal injury attorney with these tips in mind:
Seek an Experienced Lawyer
Working with an attorney with many years of experience in personal injury law is essential. Skilled and experienced personal injury lawyers handle all types of accident cases, including:
- Auto accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Pedestrian accidents
- Truck accidents
- Boating accidents
- Product liability
Choosing an attorney with years of experience is critical to your case’s success.
Ask About Their Success Rate
Experience is essential in personal injury attorneys, but so is success. Therefore, it is important to ask the attorney how many cases they’ve settled and taken to trial recently. What was their success rate?
An attorney that doesn’t routinely win significant settlements or verdicts probably isn’t the one to handle your case.
However, be wary of an attorney who guarantees a case result. All cases, insurance companies, and juries are different. Past success isn’t a guarantee of future results.
Ask for Referrals
Most of us know someone injured in an accident and hired a lawyer. So, asking friends and family for referrals is a good start. In addition, getting referrals from people you know gives you a starting list of attorneys to talk to.
After you chat with that initial list of attorneys, you can narrow it down to a few top candidates.
Check Online Reviews
The U.S. Bureau of Statistics reports that at least 90% of consumers check online reviews before choosing a product or service. As a result, the Internet makes finding a skilled personal injury attorney easier than ever. You should do the same when looking for the best personal injury attorney.
The internet makes it easy to check the performance of personal injury lawyers. Some of the best sites to check are:
Attorneys with many positive reviews are a good choice for an introductory interview.
Contingency Work
We all know that lawyers are expensive. Most charge well over $100 per hour for what they do. Most personal injury clients can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Fortunately, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means if you don’t get paid, they don’t either. However, your attorney will receive between 25% and 40% of your award if your case settles or wins at trial.
Your attorney also will take any legal fees incurred along the way out of the money.
Personality
A personal injury case often takes months. A few cases may even go on for years. Regaining your health and going through the legal process can be an ordeal. That’s why choosing an attorney you get along well with is essential.
You want a patient lawyer who has time to talk when you have questions. They also should be skilled at explaining complex personal injury topics in a way you understand.
A Professional Office
Interviewing personal injury attorneys in their offices is a good idea. An attorney’s office is a good indicator of how successful and organized they are. If the lawyer’s office is tidy and professional-looking, this is a good sign that your case will be handled professionally.
If the office is a mess and people run around with their hair on fire, it may be best to go elsewhere.
Interview Multiple Lawyers
You shouldn’t just choose one lawyer and go with them. It’s best to compare different attorneys to get a feel for who’s out there. Then, talk to each one about their experience and what they charge.
Also, it’s very helpful to talk to several experienced attorneys to get their views on your case. If several attorneys say there’s a high chance of success, that’s a good sign.
Free Consultation
Every attorney you interview should offer a complimentary case consultation. This is when they find out all about your case and whether they think it can win. The attorney should ask probing questions about the accident and your injuries during the consultation.
Be wary of an attorney who is rushed and doesn’t spend plenty of time getting to know you and the case. It could be a ‘lawsuit mill’ where the office gets as many cases as possible to settle quickly for low amounts. That arrangement may work well for the attorney but doesn’t serve your interests.
Questions To Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
When interviewing personal injury attorneys, ask the following questions. Their answers will give you essential information to make an informed decision:
- Which types of personal injury cases do you handle the most?
- How long have you practiced in personal injury law?
- Have you dealt with an accident like mine recently? What was the result?
- How experienced are you taking a case to trial?
- Will you handle my injury case personally?
- How often will your office contact and update me?
- Do I need to pay any money upfront or do you have a contingency arrangement?
- Do you think I can win my personal injury case?
Follow-Up With Your Best Candidates
By now, you should be able to narrow it down to two or three attorneys. Follow up with them on the phone or in person. If you’ve done your homework, all of them are good at what they do. How do you select the best option?
Some would suggest choosing the attorney with whom you have the best rapport. However, if they’re all equally skilled and experienced, selecting an attorney you feel comfortable with is often best. After all, you could be working with this person for months.
Involved In An Accident? Call a Personal Injury Lawyer Who Can Get Results
If you were hurt in an accident caused by another party in Pflugerville, Bastrop, Round Rock, Taylor, or surrounding areas, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact Pastrana & Garcia Injury Law for a complimentary consultation today.
