The most important factor in choosing a personal injury lawyer is to find a lawyer who specializes in your type of personal injury. Many personal injury lawyers focus on one particular aspect of personal injury, such as motor vehicle accidents or medical malpractice. Dependent on what your personal injury is and how its occurred, narrowing the choice of lawyers down by their chosen specialty is the first step.
Recommendations from your friends, family or colleagues who have previously dealt with a particular lawyer are the best avenues to locate an attorney. They have first-hand experience and valuable inside knowledge. Lawyers advertise in the yellow pages and on the Internet. Online services are available to help you locate a lawyer in your area. Your state bar association can assist with a referral list.
Once you have chosen a lawyer, request a free initial consultation. This is your opportunity to ask decisive questions. Enquire about the following.
Length of time practicing law?
How long he or she has practiced in their specialty of personal injury?
How many similar cases to yours has he or she handled?
What were the outcomes of those cases?
Does he or she charge on an hourly basis or by contingency fee arrangement?
Will there be a retainer letter or contingency fee agreement?
Who will be the lead lawyer?
Do he or she have a legal assistant?
Who will be your primary contact – the lawyer or the legal assistant?
Does he or she respond by telephone and email and what is the usual response time?
What is his or her opinion on the possible outcomes of your case?
How long approximately will it take?
What are the procedures?
Does he or she anticipate any complications?
Will you receive copies of all correspondence?
Will you receive a regular status reports?
Is he or she amenable to mediation or settlement of cases?
Does he or she belong to the American Bar Association, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), The American Board of Trial Advocates or the American College of Trial Lawyers?
Have he or she ever been disciplined (it is permissible to ask this question)?
Does he or she carry at least $1,000,000 in malpractice insurance?
If you are not satisfied with the responses, continue interviewing lawyers until you find an attorney who meets your standards.
If you would like more information on your legal rights following a birth injury, it is important to speak with skilled
car and trucking accident attorneys,
motorcycle injury accident attorneys, and
personal injury lawyers in New York City.
