How Do I Find a Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you were recently injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, it would be in your best interest to put your case in the hands of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
But you don’t want just any lawyer. Finding a reputable lawyer is a challenge, but it’s always worth it.
First and foremost, you want an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer you’re comfortable with. You also want someone with experience handling your type of case and who you feel you can trust.
In the article below, we will discuss the best ways to find a personal injury lawyer that will check all of these boxes.
Make Sure They Have Experience With Personal Injuries
The first thing to do when you start looking for a lawyer is to make sure they have experience with personal injury cases.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you don’t want to be represented by a family lawyer, even if they have been practicing for a long time.
Although good at what they do, a family lawyer may not be able to get you the compensation you deserve in a personal injury case.
A seasoned personal injury attorney, though, will be much better equipped to get you the settlement you deserve.
Do A Google Search
If you are looking for an attorney to help with your personal injury lawsuit, you can always do a quick Google search.
Go to Google.com and search for things like:
- Auto accident attorney near me
- Car accident lawyer Atlanta, GA
- Car accident lawyer near Atlanta
- Car accident lawyer near me, Atlanta
Any one of these searches will pull up qualified personal injury attorneys in your area.
Be sure to look at all of their reviews once you find them.
Look at the good ones, but you also need to check out the bad reviews.
This will allow you to find the common denominator amongst the feedback and help you make an informed decision.
You can also check out multiple review sites like Yelp to better understand the positive or negative feedback.
Talk To Friends and Family
Most of us are bound to have friends or family that have worked with a lawyer in the area.
Speak to your family, friends, or coworkers to see if anyone has been represented by a personal injury attorney and had a good experience with them.
If someone has, you can add that lawyer to your list of people to speak to.
But don’t decide you’re going to use a lawyer solely based on someone else’s recommendation.
Different people will have different experiences with the same lawyer based on their style and personality.
Make sure you meet with the lawyer and discuss your case with them before you make a decision.
Speak To Lawyers You Already Know
If you’ve worked with a lawyer a time or two before, reach out to them.
Or, maybe you know a lawyer personally.
When hiring a lawyer to work on your personal injury claim, you should at least speak to the lawyer you already know.
Just make sure they have experience with personal injury cases.
If they don’t, they may be able to refer you to a lawyer who does.
It’s not uncommon for lawyers to refer cases to one another.
Most lawyers will have someone in their network who handles plaintiffs’ personal injury cases.
But similar to referrals from friends or coworkers, do not simply rely on another lawyer’s referral without doing your own research first.
Referral Services
Many local bar associations have referral services you can use to search for lawyers by their legal specialty.
However, there is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, even though they should be approved by the state bar association.
Many lawyer referral services will carefully screen attorneys and only list attorneys with certain qualifications and past experience.
Other services will list any lawyer that’s in good standing with the state bar that has liability insurance.
Before you use a lawyer referral service, determine what qualifications they have, including how carefully lawyers are screened.
What you usually don’t get from a lawyer referral service is insight into the lawyer’s philosophy.
They won’t tell you things like whether the lawyer will spend a few hours to be your legal coach or how aggressive the lawyer’s personality is.
Again, don’t decide on a lawyer until you have met and interviewed him or her.
Questions To Ask Your Personal Injury Lawyer
Once you’ve found a friendly, trustworthy lawyer with experience in handling personal injury cases, there are a few questions you should ask them before you commit.
What’s Your Level Of Experience With My Type of Case?
Personal injury law has a large practice umbrella, and many different types of cases can be found under it.
And many of those categories can be further subdivided.
For example, a medical malpractice lawyer can specialize in birth injuries, traumatic brain injuries, surgical errors, and misdiagnosis.
Many personal injury attorneys can handle several types of personal injury cases, but almost none can handle all of them.
Some of the personal injury subcategories are unique and require an extra level of knowledge and experience.
Try to find an attorney with experience handling your type of case.
Experience means they will be familiar with common legal issues, and they will likely have connections with investigators and other experts who can help with your case.
What is your fee for taking on my case?
The first thing many people worry about is what their injury lawyer is going to cost them.
And that’s fair because the cost is a main factor in hiring the right lawyer.
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of personal injury attorneys will work under a contingency fee agreement.
This means that you won’t have to pay your lawyer unless they win your settlement for damages.
The typical contingency fee for most personal injury lawyers is around 33% of whatever you recover in your settlement.
So if your lawyer wins your case and you’re awarded $100,000, your attorney will get $33,333.
However, the exact amount your lawyer will receive is subject to several variables.
Choosing the Right Lawyer
No matter how you find your lawyer, you should always sit down with them in person to discuss your claim.
Bring relevant information like copies of your police report, medical bills, income loss information, and all correspondence with the insurance company.
If you have drafted a demand letter with your insurance company, be sure to have that as well.
Most personal injury lawyers offer free initial consultations, so there’s no reason not to call an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer.
With their help, you can avoid potential problems with your case and get the compensation you deserve for your damages.
They’ll ensure you receive the compensation you’re due. Then, you can cover your medical bills and losses without stress.
Don’t try to take on your insurance company on your own; discuss your case with a team you can trust! The Mabra Firm in Atlanta is here to help.
Schedule a free consultation below to get started.