George K.
You’re putting stock up at work when all of a sudden, you slip and fall on your back. You don’t think anything of it until the next day when you can barely pull yourself out of bed. This begs a crucial question.
Should you try to hire the best personal injury attorney around to make a claim or can you do it yourself? If you do decide to hire an attorney, how do you find one that you can trust?
We know a little bit about it. Check out this guide to learn how to get a good personal injury lawyer who has your best interests at heart.
Should You Hire an Attorney or Make Your Own Claim?
You can do your own paperwork and make your own personal injury claim. We will say that it’s a lot of paperwork and it’s time-sensitive.
You might be able to handle it yourself if your case isn’t too complicated. For the most part, though, it’s better to lawyer up. An attorney will sit down with you to fill out the paperwork and make sure everything is done correctly.
How to Find the Best Personal Injury Attorney?
You don’t want any old personal injury attorney to handle your case. They need to be easy to work with and have your best interests at heart. At the same time, they should be upfront on all details surrounding your case.
They also need to have some level of expertise and a wide range of personal connections that they can pull from to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Look for Reviews
If you google David Aylor Law Offices, you will see a list of testimonials on their site. Many attorney’s websites have these. You can read through the reviews and see the kind of experiences other clients had with them.
You don’t want to only read the testimonials on the lawyer’s website. You should branch out and read regular Google reviews as well. If you have a friend or family member that’s had to file a personal injury claim before, ask them about their attorney.
Getting these reviews will help you narrow things down a little. After this stage, you should have a collection of around three or four law offices you can call.
Discuss the Lawyer’s Fees
When you call these law offices, don’t be afraid to address the awkward elephant in the room. Ask about their fees. The lawyer should have no problem with giving you a clear quote.
If the quote they give you is confusing, you may want to move on to a different law firm. You can’t pay the lawyer if you’re not sure how and when they’re going to charge you.
Make sure that you also get any quotes in writing. Dealing with an injury is stressful enough. You don’t want to make things worse on yourself with unexpected fees.
Do Plenty of Research
You can pick a personal injury lawyer that meets every single one of your criteria, but if they aren’t licensed, it won’t matter. Luckily, there is a way to find out if they’re licensed before you hire them.
Every state has its own bar association. This association posts registered attorneys in their database, which is available to the public. Not only will you be able to see if the lawyer is registered, but you can find out if they’ve had any marks against them as well.
Expertise
Expertise doesn’t always boil down to “how long has this attorney been working”. You see, not every personal injury lawyer works all branches of the field.
There may be one that’s better equipped to handle car accidents than others, for example. You want to know how many cases like yours that they’ve taken.
Talk to the Attorney Personally
There is a certain level of customer service that goes into being a lawyer. If you try to get in touch with them and are only able to talk with their secretary, this is a bad sign. If they are standoffish towards you, who is to say they won’t treat your case the same way?
There also has to be some level of trust that goes on between a lawyer and their client. If you hardly see their face or hear their voice, how are you supposed to know that they are trustworthy? It’s not like you can get a good idea of their character.
Do They Have a Network?
Say that you’re having a ton of medical problems because a surgeon botched your treatment. You need to be able to prove that your injuries happened due to their neglect.
That’s why it’s helpful to have an attorney who has a few connections. Someone who can call medical professionals to the stand who can turn the tides in your favor.
Call Around to a Bunch of Different Places
Just because you get a quote at a law office, doesn’t mean that you’re locked-in. Don’t be afraid to tell an attorney that you’ll call them back with more questions and then get in touch with the next lawyer on your list.
You want to get a feel for a bunch of different law offices and ask for several price quotes. This way, you get the best lawyer for you at the best price for your wallet.
Get the Compensation You Deserve
Have you fallen at work? Did you get into a car accident due to the negligence of another? You need to find the best personal injury attorney around so you can get the compensation you deserve and pay for your hospital treatments. Of course, you can make a claim yourself but at the end of the day, the best option is to lawyer up.
You’ll need more than a good attorney to come out ahead. Check out our blog daily for all the latest law news and advice.
