Todd Nesnick
Accidents happen without warning, no matter what you are doing, where you are, or how you are doing. Some accidents are devastating and can permanently change one’s life. If you got injured because of another person’s negligence, you can make a personal injury claim.
The financial burden from medical bills, lost wages, and other damages is troublesome. Hiring a personal injury attorney and filing a claim can help to ease the burden.
Not all lawyers are equal, and finding the right lawyer for your case is essential. Read on to discover the qualities of a successful personal injury attorney.
1. Knowledgeable of the Laws and Injuries Suffered
Specific laws govern the types of personal injury cases.
To get fair compensation, work with a lawyer who knows the laws associated with your case. This is crucial for the progression of your personal injury case. Remember, these laws can impact filing deadlines, claim procedures, and other issues.
In addition, a personal injury case is more than proving the other party caused the injury. The court must also consider the extent of the defendant’s injuries, which can influence compensation value.
For instance, one suffered from a brain concussion. The settlement must cover the costs of the recovery, including rehabilitation. With this, your attorney must know and understand the medical aspects of the injury.
Moreover, they must have a network of medical experts. These experts can attest to the value of the damage on your behalf. As a result, it increases your advantage in the case.
When consulting a lawyer, ask them about their knowledge of these matters. Having less to no case knowledge can result in an under-compensated ruling.
2. Handled Similar Cases
There are different areas of law, and personal injury covers a broad scope. Some are vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and product liability. Among them, vehicle accidents are the area in which most personal injury claims arise.
In 2020, there were over 4.8 million vehicle-related accidents, with total injury costs at $473.2 billion. This number includes medical expenses, property damage, and wage losses. Considering the numbers, most law firms have experience in this area.
Although many specialize in personal injury law, some have less knowledge of a specific case. For instance, your injury results from medical practice. A lawyer who specializes in vehicle accidents may not be the right choice for a workplace accident.
Work with someone with enough knowledge, skills, and resources. They can make a winning strategy for your case. Ask your personal injury attorney if they handled many cases like yours.
3. Extensive Trial Experience
Often, you can settle a personal injury claim out of court. However, if your case needs to go to court, you need a lawyer with extensive trial experience. From working on real cases, they gain the necessary knowledge, skills, and expertise.
Working with an experienced personal injury lawyer increases your chance of getting compensated. Alongside experience, some skills influence their success in court.
First, they must understand how to enhance the jury selection process. Second, your lawyer must have the ability to interrogate witnesses. Third, they must know how to take advantage of the technical aspects of the trial process.
Further, they must connect with the jury and make them visualize what happened.
Opting for a trial is expensive and lengthy. You don’t want to rush the process and lose. Your best option to win in court is to have an experienced litigator.
4. Holds Records of Successful Settlements
Although past results don’t always ensure a promising outcome, they reveal your lawyer’s ability. With this, work with a personal injury attorney with records of successful settlements. Pay attention to results from similar cases because they can give away the success rate of your case.
To prove their success, ask for testimonials from past clients. If they refuse to share any, look for another personal injury attorney.
If you want guaranteed success, visit alphaaccidentlawyers.com. They offer legal help in different types of personal injury cases. With their years of experience, you can expect to receive premium legal representation.
5. A Thorough Investigator
Personal injury cases are often the most complex. Evidence is a critical case component, and the lack of it can impede your lawyer’s ability to prove claims. Conducting a thorough investigation and having meticulous attention to detail are necessary.
A minute discrepancy in the evidence can influence the success rate of the case. If necessary, a lawyer must contact experts to help in the investigation. It ensures you uncover the evidence, prove fault, and receive deserving payment.
After a comprehensive investigation, your attorney can value the case.
6. Have Good Communication and Negotiation Skills
Apart from investigative skills, a personal injury lawyer must have good communication skills. It allows them to keep updated, negotiate with the insurance company, or connect with the jury.
When consulting with a potential personal injury attorney, assess their communication skills. Having a better understanding of your case means they have the tools to represent you in court. Alongside this, having effective negotiation skills is vital.
In a personal injury case, getting the insurance company on your side is rare. Often, they try to lowball the amount of compensation a defendant should receive. However, you can get the amount you deserve if your lawyer is a good negotiator.
Remember, the primary goal is winning the settlement to get compensated. In some cases, you can reach a fair resolution when you negotiate. It’s crucial that your lawyer can advocate on your behalf in the negotiation process.
7. Attentive and Approachable
Good communication skills must come with good listening, too. Without good listening skills, a lawyer can miss crucial information and fail to understand a client’s problems. To avoid these issues, work with a lawyer who listens to what you say.
If your attorney observes and listens well, it shows they are analyzing the case. Often, they give you enough time to tell your story before asking questions.
You can tell if they’re attentive when their response aligns with what you said. Are they referencing the information you shared in their questions?
As they follow through with your story, they get a deeper understanding of the accident. In addition, it gives them a better perception of the case’s conditions.
Your personal injury lawyer must be approachable, too.
As someone without knowledge of legal procedures, processing information can get overwhelming. Find a lawyer you feel safe and comfortable with. If an attorney makes you feel anxious or doubtful, it’s best to look elsewhere.
8. Empathetic and Compassionate
Serious injury can cause a great deal of emotional and mental distress. Recovery can be tricky and can keep you away from your work and family for longer than you’d like.
When recovering from an injury, a visit to court would be the last thing on your mind. It’s best to have a professional attorney who is empathetic and compassionate.
Working with them lifts the burden off your shoulders and makes the legal process easy. They strive to vocalize your pain to the insurance adjuster, the defense lawyer, jurors, and judges. For them, you aren’t another case file.
How do you know your personal injury lawyer is empathetic and compassionate? You know your attorney cares for you when they show interest in your case. They try to see the incident from your perspective and understand your feelings.
Often, you can feel these during your consultation with a potential attorney.
9. Honest
Is your prospective personal injury lawyer honest? Honesty is another crucial trait a competent and reliable attorney embodies. When you ask them questions, they answer with the truth, whether good or bad.
An honest attorney never makes big promises, avoiding false hopes. They must share their true assessment of the case. Your lawyer must tell you of the possible outcome of the case.
If they claim to have experience with similar cases, ask for references. An honest attorney can identify some and their outcomes.
10. Offers Contingency-Based Payment
Most personal injury attorneys work in contingency. This refers to a payment basis where you only pay for the legal help rendered when they win the case. If your lawyer loses in the trial, no legal fees are due.
This kind of payment arrangement benefits both you and your attorney. However, you must beware of dubious fees and legal representatives who do not explain them. A successful personal injury attorney ensures you get compensated before collecting legal fees.
What Qualities Should You Look For in Personal Injury Attorney?
Now you know how to find the right personal injury attorney for your case. Although most lawyers provide competent service, there are some qualities that set personal injury attorneys apart. The best personal injury lawyer will help you navigate your legal case so you can focus on your recovery.
Thank you for reading this article. If you are in need of legal help, don’t stop here! Check out our other blog posts for more informative guides.