If someone else has caused you to suffer injuries through negligent or reckless actions, you can file a personal injury claim to recover monetary damages for your losses. Working with an experienced attorney increases the likelihood that you will receive maximal compensation to pay for your losses. However, choosing the right attorney and law firm is important. Scroll down to learn how to find a personal injury lawyer to represent you in your claim.
How to Find a Personal Injury Lawyer
Wondering how to find a personal injury lawyer to represent you after an accident? It involves more than simply choosing a lawyer who practices in your town.
Your first step will be to find attorneys who practice personal injury law. You do not want to choose an attorney who primarily focuses on a different area of the law since he or she might not be familiar with how personal injury claims work. You also do not want to choose an attorney who is inexperienced because you do not want a lawyer to learn on the job while representing you. The best way to find an experienced attorney with whom you are comfortable is to meet several attorneys to talk about your claim before you make your decision. Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations to allow you to comparison-shop.
Referrals from Acquaintances or Friends
If you have acquaintances or friends who have been represented by attorneys in personal injury cases, ask them about their experiences with their lawyers. This can help you to get an idea of how a particular attorney might handle your claim. However, some people will refer you to attorneys who have represented them in other types of cases, such as family law matters. Make sure that any lawyer who is recommended to you practices in the area of personal injury law as a major part of his or her practice.
Legal Directories and Referral Services
There are numerous legal directories online that you can search through to get the names of personal injury lawyers. You can look at these to gather contact details. Most bar associations also have referral services to find lawyers who practice personal injury law. However, you should not decide to hire an attorney simply based on the bar association’s referral service. Only make a decision after you have met with a lawyer and have asked him or her some questions about your claim.
Asking the Right Questions
Most people do not know what to expect in a personal injury consultation. We recommend that you bring a list of questions to ask the attorney. You should also bring copies of all of the documents you have about your claim, including medical bills, police reports, documentation of your wage losses, insurance company correspondence, and other relevant types of information. The attorney will want to review this information to get an idea about your claim. You should then ask him or her the following types of questions:
- How long the attorney has been licensed
- How long the attorney has practiced in the area of personal injury law
- The percentage of the attorney’s practice that focuses on personal injury matters
- Whether the attorney primarily represents insurance companies or plaintiffs
- Whether the attorney has experience handling cases with the insurance company
- The names and positions of the people who will work on your case
In many law firms, more than one attorney will work together on a personal injury case. Paralegals and less-experienced lawyers may handle routine tasks.
Assess the Lawyer’s Communication
How well your lawyer communicates with you is important. When you hire an attorney to represent you in your personal injury case, you may be working together for months. You will want to choose an attorney who keeps you updated about your case. You will also want to choose an attorney with whom you are comfortable. Pay attention to whether the attorney listens to you during your consultation and whether the lawyer is able to describe concepts in terms that you understand.
Call the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Craig L. Cook represent negligence victims in personal injury matters in Arkansas and Oklahoma. We have years of experience and a successful track record of recovering compensation for our clients. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation by calling 479-783-8000 or sending us a message online.
