Be Sure You Hire a Great Personal Injury Lawyer...

So you've been injured and want to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you get a fair settlement. Good idea...but where do you start? What should you expect? What questions should you ask?

If you've been seriously injured (your damages add up to more than $1,000) and you want to hire a lawyer, get on it quickly. Searching for and hiring a good lawyer might take some time, so the sooner you start the better.

This does not mean you should sign the contract right away. But you should begin meeting with lawyers within the first week or two after your injury. You could have a loved one start looking if you're not physically capable.

A good lawyer brings a lot to the table - knowledge of the legal game, experience negotiating, etc. But they will also take a substantial amount of any settlement awarded to you - usually somewhere around 33%.

You should know it's not absolutely necessary to get a personal injury lawyer. It really depends on your case. If you just want to file a claim (ask for money directly from the defendant and/or their insurance company) and your case is relatively straightforeward, then you might be able to "go it alone." This approach could save you a significant amount of money. Check out SettlementCentral.com if you want to learn more about this option.

But if you're like most people you're not even considering the prospect of handling your own case. So naturally you're going to hire a personal injury lawyer.

How will a personal injury lawyer help you?

A good lawyer brings with him a multitude of skills and a depth of knowledge. He's likely dealt with hundreds, if not thousands of personal injury cases and therefore "knows the drill."

A lawyer has experience in gathering evidence and negotiating with insurance companies. He knows how the game is played and will advise you on how much you can expect to get for your settlement (you probably have no idea, do you?). Knowing what your case is worth is essential to negotiating.

In addition to experience, your personal injury lawyer (and his firm) will do all the legwork involved in gathering evidence for your case (obtaining medical records, doctor's notes and narratives, police reports, etc.). You'll have to sign releases to allow your lawyer to obtain this kind of information, but that should be the extent of your involvement in gathering evidence.

Your personal injury lawyer will also negotiate with the insurance company. This can be tricky and if you don't know how to play the negotiating game then you'll get eaten alive by the adjuster (the person working for the insurance company trying to get you to take the lowest settlement possible). The lawyer will have tons of experience negotiating and will not be intimidated by the adjuster. He knows how to handle them.

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A qualified attorney will work to maximize your cash settlement. In most cases, you only have a short time to file your claim. Speak with an attorney immediately by completing the short form below (U.S.A. only), or by calling the Total Injury toll free phone number: (877) 477-1397. It's free, confidential, there's no obligation, and you will recieve some of the most valuable guidance of your life.

What to expect from your personal injury lawyer...

The first thing you should expect is to wait a long, long time before receiving your settlement. If you just file a claim and settle with the insurance company (out of court) it could take a year or 2, maybe more. If it goes to trial you're looking at 2-4 years or more. Try not to get upset with your personal injury lawyer because of how slow your case is moving. They all move slow.

Also, don't expect your lawyer to be calling you everyday to update you on your case. If lawyers called all their clients everyday to update them they wouldn't get any work done. You should have an open line of communication and be able to call your lawyer for an update whenever you feel like it, but don't expect him to call you.

You should expect your personal injury lawyer to take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that he won't get paid unless you get paid. He will take his fee out of your injury settlement.

Lawyer's fees will vary depending on your location and the facts of your case. Generally you should expect your lawyer to take about 33% of your final settlement - that's after expenses are taken off the top. Make sure you clearly understand the payment structure before you sign the contract.

What you should look for in your personal injury lawyer...

The first thing you should do when looking for a lawyer is narrow down your search. Obviously you should go with someone you know or feel comfortable with. If you don't know any personal injury attorneys directly, but you do know an attorney who practices in another area then you can ask them if there's anyone they know. And you can always ask friends and family to recommend someone.

If you live in a metropolitan area there's probably 50+ pages of attorneys listed in your phone book. You have to narrow it down and find 3-5 potential lawyers that you can talk to.

In all likelihood, the less your case is worth, the fewer law firms will want to take it. Any firm will take a case with a potential six-figure lawyer's fee. Not many big players will take the small stuff. So the amount you're going to claim for damages has a direct effect on the pool of lawyers you'll be able to choose from.

Believe it or not "ambulance chasers" do exist. The goal of these lawyers is to get lots of minor personal injury cases and settle them quickly - they make their profit from high turnover. So naturally they won't put as much time and effort into each case as they should. Nobody wants a lawyer like this but some people just don't know any better.

Always do your homework. You want to know as much as possible about your prospective lawyer's history and reputation. You should also meet with each lawyer personally. You have to feel comfortable with the personal injury lawyer you choose to represent you. The only way you'll be able to judge this is by having a face-to-face discussion.

A good idea would be to do a search on Lawyers.com. You'll be able to narrow down your choices by the city and county you're in and find a lawyer that specializes in your type of case. Make sure you only pick those that will give you a free initial consultation.

Another smart move is to check out the Martindale-Hubbell directory. This search tool offers the advantage of listing peer ratings for all the firms they have in their database (over 50,000). Learn more about their rating system on the site. A rating of "AV" is the best so plan on picking lawyers with this rating.

Of course you should also check with your state or county bar association to make sure the personal injury attorney is in good standing.

Go to each of your prospective attorneys' websites and read up on their history, background info, experience, judgements they've received in past cases, etc. Make sure their expertise are specific to your type of case. You want a personal injury attorney who specializes in your injuries.

After you've found 3-5 lawyers that look good to you call them up. Ask if you can have a sit-down meeting. They'll ask you all about your case and give you their opinion. You should ask them for some referrences and ask how much experience they have in handling cases with similar injuries. What settlement awards did they get in those cases?

It's best to have a sit-down so you can feel the lawyer out. This might not be possible right away as any good lawyer will be busy handling their other cases - give them time to find an opening in their schedule.

Be sure you pick a lawyer you feel comfortable with. The only way you'll know this is to meet face-to-face and spend some time talking about your case.

The most valuable thing you can do for your lawyer (and yourself) is to be completely open and honest. Tell him as much as you possibly can about your case. Try to remember every detail, however small or insignificant you might think it is. You definitely want to show the lawyer any pictures and documentation relating to your case.

Remember, if at any time you feel your personal injury lawyer is not handling your case properly, you can switch. Make sure you understand how the payment structure will be worked out if you choose to switch. Your old lawyer and your new one should handle the specifics of the transfer themselves.

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