Seeking a personal injury lawyer is rarely pleasant. Luckily, it’s something we only have to do every so often. Don’t let your emotional state get in the way of a rational decision, or your inexperience might land you incompetent counsel. We hope the standards in this article might be of help. They are pretty exacting, so don’t be surprised if your lawyer doesn’t pass them all with flying colors, but following them will paint a pretty accurate portrait of who they are as a professional.
Have you met anyone else who has used their services? It’s not always easy to dig up a prior referral but it never hurts to ask around. Keep in mind, attorneys can’t hand out names of clients due to confidentiality reasons, so if your lawyer is unable to provide references, don’t be alarmed. Still, if they are reputable in their community, somebody, either in a chamber group or business association, should have heard of them.
Does the lawyer have social media presence? Many personal injury lawyers have not stepped into the social media space yet. Their trepidation is understandable; They’re busy people and just don’t have the time to play on Facebook all day. Yet the ones that own LinkedIn or Facebook profiles offer an interesting window into their performance. Chances are at least one of their Facebook friends or fans, or one of their LinkedIn connections, has used their services. Reach out to some of these people and see what their experience was. Just because they are part of their network does not mean they will give them favorable reviews as people often add a connection prior to becoming a client.
Are they on file at the local Bar association? 99% of the time, the answer is yes. But if you stumbled upon that 1%, you had better watch out. We recommend you take this step simply because of how easy it is and how bad things can get if you’ve somehow found an unlicensed legal professional.
What is the size of their firm? Depending on the scale of your case and the type of injury sustained, the size of the firm matters. If you are dealing with a pharmaceutical injury in which a class-action lawsuit is appropriate, a small office would be unlikely to handle your case. Similarly, if you have a relatively small claim, a smaller law firm might be able to better handle your needs and remain more available.
How did they do in prior decisions? When considering a lawyer, people often forget that their prior court cases are generally a matter of public record. Going to the nearest law library and searching for the attorney’s name could give you a glimpse at their past performance.
Do they have any hidden fees? No personal injury attorney should stuff their contract with fee contingencies. The name of the game is no-win, no-fee. In many states adding such clauses is illegal. Another factor to look at is how equitable the settlement share is. If they are taking too much from the settlement, you should consider other options.
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