5 Things You Should Know Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney

You were injured and now you think you should get some advice from personal injury attorneys as to whether you have a case or not. But where to start and who should you trust to handle getting justice for you? We are bombarded by commercials on television by injury lawyers that tell us that they have our best interest in mind. Most personal injury lawyers will give you a free initial consultation to determine whether they think you have a legitimate case. This is your chance to tell your story and find out if you are being listened to. How attentive and empathetic are they to your situation. If they don't have time for you now then how much time will they have for you later?

Most injury lawyers will only be interested in your case if you have sustained physical injuries that can be proven by a doctor. Make sure and document your injuries as soon as possible by taking pictures and going to a physician. This evidence will be crucial later on when you go to court or when negotiating with the insurance companies. Do not sign or even discuss the matter with an insurance company until you have retained the services of a reputable personal injury law firm.

Make sure to interview several injury attorneys before agreeing to let them take on your case. You definitely want to ask lots of questions to determine how the case will be handled and what retainer fees are involved. You may also want to know exactly which lawyer the firm is going to assign to your case and then get some background information on how much trial experience they have. It could make a great deal of difference as to how much money you get if you have to fight a stubborn insurance company. Also you want the people representing you to specialize in personal injury law as they will have the edge over a firm that handles all types of general law.

It may take some time to find the right fit for you and your case. Make sure to be patient, trust your instincts and gut feelings when interviewing potential personal injury lawyers. A good lawyer should also be there to advise you based on his experience as to good and bad settlement offers. The bottom line is that you must get good advice on when to accept a settlement or when to fight it out through the legal system.

You also need to understand how the personal injury attorneys get paid. Probably the best scenario for the client is to only pay the lawyer if he is successful at getting a settlement or award in court. Then it will only benefit the law firm if they do a good job on your case. Leave it to the professionals to push for the most money possible because they are receiving a percentage. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and also ask to see the win/loss ratio of the particular attorney that will be representing you.

Stephen Botkin is an entrepreneur interested in Internet Marketing and local Real Estate Investing in Naples, Florida. Who's passions include boating, Trikke scooter riding, good food, the outdoors and exercising with his faithful beagle "Lucky."