How to Choose a Personal Injury Lawyer

These days, we do at least some research before we buy just about anything. It pays to do a little probing when it comes to something as important as your legal matter. Whether you meet in person or do an interview over the phone, be prepared to ask the right questions. Here are some suggestions that will reveal a significant amount about a potential lawyer:

Find out what their colleagues think about them - Industry-specific database sites show what other lawyers think of their colleagues and competitors through peer reviews. Besides disbarment or suspension, there is no official system to learn about a potential lawyer's ethics and skills. Each site uses its own selection and vetting processes. Here are links to notable lawyer peer-review sites:

The Martindale-Hubbell Bar Registry
The Best Lawyers in America
Superlawyers

Ask them how many cases they handle are referred to them by other lawyers - In any professional community, the members will know who is highly regarded and who doesn't have an excellent reputation. No matter what you do for a living, you wouldn't refer your customer to someone else if you hadn't had a good experience previously or heard good things about them because it reflects back on you. It's the same in the legal community. If a decent percentage of their business comes from referrals, it's a good indicator that they are respected and trusted.

Beware of unsolicited contact from a lawyer following an accident - If a lawyer contacts you out of the blue concerning your accident, this might indicate they can't rely on repeat business or referrals, which should be a huge red flag. Reputable businesses have to build their client base and can only do that if their services or products meet the needs of their customers. Settlement mills often have to use this tactic because they churn and burn through clients without regard for the consequences. That usually means settling as quickly as possible without concern for their client's interests to keep the mill wheel turning.

Most personal injury lawyers do not charge a consultation fee and don't expect payment until after a successful outcome - It's relatively common for personal injury lawyers to offer free consultations and no service fees unless they recover compensation. It's basically an industry standard. Generally, we need to understand the facts of your case to see if you have a viable case. With that said, if we don't see a legal path forward, we would not invest time and resources into a case that we didn't think would be successful. So, it's perhaps a marketing thing to help people overcome their reluctance to talk and work with a lawyer because of the costs involved. By taking the financial risk factor out of the equation, we can help more people with genuine problems who would never consider getting the help of a lawyer otherwise.

What kind of access to support and resources does this lawyer have? - One thing that most people would never think to consider is how much help and resources a lawyer will have at their disposal. This is a critical component to them providing the best services possible. For example, do they have relationships with professionals that can help your case, like accident reconstructionists and medical experts? Does their law firm employ enough support staff?

It's not unusual for legal matters involving serious injury to require hundreds of hours of work that includes expert witnesses specializing in issues surrounding your case. Morgan and Morgan employ thousands of support staff, and we maintain an immense network of industry professionals to help our lawyers be successful. We invest in our law firm so our personal injury attorneys can deliver positive results for our clients. You never have to worry that your lawyer will be stretched too thin to give your case the proper attention it deserves.

Does this lawyer specialize in the area of law concerning your legal matter? - Lawyers that specialize in specific areas of law are much more likely to have a grasp on the emerging developments that could impact your case. It doesn't make sense to use someone that mainly handles car accidents and property damage for your nursing home abuse case, even though they call themselves a personal injury lawyer. Generally, you'll want someone with substantial experience in similar cases.

While we know everyone has to start somewhere, if you have the choice between a lawyer that is a veteran of the industry and someone who is just starting out, it's wise to work with someone with more experience. Typically, you're going to pay the same fees either way. Seasoned lawyers that have handled many personal injury cases may have insight that can only be gained with an extensive background in managing these matters.

While a significant number of cases are handled through negotiations outside the courtroom, your issue might be in the minority, which can only be resolved in court. If that's the only way to resolve your dispute, you'll need to work with an attorney that is prepared, willing, and has the wisdom to know when it's time to take it to a jury.

It's normal to assume that all lawyers are court-ready, but that's not the reality. A substantial number of practicing lawyers don't usually handle issues through the court system. Don't make the mistake of wasting precious time and risking lowered compensation on a lawyer that will shy away from a court battle if it comes down to it. Ask them how many cases they've tried versus negotiating. The insurance company will do its own investigation. Suppose they find your lawyer always negotiates and never goes to trial. In that case, there's less incentive to pay you a fair settlement.

How do you make the final decision if you do your homework and it comes down to a few contenders? For instance, you've gone through our checklist, and all the finalists have similar backgrounds, experience, and successful track records. What else can set them apart from one another?

It may come down to your gut feeling, the level of professionalism you witness, and how their staff treats you. For example, are they effective communicators? You want an attorney that can anticipate your concerns and address them without you having to reach out every time. You also want someone that can effectively explain your options to you. Nothing is worse than still not understanding your best course of action when you're working with someone who is supposed to provide you with that guidance. Still, ultimately, decisions will be up to you, but you'll need to have someone that can articulate the advantages and disadvantages of the options they lay before you.

Did their staff treat you cordially and with respect for your time when you interacted with them? Were your phone calls returned promptly? One last thing to consider is if your personalities match. Everyone has their own style, traits, and approach to issues. If something about their personality rubs you the wrong way, remember you could spend the next couple of years working with them.

We know that recovering compensation is the main point of hiring a personal injury lawyer. We also know that peace of mind will be extremely important to you since your legal issue could take some time to resolve. At Morgan and Morgan, we know that behind every case is an injured individual that needs meaningful compensation for their damages. Legal claims can cause a lot of worry and stress, and that's the last thing you need as you try to recover. We aim to reduce that burden for you by expertly handling all the complexities and bothersome nuisances that accompany a case.

When you work with Morgan and Morgan, you can rest easy knowing that you're engaging with one of the nation's largest and most successful law firms. Even so, we're still a family-owned business and try to impart family values in our work culture. You're not just a number on a case file at Morgan and Morgan. We know how much this means to you and your family and will work carefully and aggressively to ensure you recover the compensation you deserve.

You are entitled to seek justice when someone else's negligence alters your life. We can hold the negligent party accountable so you can get going in the right direction again. Contact us today for a free case evaluation and an interview with a personal injury lawyer that is the right fit for you.