You can find the best personal injury lawyer near you by figuring out what you want in a lawyer. Experience, results, and positive reviews are three criteria most clients use to evaluate attorneys.
There is also the act of finding the attorney. Many clients find their car accident lawyer online. Others respond to local advertisements, while others might act on a recommendation from someone they trust. Starting with a web search can be a logical way to start looking for your lawyer.
Ways to Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer in Your Geographic Area
If you are unsure of how to find the right lawyer for your personal injury case, you might consider:
Investigating Someone’s Recommendation
Of course, this option depends on whether you receive a recommendation. Someone you trust might make a recommendation without you prompting them to. You might also ask those you trust whether they’ve used a personal injury lawyer before—particularly if they’ve faced circumstances like yours.
Embracing the Power of the Internet
Searching for your personal injury lawyer online provides several benefits, as you:
- Are probably already familiar with the process of searching for local businesses via the internet
- Can rely on Google Reviews and other similar services to determine what former clients think of a law firm
- Can review law firms’ websites, see their practice areas, and evaluate other information that may help in your search
- Can find the law firm’s contact information quickly
The internet is a strong means of vetting firms before you move forward. Once you locate a law firm online, you can take the next step—a free, no-risk consultation.
Responding to Local Advertisements
You may have seen local advertisements featuring attorneys, some of whom may handle personal injury cases. It may be worth your time to further investigate these law firms and other firms serving your area.
Using a Lawyer You’ve Hired Before
If you have previously hired a personal injury lawyer and were satisfied with their quality of service, you might speak with that firm again. If a substantial amount of time has passed since you worked with that firm, you might want to make sure the firm’s culture and quality of service have not waned.
What Can Make a Personal Injury Attorney the “Best” for Your Case
As you search for a lawyer, you should have at least some idea of what you’re seeking. Some of the criteria that clients often use to evaluate attorneys include:
Proximity to the Case
It’s generally a good idea to hire a law firm that is reasonably close to where your case will take place because:
- Your case may require your lawyer to take action in person, and your attorney coming from far away can be impractical and detrimental to your case
- Local law firms may have more extensive familiarity with the local courts, insurance providers, and locations that are relevant to your case
- You may want to speak with your lawyer in person from time to time, and that’s more practical if they’re nearby
If you were in a car accident, you should look for a law firm near the accident scene. If you are a victim of medical malpractice, you’ll ideally find a capable lawyer near where the malpractice happened. Proximity matters, so add it to your checklist.
Relevant Case Results
Case results are one of the most important factors to weigh when looking for a lawyer. This is no wonder because events like car accidents, slips and falls, and other harmful circumstances can be costly.
As you consider prospective law firms’ case results, you should think about:
- The number of results the law firm has delivered to clients (firms will often mention their total recoveries on their websites)
- The mix of settlements and judgments the law firm has secured, as a combination of the two suggests a versatile law firm willing to take cases to trial
- Law firms’ results in cases that resemble yours
Keep in mind that each case has a different value. While a law firm’s posted case results are worthy of your attention, a number alone does not tell the whole story. This is why you should ask prospective law firms to tell you about notable case results during your free consultation.
Reviews
Do not ignore client reviews. Any law firm you consider will have served others before you. It’s worth investigating whether the law firm has served admirably.
While some reviews might be outliers, trends are usually more reliable. If 99 out of 100 former clients say a law firm was outstanding, there’s a good chance that the law firm will provide you with outstanding representation, too.
You might consider other variables, like the number of attorneys at the firm. However, law firms with several attorneys and solo practitioners can both deliver impactful outcomes for clients like you.
The Consultation Is the Essential Final Step in Your Lawyer Search
You might use the internet to narrow down a handful of law firms you might hire for your case. Speaking with representatives of those firms is the next step to take.
Personal injury lawyers almost always offer free consultations, which:
- Are generally necessary for the client and firm to determine if the match is a good one
- Generally consist of the client asking questions, the firm’s representative asking questions, and both sides answering the other’s questions
- May be limited in time (in part because they are free), so make sure you are prepared to ask your questions—and insist on getting the answers you need
Lawyers and their teams know that clients can be intimidated, uncertain, and face other complex emotions when they call. Expect nothing but compassion, understanding, patience, and attention when you complete the consultation.
Questions You Might Ask During Your Free Consultations with Personal Injury Lawyers
Many who hire a personal injury lawyer are retaining an attorney for the first time in their life. It might be difficult for you to know which questions to ask or requests to make, so here are a few ideas:
- Tell me why you’re the right law firm for me and my case
- How often will you communicate throughout my case?
- To what degree will you personalize your legal service for me?
- Which of your law firm’s case results are most relevant to my case?
- If it’s a viable option for me, will you be willing to file a lawsuit?
- Do your attorneys take cases like mine to trial?
You should also ask about each law firm’s fee structure. While the majority of law firms use a contingency fee—which means the lawyer only receives a fee if they secure compensation for you—it’s smart to confirm how a law firm structures its fees.
Why You Might Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
There are several possible reasons to retain a personal injury attorney, which include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Bus accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Scooter accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Boat accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Trip and fall accidents
- Other accidents on hazardous premises
- Nursing home neglect and abuse
- Work-related accidents
- Dog bites and other attacks
- Physical battery
- Sexual abuse
- Financial exploitation
- Wrongful death
Some law firms focus intently on certain case types. If a law firm has extensive and intentional experience with your case type, this can be an important factor in which law firm you ultimately choose.
Can’t I Handle My Own Personal Injury Case?
Those who think about handling their own insurance claim or lawsuit should always think twice. Some of the realities you should consider are:
- The time your case might take: You can never know the exact timeline for a personal injury or wrongful death case. Some cases settle quickly, while others can take multiple years to complete. The point is that you should never expect that your case will be short and simple. Instead, let a lawyer lead the process; they will see it through until the end—whenever that end comes.
- The complexity of insurance claims and lawsuits: Insurance policies, legal statutes, court proceedings, and other aspects of your case will be complicated. An experienced attorney will have the education, training, experience, and independent learning necessary to navigate these complexities.
- The potential for your health to take a downturn (or not progress as quickly as you expected): Many who hire a personal injury lawyer are injured, sick, grieving, and fragile in other ways. Stress is exactly the sort of hazard that can cause one’s delicate health to take a downturn. Protecting yourself must be a priority, and hiring a lawyer will spare you from potentially harmful stress.
- Liable parties’ agendas: Insurance companies may want to pay you as little as possible. Other liable parties may have the same agenda. Knowing that liable parties may be actively fighting your case should motivate you to hire a lawyer. An attorney will protect you and insist that liable parties do what’s right for you.
- The many benefits a law firm offers: Only a lawyer offers the sort of experience that directly benefits your case. Personal injury cases are made for personal injury lawyers. When you hire a lawyer, you will also benefit from experts, paralegals, financial support, and the many perks that come with a personal injury attorney.
Some things are important enough to hire a professional for. Insurance claims and lawsuits are among them. Let an experienced attorney give their experience, energy, and resources to you and your case.
Facing an Insurance Claim? A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
If you are looking at a certain or possible insurance claim, a lawyer can help. Some of the ways your lawyer will help with an insurance claim are:
- Determining whether one or more claims is a good strategy for you: Sometimes, a lawsuit makes more sense than an insurance claim. Your lawyer will discuss with you whether filing one or more insurance claims is, in fact, the right strategy for your case.
- Reviewing policies: If you move forward with one or more insurance claims, your lawyer will become a student of the relevant policies. They will look at coverage conditions, limits, deadlines, and all other details about your claim.
- Dealing with insurance companies on your behalf: You will not have to deal with calls, letters, requests, pressure to make statements, or any other correspondence from insurance companies. Let your lawyer deal with that.
- Negotiating a settlement: Settling is the most frequent way claimants resolve their claims. Your lawyer will be your negotiator. They will know exactly how much money you deserve and demand that liable insurers provide it.
You should be healing physically and mentally. The demands of an insurance claim can interfere with that. Let a lawyer represent you with the insurers, who can make the process far more difficult than it should be.
A Lawyer Can Also Be a Critical Resource If You Decide to Sue
Suing is another action that personal injury lawyers often take for clients. Some lawsuit-related duties your lawyer can handle are:
- Establishing fault for the harm you’ve suffered
- Determining who should pay for the cost of your damages
- Documenting each of your damages
- Filing a lawsuit, if necessary
- Leading your case in court, if trial is the right path for your case
The vast majority of lawsuits conclude via settlement. That said, a lawyer allows you to file a lawsuit and even go to trial if you decide to.
Damages That May Be Part of Your Personal Injury Case
Some damages you might deserve compensation for are:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental health services
- Lost income
- Medical expenses
- Any other economic or non-economic harm thrust on you by someone else’s negligence
Not all damages have an obvious financial value. For example, a large percentage of traffic accident survivors struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can cause non-economic harm, such as painful memories and restlessness. Your personal injury attorney will seek compensation for all the harm you’re facing.
Do not wait to find a lawyer because your case is both important and time-sensitive. Remember to take full advantage of those free consultations, and start your search today.