To choose the right personal injury lawyer for you, it’s important to identify what you want most in a lawyer. Many clients want a law firm with a history of impressive case results, including both settlements and verdicts earned at trial. Other clients are most concerned with how a lawyer treats their client, and reviews from former clients help them evaluate that.
Ideally, you will find a Manhattan Beach personal injury lawyer who offers an overwhelming record of success and many glowing reviews from former clients. This is the sort of lawyer and firm that is worthy of your trust.
A Checklist for Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer
Hiring a personal injury lawyer may not be a familiar task. Whether or not you’ve worked with a personal injury lawyer before, some basic steps you can follow to find the right lawyer are:
Make Sure the Lawyer Handles Your Case Type
Personal injury lawyers refer to case types as “practice areas.” Some of the common practice areas that personal injury lawyers handle are:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Boat accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Elder abuse
- Dog bites and other animal attacks
- Medical malpractice
- Negligent security
- Defective products
- Wrongful deaths
If you believe someone has caused harm to you or a loved one, it is worth hiring a personal injury attorney. One of your first steps in hiring a lawyer is ensuring the law firm handles cases like yours.
Read Reviews of the Law Firm
Reviews from former clients can be immensely valuable as you look for a lawyer, as they:
- Tend to be honest accounts from clients who have firsthand experience with a law firm
- Can inform you of the law firm’s best qualities
- Can alert you to any potential shortcomings that may dissuade you from hiring a law firm
- Give an unbiased account of whether a law firm is the right fit for you, though you must be aware that some accounts are motivated by strong emotions (and may not be as objective as others)
While the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct set the bar for how a lawyer should treat their clients, some law firms go above and beyond. Client reviews are one way to identify law firms who treat their clients with dignity, respect, and unwavering attention.
Check the Case Results
Client service is important, but personal injury lawyers are in a results-based field. Many law firms post case results on their websites. As you review these results, you should:
- Look for a law firm with multi-million-dollar recoveries
- See that the law firm has secured both settlements and verdicts, as verdicts show that a firm is willing and able to try cases at trial
- Look for results in cases that are similar to yours
- Compare results between the law firms you are considering hiring
While results may not be the only data you weigh when choosing a law firm, they are an important consideration.
Identify the Law Firm’s Location Nearest to You
Having your lawyer close by provides several benefits. You should ensure that the law firm you choose is reasonably close to where you suffered an injury, illness, or lost a loved one. This is where your case is likely to take place, and having a lawyer near that location will:
- Allow you to meet with your lawyer in person
- Allow your attorney to obtain evidence, attend any court appearances, and complete other important duties without delay
- Ensure your lawyer has knowledge of the area, which can be important in preventing delays and building a strong case
The best lawyer for your case may not be in your city, but they should be reasonably close by.
Research the Attorneys’ Backgrounds and Accolades
If a firm seems like a good fit, it’s worth doing homework on the individual lawyers who work for that firm. Some law firms have a select group of attorneys handling cases, while others may have multiple attorneys on staff.
When you speak with a law firm’s representative, feel free to ask which lawyer will be handling your case. You can then evaluate that lawyer’s background and accomplishments and determine if they are qualified to lead your case.
Having Trouble Picking a Lawyer? Free Consultations May Be the Tiebreaker
Most personal injury law firms offer free consultations. These consultations are often conducted by phone or video conference, and they are immensely valuable for prospective clients who are selecting an attorney.
Some key tips to take into the consultation process are:
Make Sure the Firm Will Handle Your Case
The common theme throughout each of a personal injury lawyer’s cases is someone does something negligent to cause harm to another party. If the law firm believes that negligence is the root of your damages, they should be willing to represent you.
Listen to the Firm’s Pitch
If you have a case, a law firm may recognize that it has to earn your business. A firm’s pitch for why it is worthy of your business may touch on:
- How the law firm has obtained impressive results in cases similar to yours
- How long the firm has been handling cases like yours
- The experience of the firm’s top attorneys
- The firm’s culture
- How the firm ensures client satisfaction
- The resources the law firm will invest in your case
As you listen to the firm’s pitch, you will likely have questions. The next step is to ask those questions freely.
Ask the Important Questions
You should never feel like you are a burden by asking questions to a law firm’s representatives. The firm is trying to earn your trust, so you should not hesitate to ask:
- Which lawyer will be assigned to my case?
- Do you ever take cases to trial or generally settle?
- How does your fee structure work?
- How have you performed in cases like mine? Can you provide some specific examples?
- Why should I trust my case to your firm?
Hiring a lawyer is an important decision, so don’t take it lightly. Ask any questions you deem important, and judge law firms based on the transparency and satisfaction of their answers.
Trust Your Instincts
There are objective criteria to weigh when choosing a lawyer, such as case results. However, there are also intangible criteria you can weigh, like how you connect with the firm’s representatives and whether your instincts lead you to a firm. Don’t hesitate to rely on your instincts during the attorney selection process.
Once You Choose Your Personal Injury Lawyer, Here’s What to Expect from Them
Once you have chosen the law firm to lead your case, they will immediately go to work on your behalf. Different case types require different responsibilities, but some of the most common duties personal injury attorneys most often handle are:
Meeting with the Client (and Listening)
Meeting with the client is a critical step in any personal injury case. Such a meeting will:
- Allow you to explain why you’ve hired the lawyer
- Enable your lawyer to learn what damages you have suffered
- Provide your lawyer the chance to explain their case strategy and provide any other information you need to hear
You can also tell your lawyer how you prefer to communicate and any other preferences you have for them.
Taking Over Case-Related Communications
This will include communications with insurance companies, who are often involved in personal injury cases. By handling communications for you, your personal injury lawyer will:
- Prevent anyone from taking advantage of you and undermining your case in the process
- Ensure that no mistakes or miscommunications plague your case
- Allow your lawyer to keep your case moving forward, as they won’t tolerate any unnecessary delays
Clients who don’t have to deal with insurers have more time for rest and recovery.
Obtaining Evidence of Harmful Negligence
Your lawyer will identify every instance of negligence that has caused you harm. Whether it’s a motorist texting while driving before an accident or a medical provider improperly diagnosing a condition, your lawyer must prove how someone’s failure led to you being harmed.
Documenting Your Economic and Non-Economic Damages
Once your lawyer investigates and documents the cause of your damages, they will gather documentation for the damages. Some types of documentation your lawyer may use in your case are:
- Medical records detailing any injury or illness you’ve suffered because of someone’s negligence
- Medical bills
- An evaluation from a mental health expert, revealing conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD
- Financial statements, showing lost income and certain other financial losses
Other forms of documentation are more common in specific case types. For example, car accident cases often involve bills for vehicle repairs. A lawyer with relevant case experience will know what types of documentation will help your case.
Determining the Financial Cost of Damages
Calculating the cost of an auto accident, slip and fall, or other harmful event can be difficult. You will benefit from your lawyer’s paralegals, understanding of how to calculate economic and non-economic damages, and ability to organize complex financial data.
Fighting for a Fair Settlement
A fair settlement can be the best outcome for a personal injury case. This is the quickest route to resolving a case and allowing the client to move on. Your lawyer will present relevant evidence and documentation and press for the settlement you deserve.
An Attorney Can Also Draft a Lawsuit and Go to Trial If You Choose To
Both lawyers and clients generally prefer a fair settlement. There is less risk and cost for all parties when they can reach a settlement agreement. However, this isn’t always possible, particularly when the client faces bad-faith tactics from liable parties.
If you need them to, your lawyer will be ready for:
- Filing a lawsuit: Filing a lawsuit requires resources and effort. For this reason, when you sue, it indicates to liable parties that your lawyer is not willing to accept a lowball offer. Suing does not necessarily mean your case will go to trial, though. Your attorney may negotiate a settlement after filing the personal injury lawsuit.
- Representing you at trial: Many cases involve lawyers filing a lawsuit, and liable parties still aren’t willing to offer a fair settlement. These cases generally go to trial.
Trials vary in their length, and the most important thing is that your lawyer presents the strongest case possible. They will question witnesses, enter evidence for the court’s consideration, and make the case why you deserve a fair financial award.
Your Lawyer Is Going to Demand Fair Compensation for Your Damages
The primary motivation for hiring a personal injury attorney is to receive fair compensation. Whatever your health problems or damages are, your lawyer will urgently pursue a settlement or verdict that reflects the cost of those problems and damages.
Some of the types of damages personal injury lawyers often include in their cases are:
- Medical costs: These costs tend to increase when the client has a severe injury or illness.
- Pain and suffering: This is a legal term that can refer to emotional anguish, psychological distress, lost quality of life, and several other challenges that victims of negligence often face.
- Lost income: Additionally, you might lose career opportunities, bonuses, earning power, and other job-related benefits due to the liable parties’ negligence.
- The cost of damaged property: In auto accident cases and certain other case types, clients frequently deserve compensation for damaged property.
- The cost of severe disabilities: Disabled individuals often need medical equipment, caregiver services, long-term income replacement, and other resources that their attorneys account for.
Different health conditions have varying costs. Your attorney will learn about your health and the challenges you face because of an injury or illness. They will fight for the justice you deserve.
Many Clients Are Facing Tough Financial Times. Lawyers Structure Their Fees Accordingly.
Contingency fees mean that your law firm will complete your case without receiving a dime from you. If they win, your lawyer will receive a percentage of the money you receive.
A Personal Injury Lawyer is Standing By
Don’t wait to hire your attorney. Your case is time-sensitive, so follow the above checklist to find the right personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.