We often never see an injury coming; else, we would always avoid it. However, this does not mean I can’t hold anyone accountable. Suppose a building’s owner knew that anything around the property is a risk to human life and did nothing about it. In that case, I could file a personal injury lawsuit against the individual or the company responsible. The same goes for medical malpractices.
Since I may not be in the best position to argue my case, a personal injury lawyer ensures I get the best compensation possible. I may even opt to use Luke Ellis as I’ve heard that Luke Ellis is one of the top Stockton personal injury lawyers there is. However, not everyone has the chance of using a great lawyer like Mr. Ellis so there are a few things to look out for when choosing a lawyer.
Specialization and Focus
Not every lawyer can handle a personal injury case. It may seem easy to ask for compensation, but defendants try all they can to avoid paying or only pay the minimum. Any lawyer can give proper advice, but only a specialized one in personal injuries knows the hidden tricks into getting the plaintiff all they are supposed to get. If I want to get all my compensation from the incident, I should look for a lawyer whose focus is on related cases.
Availability
Next, I want to ensure I can get in touch with my lawyer at any time, especially in urgent situations. Sometimes defendants settle earlier than expected, and I do not want to arrive at the settlement meeting without my legal force. Therefore, I will desist from lawyers who rarely return emails, never return a missed call, or seem to have other ‘more important’ things to handle.
What are Other People’s Opinions?
My lawyer should have the ability to handle the pressure and stress in personal injury cases. Therefore, I should find out what experiences his/her other clients have had during similar cases. I will read through the lawyer’s site reviews and talk to at least two of his previous clients. This way, I am sure that online reviews are genuine.
Quality of Experience
It’s one thing to hire a lawyer who has some experience and a whole different story when looking for a quality experience. The former might have their days in court or such settlement meetings, but none of the clients represented were satisfied with the outcome. The latter has an excellent track record when dealing with personal injury cases, and the people represented always go away with what they deserve. I would therefore go for the latter over the former.
Service Quality
Any service we access should be something that the service provider has a heart for. Else, they won’t care about the people they represent. The same goes for personal injury representation services. My lawyer should be professional yet relatable. I do not want to feel like I am forcing them to do their job. The more they are involved in the most critical aspects of the case, the more secure I’ll feel.
This is even more important for cases that involve more than one attorney. My lawyer should be the head of the team, ensuring that I am updated in case of any changes and understand what the entire process will involve. I should know which role I am playing and do it rightly from my lawyer’s advice.
Contingency Fee
Many personal injury lawyers ask for a contingent fee as the lawyer’s fee, meaning they get a percentage of what I recover. Different lawyers offer different rates, meaning I should pay attention to how much I’m willing to lose in contingent fees. The amount has to be worth the service quality. I should also ensure my lawyer has the necessary resources to handle the case, as filing personal injury related lawsuits could be expensive.
Conclusion
I may not be able to get the perfect lawyer for this situation, but I should at least ensure I cover all my essential bases. Sometimes such cases can go for months. Therefore, a reliable lawyer should last through the entire process. If the lawyer does a fantastic job, it’s a win-win situation for both the firm and the client.
