There are many types of personal injury lawyers in existence. When someone close to you is injured by someone else or a legal entity, you should hire a competent lawyer to help you seek some justice. A personal injury attorney is a competent legal professional who can help clients file personal injury lawsuits, gather the necessary evidence and prepare for the case. The lawyer, like this personal injury attorney Athens option, will also offer competent legal counsel and legal representation throughout the case. Below are key factors to take into consideration during the search:
Area of Practice
As mentioned earlier, there are many types of personal injury lawyers in existence. For instance, there are medical malpractice lawyers, slip and fall lawyers, dog bite lawyers, and product liability lawyers among others. To find the best lawyer for your needs, therefore, you need to start with a shortlist of lawyers who have specialized in the case at hand. For instance, if you have a dog bite case, be sure to shortlist lawyers who have specialized in personal injury cases involving dog bite incidences. By only shortlisting lawyers who have specialized in the right field, you can be assured of finding the right attorney for the case at hand.
Experience
The best way to quantify the competence of a lawyer is to check the number of cases they have handled in the past. This is crucial because experience is a great teacher, so lawyers who have previously represented clients in similar types of cases over a long period of time should get preferential treatment. If you want to file a lawsuit against a neighbor whose dog bit you or your child, you need to only shortlist personal injury lawyers with a lot of experience handling similar types of cases. Therefore, you have to conduct a bit of research on the experiences of the shortlisted attorneys before committing yourself.
Reputation
The reputation of an attorney is a key factor to look into. This is because you are looking for a trusted and reliable attorney with a proven track record of effectively representing clients in similar types of cases. You will be happy to know that there are many lawyer review sites you can visit to get the information you need to make your final decision. When you’re represented by a reputable lawyer, you can always expect to get the best possible legal representation.
Legal Fees
The fees charged by the attorneys on your list must be compared. This is because you’re looking for an affordable attorney. While most personal injury attorneys may work on a contingency basis, they often get paid handsomely if they win the case. They can take as much as 40-50% or more, of the settlement or court award. To ensure you are not shortchanged, be sure to compare and negotiate legal fees well in advance.
Success Rate
It is imperative you compare the success rates of the shortlisted attorneys. This is because you’re looking for a successful lawyer with the highest success rate. Only lawyers who have won over three-quarters of their cases should get any consideration.
