A personal injury attorney is an important person in everyday life more than most people are even aware of. Whether you are driving to work in Portland or just using a commercial product, injuries can happen anywhere. Such injuries mainly occur because of negligence from the actions of another party. Such injuries could be in the form of drunk driving, a shopping mall management that failed to warn the public about a slippery floor or a faulty product that caused an injury to the consumer. Whereas most people are reluctant to file a legal claim in the event of personal injuries due to negligence, finding the right personal injury attorney can increase your chances of getting justice. Below are some of the key considerations when choosing a personal injury attorney.
Consider the Attorney’s Past Experience
Experience is paramount in any profession and not just for legal practitioners. Always go for a personal injury attorney who has a rich history dealing with similar cases to yours. There are state and county bar associations that assist victims by referring them to good lawyers depending on their respective claims. Experience can also come in form of recommendations from friends and family. If you have had someone who has had a successful experience with an attorney, then you can confidently seek legal services from the same attorney. It is also important to ensure that experience is not entirely related to the years of practice but how vast the cases are. A good personal injury attorney should be able to handle personal injury claims from construction accidents, common bicycle accident and truck accidents.
Make an Appointment and Attend the Meeting
With the evolution of information and technology, communication has become faster and more effective. It is possible to file a claim with your personal injury attorney at the comfort of your home. However, attending the initial meeting is important. There are genuine attorneys ready to assist you with your claim on the dial but there are also equal chances that some personal injury lawyers might not be right for the profession. In order to make an informed decision, schedule a meeting with your attorney. This should give you a clearer picture of the person who is going to handle your claim.
Ask the Right Questions
After scheduling a meeting with your personal injury attorney, use the opportunity to understand better your chances of winning a case. It is important to understand a few basics when making a personal injury claim. Your attorney should be able to provide legal advice as well as answer any questions that you might have. For the avoidance of doubt, use this opportunity to verify some of the information that might have been on the lawyer’s website. Below are some of the questions to ask your personal injury attorney:
What is the rate of success of me winning this case?
What are your legal fees and are there any hidden charges?
What documents should I make available?
How long is it likely to take for my case to be resolved?
Do a Follow Up
Some people often seek legal services then leave the process to the attorney to its entirety. While there is not much that you can do as the claimant, always make a point of following up on your case. Sometime, personal injury attorneys have so many cases to handle and by not following-up with the process, you could miss out on any important developments.