If you have been in an auto accident or suffered a work injury then you might need a personal injury attorney to represent you. You have the option to represent yourself but if the stakes are too high or the at fault party is contesting who’s fault it really is, then personal injury attorneys will be able to help you figure out how to go about fighting for your cause. However, you want to make sure that you get the right lawyer. Just because you visit a personal injury law firm, doesn’t mean that they are going to have the right lawyer for you or your situation. Here are some things to look for in any lawyer, not just a personal injury attorney.
Honesty and Openness
Most law firms will allow you to come in for a free initial consultation. During this interview, you should feel free to ask as many tough questions as you want. In fact, do some research and have a list ready for the lawyer that you sit with. The personal injury attorney should be ready and willing to answer any and all of your questions regarding their experiences, expertise, law school, credentials and any other professional questions. If the lawyer seems hesitant to talk about something, this should be a red flag. There needs to be a mutual openness between the attorney and the client at all times. This is the only way to show a united front against the other party. Otherwise, the at fault party will try to use this against you.
Ability to Listen
A lawyer needs to listen to your side of things. It’s not just about them and what they say. Of course, you are going to need to do a lot of listening as your attorney gives you legal advice throughout the process but the only way that the attorney will know how to best represent you is if he listens to you and finds out what exactly happened, according to you. Not being able to listen could result in missing crucial details that could have made a big different to the case. You can find out if your lawyer is a good listener in that first consultation. If they are constantly cutting you, rushing you or finishing your sentences, you’ll know that they are not ready to listen to what you have to say and you can find someone else.
People Skills
This one is so important especially if you are going to end up in trial. While the likelihood of trial is not high, there is a chance and your lawyer has to come off as likable to the jury. Being about to listen and be honest are good people skills but it goes even further than that. You don’t want a lawyer who is socially awkward or worse, inappropriate and end up getting laughed out of court. A good lawyer is able to interact with people of all different backgrounds, cultures, races, genders and beliefs. He or she should never put anyone down and dismiss a person. People are what give a lawyer their income and without them, they wouldn’t be a lawyer. So, may attention to not only what the lawyer says to you, but how he or she says it and the impression that he or she gives off.
Experience in Your Claim’s Field
Finally, you want to make sure that you find a lawyer that specializes in the area of your claim. There are so many different kinds of lawyers out there that you need to be very specific in your church. Hiring a lawyer with expertise in your area is helpful because it eliminates a lot on unnecessary research and documents. They will know exactly what needs to be done in order to win your case. A lawyer like this will probably also be able to expedite the process as well as keep the entire thing out of court. Being able to settle in mediation is much preferable and if the lawyer has already been through something like this before then they will know how to do that. You have less of a chance winning in court than you do if you are able to agree in mediation meetings.