How to Hire a
Personal Injury Attorney

When you need to hire an attorney, choose one who takes time with you. You can start by asking around in your community, at work, or within your family to get some names, and then take a look at their websites.

Interview several and ask them questions. If you feel they aren’t answering you honestly or attentively, move on.

You’ll be potentially talking a lot to this person, so you want to feel confident that you’re being told the truth and kept up to date on the proceedings.

• Look for experience – Look for a lawyer who has many years of experience dealing with your type of case.

• Choose an attorney who works on contingency – That way you won’t owe anything up front, and when the lawyer wins a settlement for you, only then will he or she be paid. This arrangement should be explained and clarified at the start.

• Choose a law firm that offers free legal consultations. This will give you a feel for how the firm does business. Look around the office while you’re there and take note of how people treat each other, how the phone is answered, whether things seem to be calm and organized.

• Look for a record of success –Ask about previous settlements and court verdicts. Make sure the attorney is experienced in trials as well as negotiations, because although it would be nicer to avoid a trial, sometimes negotiations don’t turn out to be productive, and a trial becomes necessary.

During your initial consultation

• Ask about the statute of limitations on your particular type of case. That date might seem distant, but remember that a lot of work may have to be done before a filing is made. People may have to be located and interviewed; medical records obtained, and a lot of information gathered and assessed.

• Ask for an initial assessment and overview of your case. Find out what steps the legal team would follow to bring your case to a successful conclusion.

• If possible go to that consultation with some documents, so that the lawyer can more quickly get an idea of your circumstances. For instance, take:

• A copy of the police report, if any

• Copies of medical records

• Photos of injuries or property damage

• Names and contact information of any witnesses

If you decide to hire that attorney, he’ll already have a head start on the discovery process. If your case involves any severe injury, and a lot of medical testimony will be needed, the discovery phase can be quite long, so it would be good to start as quickly as possible.