Best Personal Injury Lawyer

When you suffer a personal injury, selecting an attorney is one of the most important decisions you will make moving forward. You need to find the best personal injury lawyer that has experience and knowledge in the field. 

Most lawyers offer a free consultation. This is a meeting where the attorney reviews your case and provides their professional opinion on obtaining a personal injury settlement. This is also the time for you to essentially conduct a job interview. Here are vital questions to ask when interviewing personal injury lawyers.

How Many Types of Cases Like Mine Have You Handled?

This is an important question. Some personal injury attorneys handle a wide range of cases and have experience in all aspects of the law. Other personal injury attorneys handle specific types of cases and will advertise for those specialties, which include:

• Motorcycle Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) Accidents

There are some firms that have a large number of attorneys on staff, each specializing in one or more areas. This is beneficial, as lawyers can consult with others at the firm and bounce ideas off each other. 

What Are My Chances of Winning?

The best lawyer for your case will be able to provide an evaluation of your personal injury case at the consultation. If they are unable to estimate your chances of winning, it may be due to a lack of evidence when you meet. This can happen if you do not provide documents that evaluate your case, like a police report or medical bills.

Keep in mind that while every lawyer will provide you with an estimate of your chances of obtaining a successful settlement, they cannot guarantee the outcome. This is because as discovery proceeds there may be additional information obtained that impacts your settlement.

How Much Am I Likely to Win?

When you are interviewing an attorney, an important follow-up question to your chances of winning is an estimation of how much your settlement is worth. The attorney is unable to make any promises until an investigation is completed, but an estimated value of your case can be determined.

The severity of your injuries determines the value of your case. Injuries that prevent you from working, amputation of a limb, and extensive medical bills are all examples of areas that affect a settlement. If you are in an accident and suffer permanent impairment, impacting your quality of life, your case will have a higher settlement value.

Have You Handled Cases in My District or County?

There are laws pertaining to the location of where your claim or lawsuit is filed. For a personal injury case, the proper venue may be the residence of the defendant or the city or county where the incident causing the personal injury took place.

People often confuse venue with jurisdiction, which deals with the right to bring a lawsuit in a specific court. For instance, the number of damages being requested in the lawsuit will determine the proper court jurisdiction.

Will My Case Go to Trial?

Only 4% to 5% of all personal injury cases in the United States go to trial. The remaining 95% to 96% reach an out-of-court settlement. Surprisingly, 90% of the cases that go to trial end up losing. However, the personal injury cases that are won are often successful in front of a judge, instead of a jury of peers. 

What Is Discovery?

Discovery is the process in which each side “discovers” evidence to prove liability on the other party. It also includes disproving the credibility of the other side. Valuable discovery in a personal injury case is medical records. This includes a doctor’s long-term prognosis of victims’ road to recovery or showing life-long permanent injury.

Depending on the severity of the injury, it may take several months or a year for a final determination of the overall impact your injuries will have on your quality of life.

Other steps in the discovery process include interviewing witnesses, taking depositions, interrogatories, and reviewing accident reports. Depending on the location of the incident causing your injury, your attorney may subpoena video from surveillance cameras, insurance information from the other party, or anything else that will help the case.

What Do You Charge in Attorney Fees?

When you work with a lawyer for a personal injury claim, some will work on a contingency fee basis.  This means the firm will receive a percentage of the settlement only if they win your case or if the case results in a favorable outcome.

With a contingency arrangement, you do not pay any upfront attorney fees. The attorney will draw their fee from the settlement amount. They will also pay any expenses or medical liens on your case from the award. Expenses include things such as court filing fees, medical record costs, deposition fees, and expert witness fees. You receive the amount that remains after all fees and expenses are paid.

Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Do?

During the lifespan of a personal injury claim, there will be a checklist to complete. Just as importantly, there will also be a list of things you should not do. First, do not talk to insurance companies or the defendant’s counsel. They may take innocent comments and twist them to use against you in negotiations or at trial.

Also, if you receive a settlement offer from an attorney or insurance company, do not agree to anything until you have spoken with an attorney. Once you agree to a settlement you forgo your ability to file a claim or lawsuit. Therefore, do not sign anything. 

When it comes to what you should do after an accident, scheduling a consultation with a personal injury attorney is at the top of the list.

What to Take to a Consultation

When you are meeting with an attorney regarding your personal injury claim, take everything that pertains to your case. This includes accident reports, medical bills, medical records, photographs, and any other relevant materials. It is also helpful if you put together a written statement of what you remember about the accident. Present this statement to your attorney. 

If you receive any type of settlement offer or correspondence from insurance companies or attorneys, bring those with you, as well. The more evidence you present to the attorney, the easier it will be to assess your case and provide an accurate settlement estimation.

When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer

Finding the best personal injury lawyer with the right experience is a challenge. However, when it comes to experience in the field, Alpha Accident Lawyers is the top personal injury law firm. Our award-winning team offers: 

• A Free Consultation – 100% free case evaluation
• No Fees Until We Win – Zero upfront out-of-pocket fees
• Help with Medical Treatment – Extensive network of leading healthcare providers
• Convenience – If you can’t make it to our office, we can come to you
• Around-the-Clock Service – Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Call us today to schedule your free consultation.