When you suffer an injury, whether in a car accident, a slip and fall, through a defective product, medical malpractice, or for any other reason, you may find your life has been turned upside down and side to side. Your daily activities may no longer include going to work or taking care of the kids.
You may now be dealing with what looks like an endless stream of medical appointments, treatments, medication, and more. And the question that occupies your mind while waiting for your injuries to heal is what to do with the mountain of medical bills when you are not receiving a regular paycheck. You may be thinking about hiring legal representation to help you with your case, but how do you go about finding the right personal injury lawyer? Let’s find out.
Ask Your Local Bar Association
If all your search efforts to find the right Florida personal injury lawyers have yielded no results, reaching out to your local bar association is another place where you might find the perfect lawyer to help you fight for your rights and receive the compensation you deserve.
Look for a Lawyer with the Right Kind of Experience
You may have heard the name of a lawyer or had one recommended by a neighbor or coworker. However, before rushing to hire this person, it is important to verify the type of law they practice and whether they have handled cases like yours. An interesting question might also be whether they work for an insurance company or have done so in the past. This may not work in your favor since they may have gotten used to taking the insurance company’s side and may not see the value of your claim.
Find a Personal Injury Lawyer Who Wants to Take Your Case
Personal injury claims entail a relationship between the one who was injured and the legal counterpart. Just like you want to take the time to find the perfect lawyer to help you with your claim, the lawyer you are interviewing also needs to want to work with you. Simply put, the lawyer needs to find value in your case.
If the lawyer will take your case on a contingency basis, this means that they will not get paid until you win. If the lawyer believes the amount of compensation you might receive will be too small, the amount of time and resources they will need to dedicate to your case may not be worth it.
In other cases, even if your injuries are quite extensive and severe, you might have been found to be partially responsible for the accident, making the payout unattractive to the lawyer. Or maybe the person responsible for your injuries is impossible to locate, or they are uninsured. If you find your case is of no interest to this lawyer, you must continue with your quest.
Ask for Recommendations
If people you know have recently been represented by a personal injury lawyer, talk to them. Ask them whether their case was similar to yours, how satisfied they were by the performance of this attorney, and any other questions that might be on your mind. Once you get a name or a couple of references, never decide to engage their services before interviewing them and getting a personal opinion on whether you would be comfortable working with them.
Talk to a Lawyer You Know
You might have a relationship with a lawyer that practices a different type of law. This can be someone who has advised you on your taxes, helped you when you purchased a home, or for any other reason. They may be a good starting point when looking for a trustworthy recommendation. Even in this case, schedule a consultation before you decide to hire them.
Finding the Perfect Lawyer for Your Case
Going with your gut is not the best course of action when you are in the process of filing a personal injury claim. Always take the time to schedule a consultation and get your doubts and questions answered.
You will find that most personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation before you engage in their services. Prepare yourself for this meeting by writing down important points. You may want to know about their experience with cases like yours, their success rate, whether they have experience with the insurance company or their adjuster, and how familiar they are with the local courts, should your case end up in a trial.
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