Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney? Common Mistakes to Avoid

A personal injury can cost you a fortune to treat or even harm your ability to earn a living. Luckily, if the injury resulted from another person's negligence, the other party's insurer should compensate you for your losses, pain suffered, and medical expenses. Since you cannot reverse an injury, compensation comes in the form of money.

Mostly, you'll need to hire a personal injury attorney to hasten the claims process and help you get full compensation. While a simple online search will provide websites for hundreds of personal injury attorneys within your locality, not all the available attorneys can provide exemplary service.

Below are some common mistakes to avoid when hiring a personal injury attorney.

Not Comparing Several Options

As mentioned above, a simple online search will provide many websites for personal injury attorneys in your town, city, or county. While all the attorneys claim to be the best on their websites, not all will fully meet your legal representation needs.

Therefore, you must research your options before you decide whom to hire. Look for customers' comments on the attorney's website or look for reviews from an independent third-party review site. These reviews will help you gauge the attorney's ability to help you get full compensation for your injuries.

Other aspects to research about the available lawyers include their experience, academic qualifications, and the number of cases they have won.

Not Asking Questions

Once you have identified a potential candidate, you should ask them any questions that you may have about your case and their ability to handle it. For example, you can ask about the attorney's qualifications if they have not stated that on their website.

Also, through simple questions, you can gauge an attorney's communication skills and their ability to demystify the complex legal terms.

Hiring a General Practice Lawyer

While any attorney can represent you in any case, not all can guarantee success. The same way you cannot go to a dentist for an eye problem, don't hire any lawyer to represent you in a personal injury case.

Unlike an attorney who takes all types of cases that walk in the door, an attorney who only concentrates on personal injury cases has more experience in dealing with various personal injury cases in the court and out of court. Therefore, these attorneys won't accept a low offer to avoid going to trial.

Paying Upfront 

Most personal injury attorneys accept a contingent fee arrangement where the attorney receives a percentage of the settlement amount. Since you don't pay when you lose the case, some attorneys will ask you to pay out of your pocket if your case is weak.

Also, since all attorneys don't charge the same, you can contact several attorneys to compare their legal fees, but don't go for the cheapest without checking other factors like success rate and experience.

Not Meeting the Attorney in Person

Since most attorneys have an online presence, you can hire an attorney without visiting their offices. While this method offers convenience and saves time, you will not get an opportunity to know what the attorney is like to work with. One-on-one meetings also help you vet an attorney's professionalism through their actions.

Therefore, before you settle on an attorney, make sure you have met them in person, most preferably in their office.

Hiring a personal injury attorney is not always an easy task, as you have to select one among hundreds of available options. Luckily, if you avoid all the above mistakes when hiring a personal injury attorney, you'll find an experienced attorney who can successfully handle your case, whether small or big.

At Walsh & Associates, PC, we handle all personal injury cases with the seriousness they deserve. Contact us today to experience our personalized service.