subject: Finding The Best Personal Injury Attorney [print this page] If you have been the victim of another person's negligence or careless act that resulted in your suffering a physical or emotial injury, you may want to seek compensation from a qualified Personal Injury Attorney. While many people think that one Personal Injury Attorney is just like another, nothing could be further from the truth. If you have been seriously injured, you may potentially have a lawsuit that can reach 6 or even 7 figures.
Filing a million dollar personal injury case is easy. Any licensed attorney can prepare a complaint and file the paperwork with the proper court. Only a select few will actually be able to get a settlement for a million dollars. If you want to give yourself the best chance of getting a large and fair verdict, it is very important to pick the right Personal Injury Attorney. Following are some of the qualities to look for when trying to engage the services of the best possible Personal Injury Attorney.
EXPERIENCE
Just like you would not want to be a brand new surgeon's first patient to be operated on, you do not want to be the first client represented in a personal injury case by a recent law school graduate. While it may be quite possible that you will be well represented by a young and inexperienced attorney, why take a chance when you can have an attorney with a proven record of success. Hiring someone who has years of experience and a high rate of success will usually not cost you any more than hiring an attorney with less experience.
GOING TO TRIAL
Believe it or not, there are many Personal Injury Attorneys who never actually present cases in front of a jury. The vast majority of personal injury cases are actually settled out of court. If you have a medical malpractice or product liability case, it is important to have someone who is comfortable taking the case to trial. Look for an attorney who specializes in a particular field of personal injury law and not someone who is more of a Generalist.
AGGRESSIVE
When you hire a Personal Injury Lawyer, it is usually to your benefit to get someone who is both aggressive and tenacious. If you want to get the biggest settlement, find an attorney who wants to go to trial and not settle. While being aggressive and relentless might not seem like an attractive quality to the average person, when it comes to fighting for your rights, there is nothing better than an attorney with a pit bull mentality.
RECOMMENDED
It may not be easy to find the best Personal Injury Attorney by looking in the Yellow Pages or choosing one who does a lot of advertising. Often, the best attorneys have a reputation in the legal community for being good. If you know another lawyer or someone who previously filed a personal injury case, ask them who they used and how satisfied they were with that attorney. You can get recommendations from friends, family, business associates or other professionals like accountants or bankers. Check out several attorneys. Take advantage of free consultations. Ultimately, you should feel comfortable with the attorney you decide to hire.