The legal lowdown: how to choose the right personal injury lawyer
- Written by NewsServices.com
If you have experienced personal injury through work, motor accident, act of crime or something different, you are most likely weighing up your compensation options.
Whilst being on the receiving end of wrongdoing that has led to injury is so unfortunate, there is a silver lining: you most certainly are entitled to compensation for the wrongdoing.
The most important thing to do in order to get a great result is to choose the most reliable injury compensation lawyers. A trustworthy, reputable lawyer can provide all the legal backing you need to receive a great outcome from your claim.
However, there are some tips that should be followed when choosing your personal injury lawyer.
This is how to choose the right personal injury lawyer:
- Do your research
Choosing the right lawyer may be one of the biggest financial decisions you make this year, so it is something you should not take lightly. The best thing you can do when choosing a personal injury lawyer is to take your time and research prospective lawyers’ experience and success.
Never choose a general lawyer to do a specialist’s job. You wouldn’t get a plumber to rewire you home so don’t get a divorce lawyer to launch litigation.
Thankfully, with modern technology, this is a simple task. There are many different ways you can research a lawyer’s success, with even a quick Google search providing reliable reviews from people who also enlisted that lawyer.
-
Look for referrals
Do you know someone who was in a similar experience to you and can point you in the direction of a good lawyer? Or, do you know of someone who received an amazing outcome from enlisting a particular lawyer?
Whilst online reviews are a great way to find out if a prospective lawyer is reliable, nothing can beat the first-hand accounts of someone you know who can vouch for a lawyer’s ability to be compassionate, empathetic and, most of all, get the winning result.
-
Know who, exactly, will be representing you
It’s a common scenario that a firm will send in one of their higher-ups for the consultation only to then have a potentially inexperienced junior lawyer handle the case.
It never hurts to ask who, exactly, is handling your case. Why? Because you might be sure that the consultation lawyer is the one who will achieve the best results for you only to find out that they won’t be handling the case.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as most junior lawyers in Australia are incredibly talented, but it’s just good to know before you proceed.
-
Learn about the lawyer’s experience
If, however, your prospective firm does plan to hand the case over to a junior lawyer, you must inquire about the level of that junior’s expertise. Does the young lawyer have the specific training or skills to handle your particular case? Do they have any prior experience in dealing with a claim of your kind?
If the firm can’t provide enough information regarding the lawyer’s personal injury experience then this may be the right time to reconsider your options.
-
Read the contract before signing
Many people think that legal contracts should all be full of jargon, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Your claim contract should, in reality, be quite straightforward and easy for you to comprehend.
If not, you should ask the lawyer to explain or rewrite the particular parts you don’t understand. This can make a huge difference in your legal fees and even how the claim can play out, so it’s good to have full comprehension of your contract before agreeing to pay any legal fees.