There are several ways to get referrals to personal injury lawyers from experienced plaintiffs. Once you get references, be sure to compare. Get the names of several lawyers and talk or meet with each of them to discuss your claim before deciding to hire someone. Many lawyers don't take cases if they're below a certain potential recovery amount, or if the lawsuit isn't very clear.
Lawyers are expensive; they charge hundreds of dollars an hour for their work. If you've been injured, this is likely something you can't afford out of pocket. The good news is that reputable personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that they are not paid until they pay you.
It's common for contingency amounts to range between 25% and 40%, so look for a lawyer who works within those ranges. They'll take their share of your winnings and the good guys will factor in legal fees in the final settlement to make sure you get the most out of your claim. Contact friends or co-workers who have been represented by an attorney in their own personal injury claims. If they say good things about the experience, put that lawyer on your candidate list.
But don't make any decisions about an attorney based solely on someone else's recommendation. Different people will have different answers to the style and personality of a lawyer. In addition, at any particular time, an attorney may have more or less energy or interest to pursue a new case. So don't decide to hire a lawyer until you've met with him, discussed your case, and decided that you're comfortable starting a working relationship.
You can file a personal injury lawsuit for compensation after suffering injuries in an accident caused by someone else's negligence. However, if your injuries are serious or the at-fault party is difficult, you'll probably want a personal injury lawyer to take care of it. As noted above, lawsuits involving serious or catastrophic personal injury can be very costly to bring to court. A serious injury case against a trucking company may involve accident reconstruction experts and truck safety experts, as well as the experts that will be needed to testify to the nature and extent of a client's injuries (treating physicians, life care planners, experts vocational, economists, etc.
in some rather rare scenarios, it might be a good idea to handle a personal injury claim on your own when your injuries are minor and you feel comfortable dealing with the at-fault party's insurance company, for example. Even if your injuries are serious and your potential compensation is high, an attorney could refuse to take your case if the odds of winning full compensation are low for any reason.
