How To Find a Good Personal Injury Attorney

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer can be an intimidating prospect. It’s a task that will involve more than a simple Google search or online ad. You will have to consult with personal injury lawyers to figure out who is a good fit for you and your case.

Personal injury law is a huge practice area and covers many legal issues. It includes everything from wrongful death, car accidents, property damage, and product liability to medical malpractice cases.

When a person or company causes you or a loved one harm, an experienced personal injury lawyer provides you with legal advice and works to bring a satisfying resolution to your pain and suffering. Contact a local personal injury lawyer to understand your legal options.

What You Need To Know

• Finding the right lawyer is a challenging but necessary part of personal injury lawsuits.
• No two accidents are alike, and experienced personal injury attorneys can specialize in various practice areas.
• If you’re looking for an attorney on a search engine or in a phone book, you might find there are too many options.
• People link up with attorneys in all kinds of exciting ways, including through sites like Super Lawyers.

When To Start Looking for a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you suffered an injury and another person or legal business entity was at fault, you should consider a personal injury claim. To do this, you will need legal representation. The first step in this process will be to consult with an attorney from a personal injury law firm. These consultations are usually free.

“If you’ve been injured in a car collision or by tripping on a bad sidewalk or as a result of medical treatment, that will probably start you thinking,” says David B. Golomb, of Golomb & Longo law office in New York City. “‘Was that injury caused by someone being negligent?’ If the answer is yes, that is enough to start looking around.”

Don’t Be Fooled by Lawyer Advertising

When looking for a personal injury attorney, say the husband-and-wife team of Robert S. Kelner and Gail S. Kelner of Kelner & Kelner in Manhattan, don’t be fooled by advertising for legal services.

“Many [clients] depend on poster advertisements or radio or TV ads,” says Robert Kelner. “They end up in a mill that is content to handle cases in great volume but does not do an artistic job on the cases. That is an art. Will this attorney be able to paint the picture of what has occurred in that person’s life?”

“Whoever you interview should answer your questions, and not just say ‘We will take care of it,'” says Gail Kelner. “If the client has a question, it’s important to give an answer.”

You Should Feel Comfortable Communicating With Your Personal Injury Lawyer

Bill Dippel, a personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of William Kenneth C. Dippel in Dallas, adds that you should feel comfortable communicating with the attorney right from the start.

“Is your lawyer listening to you? Are they responding directly to questions you have? Did they do a good job of describing how the process will work?” he asks. “It’s really a comfort-level issue.”

Questions To Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer at the Consultation

When interviewing an attorney, Bill Dippel says a potential client should feel comfortable asking questions such as:

• Who will be handling my case on a day-by-day basis?
• If not you, will you be overseeing the case?
• How does your contingency fee process work?
• When will you know if I have a case worth pursuing?

Are There Different Kinds of Personal Injury Lawyers?

Yes. No two accidents are alike, and personal injury attorneys can specialize in various practice areas.

Some attorneys are more experienced with settlement offers, while others are trial lawyers. Some lawyers specialize in helping accident victims recover the costs of their medical expenses from insurance companies. Others work on specific types of cases, such as premises liability.

“Trial experience is important because when it comes time to negotiate a settlement, the other side will know your attorney is willing to go to trial, should they not offer fair compensation,” says Toni Schlapprizzi, who practices with her brother and father at Schlapprizzi P.C. in St. Louis. “A trial lawyer’s experience in front of a jury will increase settlement offers.”

It would be best if you weighed the pros and cons of each attorney with the facts of your case.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?

It’s a great question to ask during your initial consultation. If you are comfortable with your attorney, you can hire them as your legal representation to file your personal injury lawsuit.

“Not getting an attorney to assist you through the process is a big mistake,” says personal injury attorney Brant J. Stogner of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner in Houston.

How Can I Find a Personal Injury Lawyer in My Area?

The search for a local attorney is not always easy. For example, a densely populated region like New York City might have attorneys in abundance, while a rural area might have fewer.

“There is so much information about lawyers and law firms available on the web, through social media and advertisements, that it can be overwhelming for the average consumer,” says Joseph Cambiano of Rubins, Kase, Hager & Cambiano in Kansas City.

“Ultimately, it comes down to narrowing it down to a handful of lawyers who appear skilled and have the background to handle the specific claim. I think it’s then essential to meet with the attorney handling the claim, not some intermediary, so an injured party can be comfortable with their choice, knowing that the lawyer cares and wants to be their lawyer.”

Doing Your Research

The easiest way to find an experienced personal injury attorney is often through referrals from family and friends. You can also check both state and local bar associations in your area. Third-party databases such as Super Lawyers provide another excellent avenue for finding dedicated attorneys in your area.

“I think people should do a little bit of research before deciding,” says Randall O. Sorrels, a personal injury attorney with Sorrels Law in Houston.

Consider an Attorney’s Experience and Reputation

Experience and results are two key considerations, says Quentin Brogdon, a personal injury attorney at Crain Brogdon in Dallas. “A client should not want a lawyer to be learning how to handle a new type of case using the client’s case for that purpose,” he says.

“See if the lawyer has achieved verdicts,” Golomb adds. “Trying cases means they go to the wall for the client, and that person will ultimately get better settlements.”

“Many large firms are just referring sites, and you may not know who is assigned to your case,” says Golomb. “You want to know if they are handling the case from soup to nuts. Will it be a senior partner or a bunch of greenhorns? Will I be able to get my attorney on the phone? Ask how many cases the lawyer is handling at a given time. If it’s anything more than 20 to 30, you know you won’t be able to get the time you deserve.”

Can I Afford a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

Many personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning that they are not paid upfront. Instead, they’ll work out an agreement with you to collect, for example, one-third to 40 percent of the money recovered by the trial or settlement.

Clients “shouldn’t pay anyone in advance,” says Ricardo Martinez-Cid, a partner at Podhurst Orseck law office in Miami. “Normally, in the area of personal injury, the best attorneys work on a contingency basis. A person is only going to have to pay a fee and costs if there is a recovery.”

Many attorneys provide free case evaluations, and the best personal injury lawyers will discuss attorney fees early on. Whether they work on a contingency fee basis or some other form of payment, you should discuss payment plans that meet your needs and suit your financial outlook.

It Has Been Several Years Since My Injury – Can I Still Recover?

Time is of the essence. “There’s a real sense of urgency to get an attorney quickly who’s in the particular area of law, who understands it, and who can activate an aggressive, thorough investigation-preservation campaign,” says personal injury attorney Alan Goldfarb, of Alan Goldfarb P.A. law firm in Miami.

And typically, the sooner they’re involved, the better. “That is really important,” says Jennifer Stogner, also of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner in Houston, who handles similar catastrophic personal injury cases.

“For example, with any type of surveillance video that might have picked up the accident itself, businesses usually write those things over within 30 days.”

Preserving Evidence of the Injury Incident Is Key

“You need to preserve the vehicle,” says Goldfarb. “Sometimes, you need to make sure that you get to the black box so you can see the speed of the car. You need to preserve cell phone records and try to preserve your cell phone so that you can show you were not talking at the time. You need to get to the scene to make sure the scene has not changed, and the defect has not been covered up.

“And if there is video surveillance of the incident, you want to be sure a letter is sent out that prohibits them from spoiling and destroying the evidence.”

Methods For Finding a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’re looking for an attorney on a search engine or in a phone book, you might find your options lacking. Or, you might find them too broad, with too many law offices to choose from. However, these aren’t the only options available to you, and people find attorneys in all kinds of exciting ways.

Naturally, you’ll want an attorney who understands the peculiarities of your local state law. For example, says Patrick Montoya, a personal injury lawyer in Coral Gables, it is more difficult in the state of Florida than in some other states to seek damages against an employer for a workplace accident.

“If the person was working on, say, a tow truck or a car, or some sort of machinery was involved, we will look to the manufacturer of the product rather than looking at the employer to see if there’s something there to recover,” he says. “There may be liability for a product defect or design defect as opposed to the employer.”

Here are a few methods to help you find a local personal injury lawyer.

Lawyer Referrals

Accident victims recovering from catastrophic injuries can often find themselves surrounded by friends and loved ones. Suppose you were in a truck accident, suffered a traumatic brain injury, and the other party was at fault. During your recovery, you’ll face no shortage of recommendations on who you should sue and which lawyer you should hire.

Referrals can be a great way to narrow your search for an attorney. But they can be disorienting when you receive so many in such a short amount of time. Make sure the referred attorney has a proven track record with similar types of cases to yours.

It’s also a good idea to reach out to the potential attorney’s former clients, says Jeff Burns of Dollar, Burns, Becker, & Hershewe in Kansas City.

“The most important overall consideration for hiring a lawyer should be whether the client has confidence that they’re hiring the right person. That encompasses a lot,” said Burns.

“It means that they know the lawyer will go the extra mile for the client, that the lawyer really knows how to handle this particular kind of case. Speaking with former clients can help the new client know that they don’t have to worry about the legal side of their claim, that they are in good hands, and that they can focus on getting through the human side of their injury or loss.”

Local Bar Associations

Another great way to find personal injury attorneys is through state and county bar associations. With this method, you can perform a quick internet search for state bar associations.

Often, these websites include databases of local attorneys so you can begin setting up free consultations.

Third-Party Services

Searching for attorneys is time-consuming and stressful—especially if you’ve just been in a traumatic accident. To find a dedicated personal injury lawyer — with years of experience — turn to third-party databases like Super Lawyers.

Consider using Super Lawyers to drill down your search and contact the right lawyer for you today.

The Key Advice: Find a Lawyer You Trust

Peter Goss of The Goss Law Firm in Kansas City says that, above all else, clients should look for an attorney they can trust — and vice-versa. “The client must trust the attorney and his or her opinions and recommendations, and the lawyer must trust the client,” says Goss.

“Many times, that level of trust begins to form in the first meeting between the lawyer and the client, but sometimes that trust is built over time. When a client is placing their fate regarding an injury suit in the hands of a lawyer, it is of the utmost importance that there is mutual trust. If there is no level of trust, the relationship does not work, and all of the client’s needs may not be met.”

Steve Gorny of the Gorny Dandurand in Kansas City says clients should ask, “‘Will this lawyer care about me and my family, or am I just a number?’ Unfortunately, there are too many lawyers in the profession who look at clients as numbers and fees.”

Visit the Super Lawyers Directory

Search the Super Lawyers directory to help you get started in your search for an experienced personal injury lawyer, using the search box to find a lawyer based on your legal issue or location.