Submitted by the Law Offices of Michael D. Payne
Whether you are in a car accident, slip and fall accident or other catastrophic accident you will need a personal injury attorney to fight your case. There are thousands of personal injury and accident and injury lawyers in California to choose from but how do you know the right one? For more information visit us at www.mikepaynelaw.com or contact us here.
We have provided 10 tips to help you find the best personal injury or accident and injury lawyer for you!
- Choose a lawyer who cares about you and personal injury law. You do not want a lawyer who sees you as a paycheck. Choose a lawyer who cares about your needs, your injuries and who is willing to listen and talk to you about your concerns.
- Lawyers are not all the same. Lawyers practice law in many different areas. Some lawyers practice in landlord/tenant law while others practice in personal injury or criminal law. You want a lawyer who is familiar with your type of legal matter whether it is a car accident case, slip and fall case or Uber car accident matter.
- Trust your Instinct. Do you feel comfortable with the lawyer you are talking to? If you do feel comfortable you will feel free to discuss your concerns and any issues related to your case. This discussion will allow the lawyer to understand you and fight for you in getting the compensation you deserve.
- Always try to meet the lawyer. It is always a good idea to meet the attorney who will handle your case. After all you called the law office because of the attorney not a case manager or legal assistant.
- Look for a level of familiarity with your legal matter. Make sure the lawyer you choose to hire for your personal injury case is familiar with your type of matter. For example, if you have a wrongful death car accident the attorney should have some familiarity or experience in handling these types of cases.
- Choose a lawyer with a solid reputation. Like all professions or people there are detractors or critics. However, check out the lawyers results with cases and reviews or accolades if available. Also, most law firms will list their verdicts and or settlements as well as the lawyers biography on the firms website. Through various resources you can then get a picture of the type of person you are choosing to represent you.
- Do not rely solely on opinions of case value in the beginning While lawyers have opinions on the value of cases lawyers cannot really predict specific dollar values of cases in the beginning of a case because every case is different. No one can know the value of a case before the client has completed treatment.
- Make sure the fee charged is reasonable. In California lawyers typically charge on personal injury cases 33/13 percent to 40 percent. This fee scenario includes car accident and injury cases, slip and fall cases, dog bite injury cases and trucking accident and injury cases. If the fee deviates either too high or too low (greater than 10 percent in either direction) you should ask why?
- Choose a lawyer you can talk to Decisions related to your case may have long term consequences. Find a lawyer who will take the time to speak with you about your legal matter and explain all the pros and cons of your case.
- Find a lawyer who will go to court. Every personal injury case has the potential to end up in Court. You want a lawyer who will go to Court if needed. Some lawyers never go to Court while many are in Court fighting for justice for their clients daily. Every case is different but you want the lawyer you hire to be willing to go all the way if necessary.
A personal injury case is not the same as a traffic ticket. It is personal in nature and involves a great deal of pain, suffering and anguish. You will need someone on your side who understands the complexities of your case and who has the time and passion to represent you. Take the time to find the right fit for you! Call the Law Offices of Michael D. Payne if we can help you at [nap_phone id=”TOLL-FREE-REGULAR-NUMBER-3″] or email us here. The Law Offices of Michael Payne serves Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County for all types of car accidents, slip and fall accidents and other personal injury matters.