Finding the right personal injury attorney can be the difference between winning a settlement or suffering financial hardship due to high medical bills and loss of personal wages.
But when you’ve suffered an injury or have been in any kind of accident, recovering from that event is stressful.
Ultimately, it can be difficult to devote time to finding the right personal injury attorney for you and your case.
But finding a personal injury attorney that is skilled in the area of law that you need, and one who has the experience to win your case, should not be so complex.
If you’ve come across this blog during a time of duress after an accident or have been recently injured and you think someone else might be at fault, then don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place.
Finding The Right Law Firm
Even when it comes to personal injury law, there is a wide range of areas where an attorney can practice. Common to personal injury law include:
Car accidents
Construction accidents
Defective areas (i.e., playgrounds, stairs)
Dangerous products
Medical malpractice
Mold injuries
Nursing home injuries/neglect
Slips, trips, and falls
And wrongful arrest/police brutality
When searching for a personal injury lawyer, you need to work with one who is familiar with the relevant area of law.
You wouldn’t want to work with a lawyer who is only skilled at slips, trips, and falls if you were involved in a car accident because they might not be familiar with the common arguments made in cases like yours, unaware of legal precedent, and potentially lacking experience navigating that field.
Once you’ve identified the area of law that your attorney should be familiar with, you can then seek a certified or licensed attorney.
A certified or licensed attorney will be available in your local barrister association, which is usually organized by state (see: New York bar).
You can also consult a Bar Association, such as the New York Bar Association to access resources on verifying an attorney and professional standards and ethics.
You’ll also want to investigate the history of the lawyer and law firm that you choose.
A disciplined history, positive client reviews, and state-administered public records are helpful for identifying how long a lawyer has been in business and their track record.
Things To Look For When Searching For A Personal Injury Attorney
When searching for the right personal injury attorney for your accident or incident, you are most likely searching online. This is a great way to filter out bad personal injury attorneys.
Try to do as much research as you can before reaching out to a personal injury attorney. Or, if you feel it is best to reach out to the attorney early on, be prepared to ask questions and survey several attorneys.
When searching for a personal injury attorney, consider the scope of their practice.
You’ll want to identify things like the firm’s size, age, and experience, for example.
Too many lawyers and the firm is likely operating with a corporate mindset.
Consider a firm with modest to small staff numbers who will be able to sit down with you and truly listen to your case.
Additionally, you don’t need a practice that is ancient but be mindful of firms that are just starting out.
They should have positive past client reviews, supportive resources, and FAQs on their webpage, and you should feel comfortable calling them with questions.
You should also be critical of the cost.
While determining the average cost of hiring an attorney might be difficult, try to find a lawyer who respects the industry standards.
Too high might not be worth it, especially if their fees end up equaling the cost of your medical bills.
If you find an attorney with a price that is too low, then you might be paying for a low-quality lawyer, one which has a lower chance of success.
In this instance, you might walk away with more bills than you started with.
Determining Whether An Attorney Is Right For You
Once you have settled on a law firm, you can consider reaching out to schedule a consultation.
Free consultations are ideal as you don’t want to lock into anything (especially any type of agreement) before you have had a consultation with the firm.
Getting an in-person or virtual face-to-face consultation with the firm of your choice will allow you to meet these professionals and determine how comfortable you are with their services.
Additionally, you can usually book a free consultation online rather than picking up the phone and calling their office.
After the consultation is booked, be prepared with a few questions.
While the majority of the consultation will be spent discussing your case, you will also want to establish their experience, skill level, and familiarity with your type of case.
Consider these common questions:
How many (if any) of this type of personal injury case have you tried before?
How many (if any) similar cases have you tried or settled in my area?
What is your negotiation history?
What is the likelihood that we will go to trial?
How comfortable are you in the trial?
Is trial the only option?
How will I need to participate during this claim process?
Do you have the time necessary to work on my case?
Who will be responsible for my case?
How will I be updated about my case?
What are your contingency fees and costs?
Do fees differ based on the outcome?
Will I be responsible for advanced costs if we lose?
What do you honestly believe is the likely outcome of my case?
While asking these questions can be time-consuming, they are extremely important in determining whether or not you are fully comfortable with this lawyer and law firm.
You want your attorney or law firm to be extremely clear, especially since filing a case and going to court can be extremely stressful for you.
Why Hire Abaev Law Firm
If you have reviewed all your options and are ready to move forward with a lawyer or law firm, then you will sign a contingency fee agreement that confirms that you hired your attorney.
Your attorney will then outline the terms of the working relationship, timelines, and fees.
A reliable, dependable, and honest attorney will fight for your rights and seek the compensation that you deserve.
Abaev Law Firm is a boutique law firm with years of experience, so you know that we will be dedicating time to finalizing your claim quickly and with the desired outcome.
Abaev Law Firm, PLLC trial lawyers are professional, speedy, and we want you to resolve this matter once-and-for-all.
Here at Abaev Law Firm, our team of trusted personal injury attorneys and trial lawyers are skilled in a number of practice areas and we strive to recover legal compensation and financial security for injured New Yorkers.
If you are looking for a law firm in the New York area then consider Abaev Law Firm.
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