The outcome of a personal injury lawsuit will be largely determined by how well versed your choice of litigator is with the specifics of such a case. The quality of representation does matter a great deal in most lawsuits, personal injury included. This article is meant at establishing a basic guideline when searching for a personal injury litigator.
- Go for an attorney with a history of taking cases to trial: Most personal injury lawyers make all effort to reach a settlement without necessarily going to trial. This fact can be exploited by legal representatives of insurance companies and employers. The defense plays hard ball in cases where the plaintiff’s personal injury litigator doesn’t want to go to trial. The plaintiff’s representative may cringe at the thought of going to trial leading the defense team to make bogus offers. Having a court-seasoned lawyer will do your case a lot of good.
- As a rule, seek the services of a litigator with a high winning rate: A personal injury lawyer with a high success is great way to approach an injury lawsuit. Inquire the volume of settlements your prospective lawyer has achieved over the duration of his/her practice. You need a legal representative with a high result delivery rate.
- Hire a lawyer with enough resources: The amount of resources a legal practitioner has will generally indicate how well the said litigator is doing. It is important to go for a lawyer affiliated with a successful law firm. Serious personal injury lawsuits require reasonable resources to prepare. To win a personal injury case you will the best preparation you can get.
- Publications and scholarly work: A personal injury lawyer with several publications in tort law and lectures is well versed and conversant with the specifics of injury lawsuits. This obviously would be the best choice of litigator to consult when embarking on personal injury lawsuits. You’re likelier to reach a great settlement with a lawyer who has scholarly work under his/her belt.
- Go for a specialist: Most lawyers jump from one practice to another. They are jack of all trades and a master of none. Personal injury lawsuits need seasoned and well versed litigators if the goal is to reach a suitable settlement. It is advisable to settle on a lawyer who only specializes in tort law.
In conclusion, finding the perfect lawyer to handle a personal injury lawsuit can be quite the daunting task. The law practice is highly specialized today and though all lawyers receive the same basic training, experience in one particular field is important. You shouldn’t risk representation by a divorce lawyer, copyright lawyer or some other type with no experience in personal injury litigation. Another aspect to winning personal injury claims is actually finding a lawyer who wants to and is willing to take on your case. There can be instances when a law firm will assign your case to an attorney who is less than willing to handle a personal injury lawsuit.
Written by Kellie Bertels, an attorney at Bandre, Hunt and Snider in Jefferson City, MO. Bandre, Hunt and Snider are the best attorneys Jefferson City MO have to offer.