5) Beware of ambulance chasers. The goal of these lawyers is to get lots of minor personal injury cases and settle them quickly - they make their profit from high turnover. So naturally they won't put as much time and effort into each case as they should. (If you're looking for a quick settlement be prepared to accept less than what your case is really worth.)

6) Hire a lawyer with a good Martindale-Hubbell rating. This service evaluates lawyers in U.S. and Canada based on peer review. Their website, Martindale.com has a helpful lawyer locator service and will explain rating system.

7) Always be completely open and honest when discussing your case with a lawyer. Tell lawyer as much as you can about what happened. Try to remember every detail. Any documentation and pictures you have of your injuries and treatment will be a big help when evaluating your case.

Bonus Tip:

8) NEVER give a recorded statement to a representative from any insurance company until you've consulted a lawyer. When rep. asks for one simply say, "I'm not prepared to give a statement at this time." A recorded statement can be used as evidence and if you're not prepared you might overlook important details. Anything you miss (or misrepresent) can be used against you in settlement negotiations and in trial.

Arthur Gueli works with his brother Charles (a licensed personal injury attorney) teaching injured plaintiffs how to obtain fair compensation for their damages.