You'll need to hire a personal injury lawyer if you suffer an injury that results in significant damages. But in any given city, there are probably over 20 pages of personal injury attorney listings in phone book. How do you pick right one? What do you look for? What questions should you ask? Here are 7 things you should know before hiring your injury lawyer...
1) The sooner you hire your lawyer better. Begin looking for your personal injury lawyer within a week or two after your accident. If you're not physically capable you should have a friend or loved-one start looking. The sooner you start building your case better.
2) Hire a personal injury lawyer that specializes in your specific type of injuries. Do your homework before signing retainer agreement. Visit firm's website and read up on it's history and each lawyer's biographical information. Ask lawyer for some referrences and ask how much experience they have in handling cases with similar injuries. What settlement awards did they get in those cases?
3) Have a face-to-face meeting with your prospective lawyer. Your personal injury lawyer is going to be your closest advisor during this difficult time. You must feel comfortable and trust your lawyer. The only way you'll get a feel for lawyer is by having a sit-down to discuss your case. Any good personal injury lawyer will give you an initial consultation free of charge.
4) Hire a lawyer that will take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that your lawyer won't get paid unless you get paid. He will take his fee out of money you receive for your injuries. You can expect your lawyer to take about 33% of your final settlement - that's after expenses are taken off top. Make sure you clearly understand payment structure before you sign retainer agreement.