Whether as the victim or the accused, facing personal injury claims is a tedious and expensive process. You only want to hire the best lawyers who will make sure that the fight was worth it.
Your personal injury attorney will be the one to handle the lawsuit, represent you in the courts, and guide you as you settle your claims. But, knowing what roles they’d play isn’t enough. Here are some of the top qualities you should look for when hiring a board-certified personal injury lawyer.
Professional competency
You might personally know a lawyer or find someone near you. However, it is essential to recognize that the legal profession is a highly regulated and primarily specialized line of work. There are different objective factors you can check about your would-be personal injury attorney.
The best option available is to find a board-certified personal injury. This means that there are two essential requirements you should look out for:
Qualification
First of all, lawyers are required by law to have passed the bar exams. Passing this exam means that your attorney is professionally competent based on the set standards and that he is eligible to practice the profession. You might also want to check that the lawyer you’re talking to is allowed to practice in that particular state, as Bar qualifications vary from state to state to meet each location’s unique legal and regulatory demands.
Still, this is only the bare minimum for the legal profession, and further steps are necessary. A board certification proves the lawyer’s experience in a particular specialization of law, such as personal injury. This document recognizes a legal practitioner’s specialized knowledge, proficiency, and skills in handling cases about a specific subset.
Whether it’s for taxation, real estate, or personal injury, you can rest assured that your lawyer is good at it with a Board Certification. In Texas, for example, there are more than 90,000 lawyers with the license to practice, yet only 7,000 are Board Certified.
Experience
If you prefer seeing actual work before entrusting your case, you can always check out their career history or track record. Usually, proficient personal injury attorneys have proven experience handling similar cases. It may either include high-profile ones or maintain an exceptionally high success rate. There are different career specializations, and it is essential to choose one whose forte is in line with your particular need.
Being a personal injury attorney doesn’t necessarily mean that all their cases are of this kind. You can review how much of their recent cases involve the same case as yours and if they have mainly represented plaintiffs or defendants. It could even work to your advantage if the attorney you’re looking at has some experience working together with an insurance company.
Setup and accessibility
Real-life factors will influence your choice of representation in the courts. In choosing the right personal injury attorney, you might have to consider these factors too:
Rates
Usually, legal services are charged by the hour, although the rate varies from one legal office to another. You should, however, remember that it is not absolute and initial rates discussed to you are often open to negotiations. Depending on the nature of the case, some lawyers are willing to take on your case pro bono. This means that they will provide their services for free. There are no existing laws in any state that requires them to do so. Still, they must report their hours rendered for free and humanitarian services. So be sure to check these as well.
Organizational size
Bigger doesn’t always mean better as far as the search for a personal injury attorney goes. It is a common misconception that more minor private services are forced to fold in the face of a more prominent law firm once they face in courts. The firm’s size will give you an idea of how they will handle your case. Usually, lawyers work in teams to ensure that all bases are covered. From filing the lawsuit to the representation to the claims – they divide the task among themselves. It can give you peace of mind if you better understand who you’ll be working with.
Communication channels available
An essential part of any legal battle is that the lawyers and the clients must communicate with each other. Openness and honesty are crucial parts of every consultation as it allows your side to present a united front, dictating the course of the upcoming legal process. Although you might not perfectly recount all the details in a single consultation session, keeping communication lines open allows you to relay important information anytime.
Find your personal injury lawyer today
Personal injuries are potentially life-changing events; it is vital that you completely trust the lawyer you will be working with, whether from the plaintiff’s or the defendant’s side. If you’re in Houston and you need someone who meets the qualifications listed above, connect with a reliable lawyer and set up a free consultation to get your affairs in order.
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