How to Choose the Right Personal Injury Lawyer for Your Case
After being in an accident, it may feel like finding a lawyer is one more task on your already stressful to-do list. With all of your doctor’s appointments and insurance calls, it is easy to hurry through the selection process.
“Finding the right attorney has a lot to do with more than just qualifications- it is also about finding a personality and a case management style that suits your needs,” says Allan Ziffra, one of the seasoned personal injury attorneys at Rue & Ziffra. Such a match could affect the ease with which your claim progresses.
Here is a guide to finding the most suitable personal injury attorney for your case in Florida.
Request Referrals
The most direct route would be to ask for referrals. You can ask for referrals from friends, family, or coworkers that have hired a personal injury attorney.
Referrals can give you the name of an attorney, but can also help you gain a better understanding of an attorney’s people skills, litigation style, and client relationship.
Florida is tricky. Local referrals can help with the local idiosyncrasies of the legal situation, as the laws and processes of the courts can differ.
Know Your Priorities
Before starting your search, consider what you would like to get out of your attorney-client relationship. Some attorneys like to update you regarding the case. Others like to take the initiative to update you.
Consider how you would like your attorney to operate. A big firm or a small firm can have both their pros and cons. A large firm can have a greater number of resources, however it may not be as personable as a small firm.
Clarifying your personal priorities can give you an idea on specific attorneys, and help you determine your expectations regarding the attorney’s practice.
Review Their Experience Level
An understanding of a personal injury lawyer’s experience is critical when selecting one to represent you. A lawyer who has an extensive amount of experience will be able to navigate the many hurdles that will potentially present themselves during the process of your claim.
Insurance issues will need to be addressed in the majority of personal injury claims in Florida. The state also has its complicated issues and quirks. A lawyer who understands both of these will have a better handle on the issues that will affect the time and terms of a negotiated settlement.
Also important is whether a lawyer has actually litigated a case. Even though the vast majority of cases end up settling, the ability to go to trial will be valuable in settlement negotiations.
Consider The Reputation
A lawyer’s reputation will give you an idea of how they treat their clients and how dependable they are. Reviews you will find on the internet, references from colleagues, and comments from their clients will give you a much better idea of the lawyer.
A lawyer who receives a lot of positive reviews likely does a good job of communicating with their clients and keeping them up to date. The opposite is likely true of a lawyer who gets a lot of negative reviews.
How other lawyers think of the lawyer likely has a lot to do with how they negotiate. A lawyer with a good reputation in the community likely will have better negotiating skills.
Interview Several Lawyers
Significant time should be spent meeting with numerous lawyers. This process will give you a good opportunity to evaluate each lawyer and ask them your questions.
Pay attention to how clearly the lawyer explains your situation and possible outcomes. A good attorney should remove the mystery surrounding the process, not add to it.
These conversations also help you determine the level of comfort and trust a person has with their lawyer. A comfort level in your lawyer’s approach can help with an otherwise difficult process.
Conclusion
The best personal injury lawyers understand more than just the things you can put on your resume. They understand your situation and are able to provide you with a tool to assist you with the process your situation has put you through to help get some degree of your financial security and your recovery back.
A personal injury claim in Florida doesn’t mean you need to go through the process on your own. An experienced lawyer can provide you with the much needed direction and give you clarity to help you during the process, and maybe even provide you with some semblance of peace during the process that you have a right to after an unfortunate incident.
