Hiring a personal injury attorney is a big decision and it’s not one that should be taken lightly. However, in some cases, liaising with this type of lawyer is necessary to take legal action against a person or group of people.
What Are Personal Injuries, and When Should You File a Claim?
Injuries frequently occur in all areas, including the workplace and public spaces. Some injuries are caused by freak accidents that aren’t caused by a specific person or group of people, while others are a direct result of negligence or human errors.
The former doesn’t usually warrant any sort of legal action. For example, if you trip over your own feet while walking through a park, you might be a little embarrassed but there isn’t anyone to blame except yourself!
However, if you trip over a gondola bar in a retail store and seriously injure yourself, the situation is a little different. In this case, you might be in a position to file a personal injury claim against the store owner or manager because they failed to keep their shop floor safe.
Workplace injuries are also relatively common and could warrant legal action. The most frequent workplace injuries include slips and falls, repetitive muscle strains, and being hit by a falling object or piece of moving machinery.
Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
There are hundreds of different types of personal injuries, and we’ve only just scratched the surface with the above examples. In general, if you are injured at work or in a public space, and you feel that someone else is to blame, it’s worth hiring either a Montgomery personal injury lawyer or some other professional from where you are based.
This type of specialist lawyer can help you to create a strong case against the person or people who you feel are responsible for your injuries. They can represent you in a court of law to try and win your case and gain you the compensation that you deserve.
Compensation will be calculated based on the severity of your physical injuries and psychological trauma, and any financial loss that you’ve incurred as a result of your injuries.
Qualities That Your Personal Injury Lawyer Should Have
There are several factors that you need to consider when hiring a legal professional for your personal injury case. This way, you can find the best lawyer that you can trust to handle your case properly.
Below, we’re going to discuss some of the most important qualities that make personal injury attorneys great at what they do.
1. Local knowledge and easy to access
There are personal injury attorneys all over the country, and it’s important to find the best one for your needs. For example, if you live in Arizona, you’ll find expert personal injury attorneys at Lamber Goodnow in Tucson.
While you could choose to hire a lawyer that lives further away from you, this isn’t always advisable. Firstly, the laws around personal injury claims can vary from state to state, so hiring a lawyer who lives elsewhere in the country could put you at a disadvantage.
Secondly, it’s best to hire a personal injury lawyer who has local knowledge and experience. They will have well-developed relationships with other lawyers, judges, and prosecutors in the area too.
During the creation and execution of your court case, you might need to meet up with your lawyer regularly. Hiring a local personal injury attorney means you won’t need to travel too far for your consultations.
If you need to speak to your lawyer for an emergency change or update in your case, you can do so with ease when they live locally. They can squeeze you in for a quick face-to-face consultation in between their other meetings, which is something that could be a lot more difficult if you live miles away from their office.
2. Qualified and licensed to practice
To practice as a personal injury lawyer in the United States, the legal specialist must have the relevant qualifications and licenses. They need to complete several years of law school and on-site training and must obtain their license to practice as a lawyer in the US.
When you’re searching for the best personal injury lawyer for your case, it’s important to check that they are fully qualified to do their job. An online search for a ‘personal injury attorney Richmond, VA‘ or your location can help you find professionals in your area, enabling you to check their website. Review details such as their qualifications, and case results, including their experience, specific areas of expertise, and client reviews. This research can give you a clearer idea of whether they’re the right fit for your needs. This is the information that you should easily be able to find on the lawyer’s professional website or the website of the law firm where they work.
If you can’t spot this Information online, get in touch with the lawyer or the lawyer’s legal secretary to double-check.
3. Approachable and honest
Lawyers need to find the perfect balance between professionalism and friendliness. They need to withhold their professional boundaries while also being approachable.
Find a personal injury attorney that greets you with a smile and makes you feel comfortable enough to open up to them. You might need to disclose sensitive information that is difficult for you to communicate, so being able to fully trust your lawyer is key.
For this reason, a lawyer like Tom Fowler Attorney at Law should create a safe environment that inspires collaboration between the two of you. They should approach your case in a non-judgmental way and offer their sympathy when necessary.
Although your lawyer should be optimistic about winning your case, they should also be honest. They should never give you a false sense of hope. If the lawyer thinks that your personal injury case might not end in your favor, they should mention this, so that you know what to expect.
4. Organized
Every successful personal injury lawyer is highly organized. If your case is complex, you want to know that your attorney won’t miss any important details or lose essential evidence.
Your lawyer might need to liaise with several different people and must be able to keep organized records of who is involved in your case and what actions they have taken. Great organizational skills increase the chances of you winning your personal injury case and getting justice for your injuries and financial losses.
