After an accident, you’re suddenly faced with medical bills, insurance calls, and legal questions. If someone else was at fault, you have the right to seek compensation, but you may wonder where to start. That is why it is so important to know how to hire a personal injury lawyer so you can get the help and guidance you need.
Know When You Need To Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
After an accident happens, you might not know right away if you will actually need a lawyer. People often assume that it is not worth pursuing damages if their injuries are minor. In reality, though, many accidents are worth significant compensation even if the injured person does not notice the full extent of the damage right away.
You should consider hiring a personal injury lawyer if:
- It is not clear who is at fault
- The insurance company denies your claim
- You are entering negotiations with the insurance company
Ultimately, you need a personal injury lawyer anytime another person’s negligence causes damage to you. Whether it is a major accident or just a slight scuff, talk to an attorney so you can know for sure if it is worth filing a claim.
Research Local Personal Injury Lawyers
Personal injury lawyers handle a wide variety of case types. It is in your best interest to work with an attorney who has extensive experience with the precise kind of situation you are experiencing.
The types of cases personal injury lawyers handle include, but are not limited to:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Premises liability
- Product liability
- Dog bites
- Wrongful death
There are many similarities across different personal injury cases, but even so, you would not want to turn to a lawyer who specializes solely in car accident claims if you are dealing with a slip-and-fall.
What Factors Should You Consider When Hiring a Lawyer?
The most important thing to consider when hiring a lawyer is their experience and expertise with your type of accident. Check reviews and testimonials from previous clients to get an idea of how they perform and their overall reputation.
- Trial experience – if a case goes to court, will they be ready?
- Contingency fees – what percentage do they take?
- Accessibility – Will clients deal directly with the lawyer or mainly with paralegals?
While a lawyer’s success rate is important, you should also consider how compatible you are in terms of communication style and budget.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Most personal injury lawyers offer free consultations, either over the phone or through an in-person appointment. This consultation is an opportunity to discuss the details of your case and get a professional’s opinion about how much compensation you may be eligible to receive. It is also perfectly acceptable to ask about fees and contingency arrangements during the meeting.
At Sargon Law Group, our personal injury lawyers discuss the claims process openly during consultations so you can know exactly what to expect as your case unfolds. We also operate entirely on a contingency basis, meaning you will not pay us until we recover compensation for you.
Consider Whether Litigation Will Be Necessary
Most personal injury cases settle outside of court, meaning the insurance company offers compensation before trial. But in some cases, negotiations fail, and litigation becomes necessary. Litigation in a personal injury case is the process of taking a lawsuit to court where a judge will provide a ruling on the outcome.
However, you can never know for sure how the process will pan out. Even if it seems like the other party is perfectly reasonable, negotiations can still fall through after months of back-and-forth settlement offers. Though most cases do settle outside of court, it can still be worth your while to hire an experienced trial attorney from the outset.
How Hard Is It To Win a Personal Injury Lawsuit?
The timeline for a personal injury lawsuit can range from several months up to multiple years. This is because winning a personal injury lawsuit is not always straightforward, and can be very difficult in some circumstances. A lack of clear evidence can place a greater burden on the negotiation process. If your case goes to trial, the process becomes even more complex due to the need to schedule additional court dates and adapt your strategy to the litigative setting.
Communicate Openly With Your Lawyer
Once you decide on a lawyer to represent you in your personal injury case, it is important to be open and honest with them every step of the way. Fully explain what happened during the accident. Make sure your lawyer has access to all the evidence you have, including medical records and photographs of the accident scene. This can go a long way toward helping your legal team establish the other party’s negligence.
Negligence is at the core of every personal injury case. Your ability to prove the other party’s degree of negligence will affect how much of your damages you can recover. In states like Arizona where comparative negligence applies, the amount of compensation you can receive may decrease unless you can prove that you did not share any of the fault for the accident.
Rely on Your Lawyer To Handle the Case
After experiencing a personal injury, it can feel like your life has come to a standstill. You might be dealing with extensive treatments and financial obstacles. It is completely understandable that you might wish to resolve the case as quickly as possible. However, it is necessary to keep in mind that a personal injury case can take several months or more, even if it never goes to trial.
Rushing to accept a settlement can mean receiving much less compensation than you deserve. Once you sign a settlement agreement, it is usually not possible to pursue further compensation for the same accident. That is why the best course of action after hiring a personal injury lawyer is to rely on them to handle the case on your behalf while you focus on rest and recovery.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer From Sargon Law Group
If you need legal help after an accident in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado or California, Sargon Law Group is here to support you. Our team can help you understand what it means to hire a personal injury lawyer and what to expect from the claim process. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.