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Being a $43 billion dollar industry, the personal injury law sub-niche is always brimming with activity, with bus benches, radio, and even TV commercials constantly prospecting clients who’ve recently become victims of negligence. However, if you’ve recently experienced serious injury at a public, or private establishment, you’d better look beyond the first bus bench that you find on your way.
Whether it’s a serious auto accident, a workplace injury, or a simple slip and fall, you would ideally want a seasoned professional with years of experience, and a proven track record of winning compensation for clients to do your bidding.
Beyond the flashy ads, and glitzy promotions, here are 5 things to look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer to handle your slip and fall claims.
1. Consider The Years of Experience
A seasoned legal mind with years of experience in a courtroom can add more value to your case than mere credentials, and elite education.
In this case, it’s essential to seek out legal professionals with years of experience, not just in personal injury law, but who are particularly well versed in handling slip and fall cases. A seasoned professional in this sub-niche of a sub-niche can understand the prospects of a case, liability, and culpability all with a mere initial discussion with a client.
A general practitioner, or even a lawyer focused on personal injuries altogether cannot offer the level of advice that a specialized slip and fall lawyer can offer.
2. Refer To Ratings & Testimonials
The beauty of services such as Yelp, Avvo, and AllLaw is that you no longer have to rely on friends and family, or cringe worthy TV commercials to find out about the best lawyers fit for the purpose.
A simple search with the right filters, and parameters on these sites will list a whole host of practitioners to choose from, with their specialties, experience, qualifications, and most importantly ratings and testimonials from previous customers, all displayed, with full transparency.
Of course, relying on ratings alone comes with its share of pitfalls, with many small businesses and practitioners going all out to beef up their clout and ratings on these platforms, but it’s better than the past, when you had no option but to rely on word of mouth when finding the right lawyer.
3. Winnings & Track-Record
A legal practitioner with years of experience with personal injury cases will have a track record on display, along with the compensation, or amounts awarded to their customers over the years.
For example, the PI lawyers of Cook, Barkett, Ponder & Wolz provide a comprehensive breakdown of their winnings, broken down by case category.
While a proven track record of successful verdicts speaks volumes about the experience and client outcomes of a legal practitioner, this again is subject to exaggerations, so it wouldn’t be ideal to make selections entirely based on winnings, and outcomes.
For a more accurate picture on an attorney’s standing and reputation in the legal community, consider digging a bit deeper into their cases, and outcomes.
4. Initial Consultations
Most personal injury lawyers offer a free, no-strings-attached initial consultation and case overview, following which they express their professional opinions on the possible outcomes.
Ideally, you should be able to gauge an attorney based on this consultation, and opt for someone who you find most trustworthy, and are most comfortable with.
Experienced professionals will ensure total transparency with regards to the prospects, possible settlement, and overall timeline of the case. If anyone tries to sugar coat, it isia cue to be skeptical, and as a result, it is recommended to take a second, even a third opinion, if required.
5. Fee Structures & Other Expenses
Most attorneys in the personal injury field offer to fight claims on a contingency basis, which means they charge nothing upfront, and only take a share of the total winnings after a case is settled. The overall fees range from 15% to 33% of the overall settlement or award.
This is great, considering that the attorney is likely to have a vested interest in putting his or her best foot forward. Some reputed professionals might charge an upfront consultation fee, ranging from $150 to $400, but they are usually in-demand professionals, who cannot afford to deal with the volume of cases they tend to get on a regular basis.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer has an outsized impact on the outcome of a slip and fall case, whether it’s a simple insurance claim, or a prolonged trial, an experienced professional is a prerequisite to even stand a chance in today’s legal landscape.
Photo by Sebastian Pichler on Unsplash