There are now over 175,600 personal injury lawyers and 64,300 law firms across the US. Before choosing a personal injury attorney in Myrtle Beach, make sure to ask these questions. Asking these questions can help you narrow down your choices.
With a thorough interview, you can ensure you’re hiring the best personal injury lawyer for your case!
Begin your search for legal representation with these tips today.
Do You Have Relevant Experience?
While there are over 175,000 lawyers in the US, some have spent more time practicing law than others. First, ask each lawyer how long they’ve practiced law. Then, ask how long they’ve practiced in the state.
Laws and procedures can differ based on where a case is handled. A lawyer with years of experience practicing in the same area has likely built a professional network in that time, too. For example, they might have a private investigator or medical expert work on your case.
Their professional network could strengthen your lawsuit, allowing you to fight for more compensation to cover your losses.
Consider the type of personal injury lawsuit you’re pursuing, too. Some lawyers only specialize in one area of law. However, personal injury claims can cover:
- Assault and battery
- Auto accidents
- Product liability
- Premise liability
- Medical malpractice
- Slip and fall accidents
- Animal bites
- Elderly abuse and neglect
- Defamation
Once you determine what category your case falls under, consider the subcategory. Perhaps you were recently in an auto accident. Did the crash involve a truck, motorcycle, bike, Lyft, Uber, pedestrian, or car?
Auto accidents account for 2.35 million injuries and 37,000 deaths. Meanwhile, slip and falls account for 8,000,000 hospital visits. Another 800,000 injuries are due to aggravated assaults.
Determine if the lawyer specializes in one area of personal injury law. Then, make sure their experience aligns with your needs. Finding an injury attorney with relevant case experience can increase your chances of a higher pay out.
Are You a Member of Any Organizations?
You can also learn more about each personal injury attorney by looking into their credentials.
First, make sure they’re licensed to practice in the state. If they don’t have an active license, remove them from your list.
Next, determine if they have an active membership with any law or personal injury organizations.
There are national and state organizations specific to personal injury law. A member of one of these organizations will have additional expertise that can strengthen your case. For example, they might belong to the American Association of Justice.
These attorneys conduct lobbying activities. They also have more thorough knowledge of personal injury law.
What’s Your Success Rate?
Once you find a lawyer with years of hands-on, relevant experience, ask about their case history. Consider how many:
- Personal injury cases they handle each year
- Cases like yours they handle
- Cases like yours they’ve won
- Similar cases go to court or settle out of court
Of course, whenever you hire a lawyer you need to make sure you’ve picked the right personal injury lawyer for you.
Determining how many cases they’ve won versus lost can help you gauge their ability to win your case. Ask how much they were able to win for each case, too. If the lawyer doesn’t have a high track record of wins, keep searching.
If the payout for each case seems low, look for someone with the ability to maximize your claim.
How Often Do Cases Go to Court?
Ask each lawyer if they have extensive courtroom experience as well.
You can’t anticipate if your case will go to court ahead of time. Finding someone with extensive courtroom experience will cover your bases. You can prepare for any situation to ensure you maximize your claim.
Ask each lawyer about their strategy for courtroom cases, too.
If the lawyer is apprehensive about going to court, keep searching. They might accept a lowball offer on your behalf to avoid going to court. These attorneys won’t have your best interests in mind when determining your legal strategy.
Who Will Work on My Case?
The personal injury attorney you interview might not end up leading your case. Before hiring an attorney, ask who will act as your point of contact. Determine who will function as the lead on your case, too.
Make sure the attorney you interview doesn’t intend to hand your case off to a less experienced attorney. There are many law firms where you don’t even meet with an attorney. Look for a law firm who will give you individualized care. At The Dejeu Law Firm, we give each client individualized care. With us, you are not just another file, another case.
Have a plan for communicating, too. Otherwise, you might not receive updates regarding your case until it’s already closed.
How Much Will I Win?
Ask each lawyer what outcome they expect for your case. Ask how much they expect to win for your lawsuit, too.
The lawyer shouldn’t give you any guarantees about the outcome of your case. After all, they can’t predict what will happen. Instead, they should help you make an informed choice based on your legal options.
Then, they should help you recognize the potential outcome of each choice. Choose a lawyer who is transparent. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to manage your expectations.
Can You Provide References?
Ask each injury attorney for at least three references, too. Try to talk to someone who had a case similar to yours. Then, ask the client about their experience working with the attorney.
For example, did the client have any issues while working with their lawyer? Maybe their lawyer didn’t communicate as often as the client hoped.
Find an attorney who already has a strong reputation.
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