Injury Attorney
Hiring the wrong attorney for a personal injury claim could be disastrous. You’re injured, out of work, and facing mounting medical bills. The average economic impact of a disabling injury is upwards of $100,000. You don’t have the time or the money to waste on a subpar attorney.
With a personal injury claim, you need an injury attorney that will protect your best interests and get you the compensation you deserve. The right personal injury attorney will focus on your case so you can focus on recovery.
But how do you find the best personal injury attorney in Rancho Cucamonga, CA? The smartest place to start is with extensive research. This guide will help you deepen your research so that you know the steps to take and what questions to ask so you can find the personal injury attorney that is the best fit for your case.
What to Look for in a Personal Injury Attorney
When you start looking for a personal injury attorney, it is important to have a sense of what qualities you want your attorney to possess. The following credentials are indicative of what an exceptional injury attorney should possess.
Specific Expertise
The lawyer you hire should have a lot of experience specific to the type of car accident and injuries you sustained. If you were in a multiple-vehicle car accident, your lawyer should have previous experience with this type of accident.
There are many different types of injuries you could sustain from a car accident. They can include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or loss of limb. Make sure you hire an injury attorney who has worked with clients with similar injuries and won. Your lawyer should also have intimate knowledge of the laws and regulations surrounding your specific injuries.
For instance, California’s statute of limitations laws only gives victims 2 years to file a lawsuit. Therefore, it’s important your attorney has the experience to build a winning case within the given timeframe. A good personal injury attorney will also be aware of how negligence works in your state. California is a pure negligence state, so your lawyer should be able to explain how that could impact your recoverable damages.
The personal injury attorney you hire should also be able to explain how California Civil Code (CIV) §3333.4 limits the amount of compensation you can collect if the driver who hit you was driving under the influence.
Good Reviews
Research online to see if you can find any reviews of the attorneys you’re considering by other attorneys. You can even ask an attorney what percentage of their clients are referrals. It is a good sign if an attorney has a high rate of referrals. This means other lawyers trust and respect their work. It’s always a good idea to go with an attorney who has a good reputation in their community.
You can also ask for references from other attorneys or clients. Many attorneys will even have client reviews and testimonials on their websites. Take the time to read about other people’s experiences working with them.
Communication Skills
It is important to hire a personal injury attorney who treats you with respect and communicates clearly. A large portion of an attorney’s job rests on their communication skills.
They need to be able to communicate clearly with other lawyers, but they also need to be able to speak in terms their clients understand. It is essential that your lawyer be able to clearly explain things to you through every step of the process. You want to ensure you are well-informed throughout the personal injury case.
How to Find the Best Injury Attorney Near Me
How do you actually go about finding the best injury attorney in Rancho Cucamonga for your case? Consider these factors when conducting your research.
Get a Referral
Getting a personal referral is one of the surest ways to start creating a list of reputable lawyers to consider. The best recommendations come from friends, relatives, and acquaintances. If you know someone who has been injured in a car accident, consider asking whether they liked working with the lawyer they chose.
Even if their lawyer can’t help you, they can refer you to another trustworthy attorney. Lawyers will only give referrals to other lawyers they have worked with and are confident in their expertise.
Conduct a Google Search
If you can’t get a personal referral, the next best place to start searching for reputable personal injury lawyers is on the internet. You can use geotags to search for an “injury attorney near me” in your city or state.
Take your time looking over multiple attorney’s websites. You should read their reviews to see what previous clients have liked about working with them. If a lawyer isn’t easy to work with, it will show in their reviews.
Schedule a Consultation
Always meet a lawyer in person before hiring them. Some personal injury lawyers offer free consultations so people have the option to get an idea of how the law firm works. Also, this gives you the opportunity to talk with them about your case and get an estimate of how much your personal injury case is worth. Interviewing is a great way to find out whether an injury attorney is knowledgeable and a good fit for your case. Therefore, schedule interviews with multiple attorneys until you find the right one.
Questions to Ask an Automobile Injury Attorney
When you interview potential injury attorneys you should ask a lot of questions. A good injury attorney will ask you a lot of questions too. They’ll want to know about your injuries, evidence, and witness accounts. Here’s what you should ask each attorney you interview.
What Is Your Area of Expertise?
Because it is important to work with a lawyer who has experience with cases like yours, you’ll need to find out their niche. Ask how many cases like yours they have handled before and what kinds of settlements they won.
Who Will Handle My Case?
At a large law firm, the attorney you interview may not necessarily be the one to handle your case. It’s important to make sure that the lawyer you talk to about your case is the one who will handle it personally.
What Is Your Fee Structure?
Lawyers charge for their time in different ways. Some use a retainer, while others charge an hourly or fixed rate. Some personal injury attorneys work on contingency. That means they don’t get paid until you get paid. Their compensation is a percentage of your settlement.
Hire a Car Wreck Attorney You Can Trust
A good injury attorney will be a good listener who cares about your situation and will do their best to help. Hire someone who has experience with a case like yours, has good reviews, and communicates information clearly.
You can find a personal injury attorney by getting a referral, doing a google search, or scheduling a free consultation with Sierra Accident Lawyers today.