A personal injury attorney represents people who have suffered serious injury or the death of a loved one due to the negligence or unreasonably dangerous actions of others. Personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits arise out of a variety of circumstances including: airplane crashes, semitruck accidents, automobile collisions, medical malpractice, birth injury, defective and faulty products, construction accidents, and premises and workplace safety negligence. A personal injury attorney is compensated by collecting a percentage of the amount collected on behalf of a client. No attorney fee is collected unless financial recovery is made. There are many excellent, well-qualified personal injury attorneys who can handle a serious injury or wrongful death case. How can a person who needs a personal injury attorney figure out who to hire? By using common sense and doing a little homework, you should be able to make an excellent choice.
Here are some things to consider when selecting a personal injury attorney:
DO
- Choose an attorney who specializes in personal injury law.
- Hire a trial attorney with a proven track record of success in both trials and excellent settlements.
- Consider talking with former clients represented by the lawyer.
- Hire an attorney who has excellent credentials.
- Hire an attorney who will commit the time to give you the service you deserve.
DON’T
- Hire a personal injury attorney based solely on the recommendation of a friend.
- Hire an attorney who has not handled cases like yours before.
- Hire an attorney you are uncomfortable with.
- Hire a lawyer unless the lawyer openly and honestly answers your questions.
- Hire a lawyer who may need to settle your case to pay the lawyer’s bills.
Here are some common mistakes made by personal injury attorneys to be on the alert for:
- Stating an opinion about the value of a case before a comprehensive examination of all relevant facts and circumstances is completed.
- Not properly investigating all of the facts and circumstances of the personal injury case.
- Delegating important responsibilities to associates or support staff who do not have the proper experience or supervision to know what to do.
- Accepting cases the lawyer cannot afford to prosecute on a contingent fee basis.
- Recommending settlement too soon.
- Failing to recommend trial, when trial is appropriate.
- Recommending trial, when trial is not appropriate.
- Failing to give the client personal attention and service from start to finish.
- Overlooking crucial technical points of law.
- Failing to keep the client fully informed.
Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop P.C. AN ILLINOIS PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM, HAS REPRESENTED PERSONS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND THOSE WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE, DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE OF OTHERS.
Contact Rapoport Weisberg Sims & VanOverloop P.C. for further information about personal injury and wrongful death legal services.