If you have been injured (or if you want to be prepared for that eventuality), it’s important to choose the right attorney for your situation. Here, we’ll go over what you need to consider when selecting a personal injury lawyer.
Experience with Your Situation
While every personal injury case is unique, it can still be loosely categorized based on the injuries and circumstances involved. For instance, while individual car accidents will vary, many of the factors to be considered when evaluating your claim will still be consistent, such as who was at fault, what the driving conditions were, whether a corporate vehicle was involved, and so forth.
When choosing a personal injury attorney, you’ll want to make sure they have experience with your situation. If you were injured in a collision with another vehicle, they should have experience settling claims resulting from automobile accidents. If you slipped and fell in a commercial space, you’ll want someone who has dealt with those scenarios in the past.
Collaborator in the Community
The best attorneys don’t work in isolation. They are involved with groups and organizations where they collaborate with other lawyers. Look for an attorney who is a member of state and national law organizations—this is a good indicator that they are up to speed on recent developments in their practice areas, which in turn means they will be well-equipped to match and counter the efforts of opposing parties in the course of pursuing your claim.
Past Success
Obviously, you want an attorney with a good track record. If they’ve set a good precedent of successfully securing damages for personal injury claims, they’ll be more likely to be successful with your claim.
It doesn’t end there, however. Success in law means monetary success as well, and that means they’ll have more resources at their disposal. Many personal injury claims require expert witnesses, such as doctors or industry professionals, and obtaining those means money. If you go to court, that will come with various fees as well. Your attorney should have the resources necessary to cover those expenses while pursuing your case, and that will come if they are successful in their field.
Trial Experience
It’s true that the vast majority of personal injury cases are resolved out of court. However, that doesn’t exclude the need for an attorney who has had experience going to court on behalf of their clients. In fact, it’s best if the defendant—and more importantly, their insurance provider—knows you will seek damages in court if necessary.
This is vital because if they sense your attorney is unwilling to go to court, they’ll have an easier time minimizing the damages they’ll settle for. On the other hand, if courtroom proceedings are within the realm of possibilities, they’ll be more eager to settle, even if it means they pay out more.
At Hart David Carson, LLP, we have had a great deal of success helping our clients obtain damages for their injuries, and each of our attorneys is highly qualified. If you are in need of an Illinois personal injury lawyer, contact us to schedule a free consultation.