After an accident caused by someone else’s negligence that gave you injuries and subsequent damages, you likely are interested in hiring a personal injury lawyer to help you file a claim. If this is your first time taking legal action, or if you had a bad experience with a lawyer in a prior claim, you might be wondering what qualities you should look for in your attorney so that you have the best experience possible.
Knowing what to look for can ensure that you get the representation that will work the best for you. You also want to make sure the firm you’re hiring is fair and has experience with cases similar to yours. Let’s take a look at the qualities you should look for in a personal injury lawyer.
Important Aspects of a Personal Injury Attorney
Hiring a lawyer can be intimidating. You might not know what to look for when hiring your representation, or you might not even realize that you have many different options for who will be your lawyer. You might just think that you should hire the first attorney who says they’ll work for you, but that could backfire.
You can shop around and find the personal injury lawyer who will be the best fit for you. The qualities you should look for to be able to tell if an attorney is right for you, or just good at their job in general, are the following:
- Honest. First and foremost, you’ll want legal counsel who is honest. You want a lawyer who will be up front with you about what you’re owed, what you can expect, and what they can do for you. If they seem like they’re being dishonest at any point, they probably aren’t the right representation for you.
- Trustworthy. On top of honesty, they also need to demonstrate that they’re trustworthy. Having someone who is trustworthy on your side will help you feel confident in your claim and knowing that they are on your side and getting you what you deserve.
- Experienced. Experience is vital when it comes to your legal representation. Even though this might be your first claim, or you might not know how to build a case, you want your attorney to have done this plenty of times and have experience handling claims similar to yours.
- Focused. Even though an attorney might have other clients whose cases they’re handling simultaneously, you want your lawyer to be focused on your case. If they can’t dedicate the proper amount of time for you then they likely aren’t the right hire for you.
- Available. They should be available for you to contact them most of the time. Of course, there will be times when they won’t be available when you call them, but if their contact hours are narrow and they’re hard to reach, then you shouldn’t have them as your lawyer.
- Compassionate. Having an attorney who is compassionate is important because you want someone who will be able to understand your side of the story and who wants to get you justice because you deserve it. They should listen to what happened to you, show compassion, and want to help you.
- Respected. Being respected by peers is a big deal in the world of law. When your attorney has gained the respect of fellow lawyers, you can feel more confident that they are experienced and know what they’re doing.
Questions to Ask Your Lawyer
On top of specific qualities that you should look for, there are certain questions you should ask a personal injury lawyer at your first meeting so that you can get a firm idea about whether or not they’re the right fit for you. Here are some of the questions you can ask to determine if they have the qualities you’re looking for, or if they are the right attorney to handle your case:
- What are your fees?
- How long have you been practicing in Kentucky?
- How many cases like mine have you seen?
- What do you consider fair compensation?
- What do you foresee the timeline being for my claim?
- How often can I contact you?
- Will you be handling my case alone or with others?
- What is your reputation like?
These are just the basic questions that you should ask your potential personal injury lawyer, but there are plenty others you should ask. Any questions that help you get to the bottom of whether or not they have the qualities you are looking for are valid. If your potential attorney makes any promises up front or seems too good to be true, then you likely want to look for other options.
The Law Office of Todd W. Burris Is Here for You
You shouldn’t have to deal with the damages of an accident that wasn’t your fault on your own. Filing personal injury claims can be complicated and draining, especially when you’re still trying to heal and get your personal affairs in order. That’s why hiring a Lexington personal injury lawyer is so important.
At the Law Office of Todd W. Burris, we’re here to ensure you feel comfortable and confident in your claim every step of the way. Reach out to our office so we can start working for you right away.
