When you suffer injuries due to the negligence of another party, you need an attorney who can help you navigate the claim process, from submitting a claim to the insurance company to negotiating for the best possible settlement.
Finding the best personal injury lawyer near you may feel as challenging as navigating the claim. Fortunately, you have several options for finding a personal injury attorney who can handle your claim and help you maximize the compensation you can recover.
Where to Find a Personal Injury Attorney?
When you need to find an attorney, you have several options.
1. Turn to Your Preferred Search Engine
Just like finding any other type of business you would like to use, finding an attorney may start with a visit to your preferred search engine. Search for personal injury attorneys in your local area to find a list of attorneys with the experience and resources necessary to handle your claim.
2. Ask for Recommendations
If you have a friend or family member who has needed a personal injury lawyer in the past, ask for a personal recommendation. A former client can provide considerable insight into what it feels and looks like to work with a specific attorney, which can help you feel more confident in deciding who you want to use to handle your claim.
If you do not know a friend or family member who has used a personal injury attorney in the past, consider talking to your existing attorney. While your divorce or business lawyer may not have the specific skills needed to handle your personal injury claim, you can get great recommendations from them regarding professionals in the area they have interacted with.
3. Check out Legal Search Engines
Many legal search engines and platforms make finding personal injury lawyers near you easy. Sites like SuperLawyers and Avvo allow you to search for specific practice areas of expertise and geographic locations to quickly sort through the many lawyers in your area. These sites also provide ratings that make it easier to determine what other people have experienced when working with those attorneys, making it easier to decide.
How to Choose the Best Personal Injury Lawyer Near You?
Many locations, especially around big cities or cities with law schools, offer a large number of personal injury attorneys to choose from. Finding the right personal injury lawyer for your needs can sound daunting. However, you have several options that can help you choose among those different lawyers and the one that best fits your case.
1. Narrow Your Search
Instead of simply searching for a personal injury lawyer near you, try narrowing your search with these key features:
- The type of claim. While some personal injury lawyers focus on handling car accident claims, others focus more on concerns like premises liability incidents, dog bite cases, nursing home or medical malpractice claims. Narrow your search to focus on the type of attorney you need for your specific case.
- The lawyer’s location. While you may find lawyers who practice near your local area, you may want to narrow it down to one who works as close to you as possible so that you can easily stop by the office for meetings or drop off needed paperwork.
- What you’re looking for in a lawyer. Do you want a law firm with a history of handling major claims with high-dollar results? A law firm that focuses on smaller claims? Carefully consider the type of claim you need to file and what that means you will need from the attorney that handles your case.
By narrowing your search ahead, you can make it easier to choose between available personal injury attorneys near you.
2. Check out Online Reviews
As you evaluate the right personal injury lawyer for your needs, take the time to read through online reviews. You can find reviews in several key locations. Each one offers different information about the lawyer or law firm.
On the Lawyer’s Website
Reviews on the lawyer’s website focus on what the lawyer wants to highlight. By reading through those reviews, you can better understand what the lawyer considers important. Does the firm have a client-focused attitude that prioritizes communication, or does it pride itself on its bulldog attitude and determination to maximize client results? By reading through the reviews on the lawyer’s website, you can determine what clients it focuses on and what it requires from its lawyers.
On Google
A lawyer’s Google Business listing can provide key insights into how the law firm has performed and what clients think about working with the lawyer. As you read through Google reviews on the law firm, you can get a better idea of what customers really think: not just the top clients that the firm chooses to highlight, but, in many cases, clients who felt less satisfied with the quality of support they received from the firm.
Take the time to read through both high and low reviews as you consider personal injury attorneys in your area. Look for patterns. Keep in mind that anyone can post a Google Business review, which means that you may see reviews from people on the opposing side of injury claims who want to drag an attorney through the mud or decrease his reputation. Looking for patterns can make it easier to discern the difference between those reviews and genuine reviews from clients.
On Social Media
Reviews on social media offer considerable social proof about a law firm. Like Google Business reviews, they can come from anyone at any time. Look for how the law firm responds to those reviews. Do those reviews get personal comments and answers? Does the firm try to resolve any problems mentioned, or do you see negative reviews that never receive a response? Pay attention to patterns that appear on social media reviews and, when possible, look at where those comments originated.
3. Check out the Lawyer’s Website
You can find a lot of information about a lawyer by taking a closer look at the website and its information. On the website, you will find key details about the firm, including what it chooses to focus on, what it considers important, and how the lawyers interact with their clients.
What Claims Does the Firm Handle?
If you have found the firm’s website after narrowing down what you really need from a personal injury lawyer, you may already have a strong idea of what type of cases the firm handles and what it prioritizes. However, sometimes, search engine results, even legal ones, can prove misleading. Check the website to make sure that the firm handles the type of claim you need it to take on.
Where Does the Firm Operate?
Carefully consider where the firm does business. Check out its specific geographic location and the areas where it works regularly. Ideally, you want a law firm that knows the court system where you need to operate or has interacted with insurance agents in the area since that can provide the firm with greater insight into how to deal with specific claims.
What Kind of Results Does the Firm Show?
Look through the firm’s past case results to get a better idea of what settlements the firm has helped win for clients in the past. Consider the range of claims the firm likely handles.
Lower claim results may simply mean that the firm has chosen to handle cases with smaller, but no less significant, injuries or that the firm has dealt primarily with lower-value insurance policies. Furthermore, remember that past case results do not determine what a firm can accomplish on your case since each personal injury claim can look slightly different.
4. Schedule a Free Consultation
Once you have narrowed down the law firms you might want to work with on your personal injury claim, schedule a free consultation with the firm. Most personal injury lawyers start with a free consultation before they take on a case. During that free consultation, not only does the lawyer get to decide whether the firm will take your claim, you get to determine whether you want to work with a specific law firm.
Ask questions during your consultation. Get to know both the lawyer and the firm. You may spend a lot of time working with your new personal injury lawyer, so ensure you get the answers to any essential questions to determine whether you want to move forward with the company.
Who at the Firm Will Handle Your Claim?
When you sit down for a consultation, you may assume the consulting attorney will handle your case. However, in many cases, you will end up dealing with a different lawyer entirely. The firm may also use other members of its legal team to handle many of the aspects of your case, so make sure you know what to expect throughout the process.
Does the Firm Have the Capacity for Your Claim?
Like many other industries, personal injury lawyers must constantly seek new clients. However, the firm may not always have the capacity to take on your specific claim. Ask the lawyer about the firm’s capacity during your consultation.
How Does the Lawyer Communicate?
Communication style can prove incredibly important during your personal injury claim. You want a lawyer that will communicate regularly with you, keeping you apprised of any changes in your case and ensuring you feel confident about the information provided. Furthermore, you may want an attorney who communicates using your preferred communication style.
Do you prefer hearing from an attorney over the phone to hearing from the attorney via email? Do you need written communication rather than verbal, especially if you suffered a traumatic brain injury or have to take medications that interfere with your memory? Make sure that the firm uses a communication method that works for you and that you feel confident about how often the lawyer will get in touch.
How Much Does the Lawyer Think Your Claim Is Worth?
For many people, the value of an injury claim can prove incredibly important. It can even be life-changing, depending on the extent of your injuries and the long-term struggles you will face because of your accident.
Ask the lawyer how much compensation the firm will pursue on your behalf and how much compensation the lawyer thinks you will ultimately receive for your injuries.
You do not necessarily want to select the lawyer or firm that says up front that it can get the most for your injuries.
If you have a firm offering an outlier amount, including an unexpectedly high settlement amount, ask why. Has that firm seen something that others missed? Does that lawyer have information that you have not seen previously? Make sure you understand the difference between settlement numbers before selecting an attorney.
Can You Talk to Past Clients?
Before making a final decision about a personal injury lawyer, you may want to speak with a past client who can offer a personal recommendation about the firm. Past clients may provide more insight into what it feels like to work with a specific firm or lawyer.
Contact a Lawyer to Handle Your Personal Injury Claim
Hiring a lawyer can feel daunting. However, finding the right personal injury attorney in Denver can make a huge difference as your file and move forward with a personal injury claim. Contact an attorney as soon after your accident as possible to help protect your right to compensation.
