What to Look for in a Personal Injury Attorney?
You are more likely to get more in compensation when you hire an attorney as opposed to representing yourself against insurance adjusters equipped with time-tested training, a seemingly unlimited amount of resources, and proven intimidation tactics. Unless your case is an easy, straightforward one, representing yourself is an uphill battle. An attorney, however, can make all the difference. It gives you, among other things, some leverage. But not any attorney will do.
You need a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles who possesses specific qualities aligned with your interests, your case, and your goals. Here, we provide an overview of what qualities to look for in an attorney and how those qualities may align with your specific needs, which are namely two-fold: (1) the most in compensation; and (2) a settlement or verdict in the least amount of time. These two goals can sometimes work against each other, but a smart attorney will know how to find the balance to handle your case in the most efficient manner.
Experience
Experience is similar but not the same as a specialty in personal injury law. You want to look for quite a few different things that can testify to an attorney’s experience.
First, you want to know if the attorney has specific experience with your type of personal injury case. There are many different sub-groups of personal injury cases, like:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Boat accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Scooter accidents
- Rideshare accidents
- Bicycling accidents
- Premises liability
- Slip and fall cases
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injuries
- Product defects
- Dog bites, animal attacks
- Defamation
- Other personal injury cases.
An attorney may focus the bulk of his or her experience in auto accidents and may have never touched another type of personal injury case. Maybe you want to sue for defamation––an auto accident attorney won’t have the insight and knowledge of the law as a lawyer who routinely represents clients in defamation cases.
Second, you want to know the ratio of cases won versus those that lost and what the attorney’s definition of a win or loss is. You can also ask about the compensation the attorney has won for clients in similar situations. Experience with successful cases can be an indicator of how well your case may move along.
Third, you want to know if the attorney has proven persistency and dedication to obtaining high results for their clients. Attorneys acquire a reputation among insurance adjusters and fellow attorneys. Insurance companies keep track of attorneys who try to settle quickly at all costs vs how well they settle their cases.
Fourth, experience doesn’t have to mean big budget advertisements but can best be found in an attorney who chooses his or her cases wisely; cases that develop his skillsets as well as allow him or her to best apply his or her skills and knowledge. So, the experience is not the same as a personal injury mill where attorneys churn out personal injury cases like hens lay eggs.
Why does experience matter?
Experience matters because with it follow knowledge, insight, and skills, the experience opens doors and creates room for opportunity. It is what allows an attorney to negotiate better, to investigate better, to assess damages better, to communicate better, and to negotiate better. All of these and more will mean a better outcome for you and your recovery. You get one opportunity with your personal injury case, so you don’t want to ruin it by choosing inexperience over experience.
Do you really need a personal injury lawyer with extensive experience?
You do, but you need to pay attention. Experience doesn’t have to only mean years in law. It simply means the attorney has had ample opportunities to build and develop his or her skills and capabilities to help you with your specific legal situation. An attorney with ten years’ experience could be the right attorney for you if his or her experience is specific to your needs. On the other hand, an attorney who takes the same cases and argues the same arguments, even with thirty years of experience as a personal injury lawyer, may not always have the “experience” you need for your case. To make it even more complicated, this type of attorney may keep options closed and professional development limited. Therefore, you need help to find the most suitable attorney for your legal matter, and to have a personalized approach based on your specific needs. Believe it or not, that’s easier than it may seem.
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Personalized Service
Personalized service is something you think you get from a shop or another type of merchant. But you also deserve it from your personal injury attorney. Your claim or lawsuit is not the same as anyone else’s even if it is similar to other cases. Plus, you likely have never been in a position to need a personal injury or another lawyer before. Personalized service means you get representation specific to your needs and case. It also means that you should have direct contact with your attorney or law firm staff.
Personal injury cases are just that: highly personal. What happens during or to your case directly affects you and your recovery. Whether your injury is soft tissue or catastrophic, you need to know what’s going on and you need to have a say in it. To determine if an attorney offers personalized service, don’t trust only his or her word for it, look at these things:
1. Client reviews––one of the first things former or current clients will say about their attorney is whether or not they were personable, professional, and reliable.
2. First contact––how were or are you treated during the initial consultation? Did they show any kind of care for you? Did the attorney actively listen to what you had to say? Were the details of your case considered or were you hushed by the swipe of a hand or interrupted repeatedly.
3. Thoroughness––Were policies clearly explained to you?
4. Communication––Were you advised how, when, why, and who would contact you? How long will it take for you to get a response?
5. Technology––advancements in technology occur regularly, and a lawyer or law firm keeping up to date with technology means they have the resources, they care, and they want to provide the best services to you.
6. Commitment––You don’t get personalized service when the attorney or law firm could care less about your case and more about their own paycheck.
Why does personalized service matter?
Personalized service is a right. It is about ethics though so many attorneys today do not offer it. They fail to communicate. They fail to assess your case and customize arguments, damages, and strategy accordingly. They fail to see you as a unique individual in a unique situation with unique injuries and damages. Personalized service makes sure you get constant communication, compassion, and commitment.
Do you really need personalized service from a personal injury attorney?
You do. Personal injury cases are different from any other type of legal matter: they are personal in the most personal sense of the word. Without personalized service, your case gets the same attention (or lack of attention) as any other case.
Specialization vs Experience
When an attorney focuses on a field, say 80% or more of his or her cases are within one law practice (e.g., personal injury law, criminal law, estates and trusts, family law, etc.), then it indicates the attorney must have a pretty good handle on the law for that specific practice.
Experience in one or a couple of practice areas matters because it attests to the attorney’s capabilities. Consider an attorney concentrating in personal injury law versus an attorney who practices general law. The attorney focusing primarily on personal injury law will have a portfolio full of more types of personal injury cases. The more cases the attorney has in personal injury law, the more exposure the attorney has in terms of situations and circumstances as well as problems and challenges. It provides opportunities to engage in negotiations on different levels and to build a network of experts and other professionals who may be needed in future cases. It essentially means you build a business specific to personal injury and not only personal injury law as part of your business.
Some attorneys can be easily distinguished from their peers if they are certified as a specialist or expert in one area of law. In California, the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization certifies legal specialists in 11 practice areas. Personal injury law is not one of them.
So, how do you know if an attorney focuses on personal injury law? It’s not easy, but you want to look at things like:
- What’s the ratio of the attorney’s cases: personal injury versus other practice areas?
- How long has the attorney been practicing personal injury law generally and in California specifically?
- What do client reviews and peer reviews say about the attorney?
- What are some successful personal injury cases and how do successful ones compare with unsuccessful cases? Is your case similar to those being successful?
These and other questions can often be addressed during an initial consultation with a personal injury attorney. In addition, some information may be discovered through publicly available sources online. For example, simply googling the name of an attorney—such as “Edgar Poghosyan” or another attorney—may reveal information such as reviews, articles, or other materials that may help you better understand the attorney’s background and experience.
Do you really need a personal injury lawyer who focuses on personal injury?
You may think you don’t necessarily need an attorney who focuses primarily on personal injury. Many personal injury cases can theoretically be handled by an attorney with a general understanding of the law so long as that attorney can research and investigate cases well enough or has the resources to have it undertaken thoroughly. If your personal injury case is straightforward, meaning you have a solid idea of the damages and liability is not questioned, you may think you do not need a specialist. Nevertheless, an experienced attorney–practicing specifically personal injury for years–will be in your best interests, and will obtain much more reimbursement for your damages than a general attorney or you are able to do alone. In either case, having a free consultation for evaluating your personal situation would never hurt, right?
Legal Fees and Rates
Though you don’t want to only focus on rates as much as you do other factors that matter with regard to strong personal injury representation, it goes without saying that attorney fees matter. In most personal injury cases, attorneys will take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means the attorney will receive a portion of your settlement or verdict award, after settlement or judgment amount is obtained on your behalf. Contingency fee rates may vary, too. You definitely want to know what that rate is. You also want to know exactly what other costs (e.g., police report, court reporter, expert testimony costs, etc.) will be taken from the settlement or award.
Alignment
Is the attorney a good fit for you? This can sometimes be hard though it seems easy enough. If the attorney has experience in your type of case and is committed to your recovery of just and fair compensation, then it may be safe to say it’s a good fit. But what about other things, like:
- Does what the attorney says align with what and how you think your case will go?
- Do you like your attorney’s personality?
- Can you speak with ease with the attorney?
- Does the attorney answer your questions or put them off for another time?
- What are your goals and do they align with the attorney’s assessment?
- How do you feel about the attorney’s rates?
- And most importantly: Do you trust your attorney?
These and other questions can help you eliminate attorneys who may not be right for you. But if you are unsure, we can help.
Follow-up & Research
Don’t take anyone’s word for it. Do your follow-up and research:
- Make sure the attorney doesn’t have any disciplinary actions against him or her.
- Make sure reviews are strong and consistent with what you saw and heard.
- Make sure he or she belongs to the associations or won the awards and recognitions they claim online or in-person.
Follow-up is easy enough and takes little time but can save you a lot of heartache in the long run.
Ready to Retain the Right Personal Injury Attorney in Los Angeles?
If you are ready to find the right personal injury attorney, you have come to the right place. It’s what we do. We are committed to you. Our personal injury attorneys are also committed. Their collective experience, expertise, dedication, and insight is why people like you routinely come to us for help. Contact us today to ask questions or to get started finding the right personal injury attorney for you in the Los Angeles metro area.
