7 Common Signs of a Good Personal Injury Lawyer

There are more than 1.3 million attorneys with active licenses in the United States. How do you choose the right one?

Choosing the right lawyer for your case can be one of the most stressful parts of being in an accident. Fortunately, once you find the right lawyer, you will have peace of mind.

Keep reading for the top 7 signs of a good personal injury lawyer to help you make the right choice.

1. Education

While this might seem obvious, it’s important that you choose an attorney who is legally qualified to handle your case.

Your personal injury lawyer should have earned a law degree and passed the bar exam in the state where your accident occurred. They should have an active license in good standing with no sanctions against them. 

2. Experience

When you have a personal injury case, you want to hire a personal injury lawyer. While you might have worked with other attorneys in the past and really liked them, if they aren’t personal injury attorneys, you don’t want them to handle your personal injury case.

This is because nothing can replace experience. Personal injury attorneys have highly specialized experience dealing with insurance companies, proving negligence cases, and even taking cases to trial. No amount of research can substitute first-hand experience handling these types of cases.

It’s best to choose a personal injury lawyer who has been in the field for years. You also want to look for an attorney who is prepared to take your case to trial if you can’t reach a fair settlement with the insurance company. 

3. Great References

An easy way to learn more about a personal injury lawyer is to look at their past results.

As we mentioned before, the attorney you choose should have years of experience handling cases like yours. You also want to look at the outcome of these cases. The best attorney for your case will not only have handled cases like yours but will have achieved good results.

Feel free to ask potential attorneys for testimonials or references from current and former clients. You can often find a section on their website dedicated to their results.

Another thing you can do is look for reviews online. Perform a Google search and look for reviews from former clients. 

4. Recognition

The best attorneys in any specialty have the respect of their peers. They are also recognized for their drive, hard work, and success.

Sweet Lawyers is proud to have been awarded “Best Attorneys of America.”

5. Passion

When a future attorney is in law school, they will decide which area of law they want to practice. Attorneys who choose personal injury law usually do so because they feel drawn to help victims of negligence.

Knowing how to hire a lawyer isn’t easy if you haven’t had to do so before. But one of the things you should look for in a personal injury lawyer is a passion for the job. An attorney who is passionate about helping people like you will do a better job of negotiating a settlement and might even get you a higher award.

You don’t want to hire a lawyer who is just going through the motions. Your lawyer should feel passionate about getting you the settlement you deserve, no matter what it takes. 

6. Empathy

Being injured in an accident can be overwhelming. Navigating the legal system is pretty much impossible if you aren’t a lawyer. You might think you’re doing the right thing by cooperating with the insurance companies, but they are probably trying to get you to slip up so they can deny your claim.

The best injury lawyers understand what victims are going through and demonstrate that understanding by showing empathy.

You should look for a personal injury lawyer who works on a contingency basis. This means that if they don’t win your case for you, you don’t have to pay them. Attorneys use this structure when they understand the situation their clients are in.

Injuries often lead to an inability to work yet medical bills keep piling up. Choose an attorney who won’t charge you any fees upfront.

The best personal injury lawyers also offer a free consultation and case evaluation. This meeting allows you to get a feel for a potential attorney and see if they would be a good fit to represent you. You can usually tell right away whether an attorney has genuine empathy and wants to get justice for you. 

7. Good Communication

One of the most important signs of a good lawyer is the ability to communicate well.

You have to trust your personal injury lawyer to represent you and communicate on your behalf. But you also need your attorney to communicate with you throughout the process.

When you schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney, you can use this time to ask them how they plan to communicate with you throughout the claims process. Be sure to ask whether the attorney will be available to answer your questions and who your main point of contact will be.

Your attorney should keep you updated and it should be easy to reach someone at their office if you have any questions or concerns. Try to gauge how well potential attorneys explain your rights, your chances of success with your case, and what your case might be worth.

How well they explain these things to you can indicate how well they will communicate with you and others while handling your case. 

Are You Looking for a Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you’ve been injured in an accident, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side.

At Sweet Lawyers, we understand how stressful it can be to hire a lawyer. That’s why we’ve made the process easy.

Just click here to schedule your free consultation today. We are available and ready to answer any questions you may have and put your mind at ease.