Personal injury cases often involve a lot of potential money and fairly serious injury. Personal injury cases can involve spinal cord injuries that leave the victim paralyzed for life, or brain injuries that leave the victim incapable of taking care of themselves. In many cases, these sorts of lawsuits involve considerable loss of income for the victim. A personal injury attorney is what ultimately determines a victim’s chances of getting legal assistance to cover medical treatments as well as lost income.
Insurance company attorneys want to pay victims the least possible amount, because paying out the least amount in damages is what keeps insurance company shareholders happy. Therefore, a good Florida personal injury attorney is essential when you’re negotiating with an insurance provider. A good attorney is someone who does research carefully, represents you well in court, and is able to use concise, well-developed arguments to ensure that you get the best compensation possible. Finding such an attorney may seem like a tall order, but you can find one by:
1) Looking for a Florida personal injury lawyer that has many years of practice as well as a track record of successful negotiations in the same type of case you are involved in. Look for an attorney who has successfully been able to find compensation for victims in similar cases such as yours. A successful track record alone may convince the defendant in your case that your suit needs to be taken seriously, and a good track record generally proves that an attorney is able to successfully defend their cases in court.
2) Seeking out a personal injury attorney that will take your case on a contingency basis. Many Florida personal injury attorneys do this. It means that the attorney only takes out a legal fee at the end of the case and only if and when you win a settlement. If you don’t get paid, you’re not responsible for legal fees. Many attorneys will charge around 30% of the total settlement as a legal fee. Make sure that you understand what the legal fees will be once your settlement is reached, and make sure that you understand fully how the contingency fee plan will work with your attorney.
3) Speak to other people who have been clients of the same attorney, or seek testimonials from past clients. Once you’ve found a few attorneys who seem capable of taking on your case, either ask for recommendations, or ask friends and family to see who else has worked with the same attorney.
4) Speak to the attorney and make your decision based on ability as well as your overall impression of an attorney. An attorney who is highly respected in the field but who does not take the time to answer your questions or who does not seem interested in your case is unlikely to make you very happy. Even if your attorney is working on a contingency basis, you will eventually have to pay money for your legal fees, so you’ll want to find an attorney you like. Find an attorney who listens to carefully, answers your questions, and returns your calls and messages when asked. Find someone who instills confidence in you.