What to look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer
Why this decision is so important
The process of choosing a personal injury lawyer can be quite overwhelming, particularly when most individuals won’t have dealt with a personal injury lawyer in the past.
The length of personal injury claims varies, however, on average claims can take between 12 – 18 months from the date of accident to settle. With this in mind, it is important to appreciate how long you will be dealing with your lawyer from the get-go.
An injured person places a lot of trust in their lawyers, and in return your lawyer should be doing everything they can to reasonably maximise your claim. The right choice of lawyer will give you the best opportunity at getting a favourable result in your personal injury claim.
An injured person should have confidence in their lawyer’s ability from the commencement of their claim to the settlement.
Reputation
Reputation should be at the forefront of the decision-making process. You want to know that the law firm/lawyer you are working with is respectable and that you are in good hands.
A law firm is not dissimilar to other products that are rated and reviewed on the internet such as accommodation or the latest iPhone. Google reviews can be a useful tool when determining whether a law firm is the right fit. Scour through the reviews and look for common themes such as client satisfaction. Word of mouth can also never be overlooked, if you are injured, speak to your family and friends they may have had dealings with a personal injury lawyer in the past.
Keep in mind that the bigger the firm does not necessarily mean the better the product or the bigger the settlement.
Experience
It is worthwhile engaging an experienced lawyer. Although no two claims are the same, an experienced lawyer will have the skills to compare your claim to one of a similar nature to maximise your compensation.
Although it is not a deal breaker, it is also often favourable leaning towards a lawyer who specialises in predominately personal injury. This is a complex area of law, and you want a lawyer who has a passion for the discipline and is across the relevant ever evolving legislation and case law.
Tip: Look for a law firm who has accredited specialists. The Specialist Accreditation Scheme was established to recognise solicitors with a high level of competency and knowledge in their chosen area of law. In Queensland there are only approximately 500 accredited specialists over 11 areas of law, including personal injury.
Communication
A good lawyer will be dependable and accessible. There is nothing more frustrating than engaging a lawyer only to find out that your claim has been delegated to a paralegal or legal assistant. It should be clearly communicated from the commencement of your claim who will be running your claim and who will be assisting with your claim. Be sure to ask this when engaging a law firm.
Good communication involves regular updates and easily understandable advice. Your lawyer should contact you regularly (but not unnecessarily) to update you on your matter and you should never feel intimated when asking your lawyer a question.
Empathy/Compassion
Being injured in an accident can be stressful enough. You should seek an empathetic and compassionate lawyer who is a good listener. In these types of claims you are often dealing with matters of a sensitive nature, and you want a professional who will treat you with dignity and work alongside you to achieve the best possible outcome.
This can sometimes be difficult to gauge in an initial meeting with a lawyer and is another reason why reviews can be a useful tool when selecting a law firm.
Contact us
If you are looking to seek legal advice, TPIL Lawyers are able to assist you. We are happy to arrange an initial telephone consultation to assist you in navigating your personal injury or TPD enquiry.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and must not be relied on as legal advice. Specific advice should be sought about your circumstances.
