Have you suffered injury through someone else’s negligence? If so, it’s crucial that you have a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Depending on the specifics, personal injury cases can involve substantial amounts. Personal injury settlements can range significantly depending on a number of factors, including the severity of the injuries and the amount of available insurance coverage.
Pursuing a personal injury case on your own is not advisable. In some cases, you will be up against a large insurance company with entire teams of lawyers on their side. Alternatively, if you’re claiming from an individual, all they would need to do is hire a lawyer, and they’ll have the upper hand if you don’t have representation.
To give your case the best chance of success, you need to hire a competent, seasoned personal injury lawyer. Not sure how to choose the best personal injury lawyer for your case? Keep reading to find out how to find a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas that you can rely on to get the job done.
1. Ask Around for Recommendations
Back in the old days, asking for recommendations from family and friends was the main way people found professionals such as lawyers. Nowadays, we have Google, review platforms, etc. But it still can’t hurt to ask around and find out if someone you know has a Las Vegas, personal injury lawyer they can recommend.
If someone does give you a recommendation, ask them questions about the case and their overall experience with the firm and attorney.
2. Compare Your Options Online
Besides asking around your network, you should compare potential lawyers in your area by looking them up online.
Have a look at their websites and go through the about pages. This will give you an idea of how long the law firm has been in business and the professional history of the partners.
3. Check Online Reviews
Once you’ve found a few potential law firms, take some time to look into their online reviews.
If a law firm has a high number of positive reviews from happy clients, this is a good sign. On the other hand, if they only have a couple of reviews or a large number of negative reviews, this is probably a red flag.
4. Pick a Lawyer Who Has a Strong History in Personal Injury Cases
If you want to give your personal injury lawsuit the best chance of success, we’d also recommend choosing a lawyer who has a history of personal injury cases.
Personal injury is a specialized area of law. You want a lawyer on your side who knows all the ins and outs of personal injury cases. One who has a reputation in their field and who’s dealt with similar cases to yours.
Once you start having initial consultations with potential personal injury lawyers, ask them how long they have been dealing with personal injury cases and if they’ve handled cases that are similar to yours. Inquire into the outcomes of some of their previous personal injury cases.
Don’t be shy to ask for specifics, such as their success rate and recent settlement amounts.
5. Pick an Attorney Who Has Trial Experience
When hiring a personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas, we’d also recommend that you look for one who has experience in the courtroom.
Many people assume that all lawyers have experience with trials, but this is not the case. TV and movies might make it look like lawyers spend most of their time in the courtroom, but in reality, the bulk of cases get settled out of court.
Taking a case to court is expensive for all parties involved. If a case goes to trial, it also draws out the timeline. Thanks to these factors, the majority of settlements are awarded during the negotiation phase.
Data from the US Department of Justice reveals that only 3% of personal injury cases ever go to trial.
If your case never has to come to court, all the better. But, if the defendant won’t come to the table during negotiations, you want to be sure that your lawyer will be able to skillfully represent you in front of a judge and jury.
They should be able to drive the case all the way to trial if need be. The attorney you choose shouldn’t balk at the idea of the case going to trial purely because they don’t have courtroom experience.
What’s more, if your lawyer has a reputation as a formidable foe to face in front of a jury, the other side may be more inclined to propose a settlement before pushing the case to trial.
6. Choose an Attorney You Get Along With
Finally, we’d also recommend that you look for a lawyer who you get along with. The best personal injury lawyer isn’t just the one with the most experience; they’re also the one that makes you feel like they’re willing to fight for your case, no matter what it takes.
If you get the impression that a prospective personal injury lawyer isn’t really listening to you, doesn’t have empathy, or isn’t interested in discussing the case particulars with you, they might not have their head in the game.
Alternatively, maybe they just rub you up the wrong way. Personal injury cases can be involved processes, and you may need to work closely with your attorney over a number of months. If you have to deal with someone that you don’t get along with, this can make the process stressful and unpleasant.
Are You Looking for a Personal Injury Lawyer to Spearhead Your Case?
If you’re seeking compensation and wondering when to hire a personal injury lawyer, the answer is as soon as possible. But this doesn’t mean you should rush out and hire the first attorney you find. Fortunately, now that you’re armed with these tips, you’re equipped to identify the best personal injury lawyer for your case.
Do you need a Las Vegas, personal injury lawyer you can trust? You’ve come to the right place.
Personal injury is one of our core practice areas here at Kaplan Young. Contact us today to book a consultation.