Personal Injury victims are already suffering a hardship. That burden is heavier when there are extra expenses, lost income, or pain and suffering from the injury. When the losses are due to others’ negligent actions or lack of action, it is worse. That is when you need to talk to a personal injury attorney, but how do you know who to talk to? Here we listed the top personal injury attorney traits to look for in your personal injury attorney search.
Experience
Experienced attorneys understand the nuances that affect your case success. In addition to having legal knowledge, an attorney with years of practice realizes the maneuverings of a personal injury case. They have developed the skills, understanding, and expertise that will yield better results for their clients.
Law school teaches attorneys how to conduct legal research, draft legal arguments and opinions. It cannot prepare an attorney for all the jobs they need to perform simultaneously. In the workplace attorneys oversee several cases, staff and law office management, client’s needs all at once. At the same time they work with judges, other attorneys and court personnel. It is exceptionally rare that a new attorney will come out of the gate with all of these skills. If, however, a new attorney is backed by an experienced team, you could benefit from the mix of fresh motivation alongside team experience.
Capable Litigator and Negotiator
Though most personal injury cases are settled out of court, look for personal injury attorney traits like mediation and litigation skills. Ideally, you can avoid the costs of a drawn out court case and can get paid quickly. Settle too quickly and you will leave a lot of money on the table. Experienced, skilled attorneys have a feel for when the top settlement offer is reached. It’s a case of knowing when to fight and when to say yes to the offer. An attorney with this skill gives you a better chance of maximizing your personal injury case resolution.
Diligent Investigator
Of all the personal injury attorney traits to look for, a thorough investigator is one of the most important. Your case will need a thorough skilled investigator who is independent of the police or an insurance company investigator. The independent accident investigation needs to identify and preserve vital evidence which proves liability for your injury. That evidence is critical to recovery of damages in a personal injury case.
An investigator isn’t the only expert your attorney will bring in. There may be accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, and financial advisors. Your attorney will bring them in to uncover every piece of evidence and prove fault to the court. All of this is done to secure the highest compensation allowable.
Honest
How much that compensation might be, no attorney will know until they perform an investigation. When attorneys promise huge settlement numbers before any investigation takes place, it raises big red honesty flags. Could it be because those attorneys are billing up front and want your business regardless? To understand how much you would pay up front, talk to prospective law firms first.
Good Listener who Responds to Your Calls
What you have to say about your injury is important, and you need an attorney who returns your calls and listens to the information you need to share. If you can’t tell your story, at least once, you haven’t found the right attorney for you. Someone who can’t or won’t listen might miss crucial information, and that could harm your case. One of the things attorney Keith Anthony commits to his clients is that he will always return their calls.
Current in Continued Education
Yearly continued legal education (CLE) is a requirement for all attorneys for good reason. The law is constantly changing, with each case judge’s ruling. Ask prospective attorneys how they keep up with changes in the legal process. How do they feel about changes to personal injury law?
Trust your instincts, they are usually based on concrete observations. If you don’t think you would be comfortable with a particular attorney, you probably won’t. Find the one who recognizes the importance of your needs and communicating those needs. You deserve your best chance at receiving compensation for your losses and pain and suffering.
Attorney Keith Anthony doesn’t get paid until you do; until he wins your case, he doesn’t charge his fees. He has every incentive to be honest with you and to work hard to win your suit. When you ask, “What are my chances of winning my personal injury case?”, you can rely on the answer. Contact Keith Anthony or call (860) 333-6455 for your free consultation call.