There are some exceptions when handing a personal injury claim yourself won’t sound a bad idea, especially if you have suffered minor injuries and feel confident about dealing with the at-fault party insurer. But if you have suffered serious injuries or the alleged party is in a fighting mood right out of the gate, leaving the case to a learned personal injury lawyer from a Rochester law firm will give you some peace of mind.
Keep in mind that just any lawyer won’t be of great help. You should plant your faith only in an experienced lawyer who has a very good track record of handling personal injury cases that include those slimier to yours.
Finding an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer
You can get referrals to an experienced lawyer from different sources. But don’t jump at a choice without comparison-shop. Just because someone is very close to you never means that the best recommendation will come from him or her.
Narrow the list of recommendations to a few ones. These days, all eminent lawyers have their personal profile on the internet, which make it easier for a novice to know about every one of them in details. Education, experience and track record – these three are the basic parameters to help you distil the best names in the field.
It’s now time to meet the shortlisted names in person to discuss your personal injury and compensation claim. Just because you will pay for a lawyer’s service, don’t assume everyone is ready to accept your case. In fact, you might face outright rejection. Most lawyers, especially if they are highly experienced and successful, don’t want to deal with a personal injury claim if there is less likelihood of recovering a certain amount of money or there is vagueness in the claim.
Where to Look for Referrals
Friends, Relatives and Other Acquaintances: Friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers can suggest the names if they have been successfully represented by a personal injury lawyer. They will also tell about the persons whom you should never approach as they are, according to their first-hand experience or words of mouth, uncouth and/or dishonest always looking for the unsuspecting preys to pounce upon.
If you know a lawyer, even if the person does not handle the case like yours, request him or her for a recommendation as it is highly likely that he or she knows some good lawyers personally.
Referral Services: Most local bar associations offer referral services that include the names of the available lawyers along with their specialization. A wider variation exists when it comes to the quality of lawyer referral services even though the state bar association is supposed to approve them.
Some lawyer referral services meticulously screen attorneys’ profiles and list only those having specific qualifications and specified amount of past experience. Other services tend to list any attorney as long as the person maintains liability insurance and is in good standing with the state bar.
Parting Words
Finding a good injury lawyer to represent your personal injury case is not the end of the road; there is still a long way to go. You will have to prepare a clear, free agreement in writing and keep in touch with your lawyer throughout the length of proceeding.