Have you or your loved one been severely injured in Utah due to the negligence of another person? If yes, we can only imagine how difficult things must be for you as you suffer from heartache and emotional distress. In addition, you’re under the weight of high medical bills and or lost wages.
Whether you suffered in a car crash, slip-and-fall, dog bite, medical overlook, or any other kind of accident, you have certain rights that are guaranteed by law. This includes the right to receive financial compensation from the at-fault party.
However, you need to choose reliable legal partners to actually get what you deserve. Having the right personal injury attorney in your corner can be the difference between securing a fair settlement and struggling to make ends meet.
That’s why choosing a Utah personal injury lawyer with a proven track record is crucial. Fortunately, this isn’t as complicated as you think.
Here are a few quick tips to help simplify your search
1. Research Is Your Friend
There’s a reason why it’s always recommended to hire a reputable personal injury law firm. A good reputation signifies that they’ve delivered desirable results for their clients. It also means they have a positive standing in the legal community.
Working with an established personal injury lawyer can boost your chances of achieving positive outcomes in your case. Insurance companies are wary of successful personal injury attorneys and are more likely to deal with their matters reasonably. This, in turn, will help increase the worth of your claim and force the at-fault party to take you seriously.
One of the best ways to find a reputed personal injury lawyer is by asking your friends and family for references. If they’ve worked with a personal injury attorney and were happy with their services, you can give them a try too. You can also check legitimate third-party peer review websites, where lawyers vote for peers they’d actually recommend. These sites can be good places to shortlist a few lawyers worthy of your time.
2. Leadership is Key
An accomplished personal injury law firm will be a leader in the overall legal domain. Leading lawyers are often invited to teach other lawyers about the nuances of the practice. It’s always advisable to hire a personal injury law firm that’s recognized as a leader in their field. This will give you the peace of mind of knowing that you’re working with someone who’s knowledgeable and respected in their area of work.
How do you know whether or not your preferred personal injury attorney is an industry leader? Ask if they educate other lawyers in the area of personal injury. Do they chair or teach at law-related conferences? Have they published authors for leading law magazines? Have they ever been consulted by the government in the area of personal injury? Do they have any awards and certifications to their credit?
3. Check for Relevant Experience
Choosing a personal injury lawyer is like selecting a surgeon for an important surgery. Would you go for someone inexperienced and risk your life? Of course not!
Similarly, picking an attorney who doesn’t have adequate experience in the area of personal injury is a huge risk. Simply put, when choosing a lawyer, experience matters!
Only a well-practiced personal injury lawyer will understand the importance of filing your claim in a timely and efficient manner. They’ll also have achieved proven results in personal injury cases (specifically) and have a skillset to boast of. You’ll do well to ask them about their experience in handling various kinds of personal injury and wrongful death cases upfront.
It’s also a good idea to enquire about the lawyer’s trial experience. While most personal injury cases settle out of court, having no or limited courtroom experience means they’re all smoke and no fire. If the other party becomes aware of this chink in your armor, things might become extremely difficult for you.
4. Go for Someone Whose Past Clients Vouch for Them
Knowing what the personal injury firm’s former clients are saying about them is a good way to find out if they’re actually worth their salt. Reviews are written by clients who were once in the same position as you are in now. Their words will reflect their real-life and unbiased experience of working with your preferred law firm.
You can start by visiting the website and checking out client testimonials. You can also go through their reviews on Google and peer-review websites to gauge if they have the qualities you’re looking for. Ask the law firm if you can contact a former client. Remember, a competent law firm will never hesitate to provide references from their previous clients.
5. Hire a Law Firm with the Right Resources
You should know how the personal injury lawyer of your choice conducts their day-to-day work. Do they maintain any paperwork or do things digitally? In either case, how do they communicate with their clients and keep them updated about their matters?
Do they share documents online? Does having an online database mean quick and easy accessibility for you anytime and from anywhere? If they use software for their work, do they ensure it is updated and secure?
You should also find out if they’ll have a dedicated team working on your case. After all, dealing with insurance agencies requires serious resources. This might mean having legal assistants, associate lawyers, articling students, and others to help on the case. Ensure the personal injury law firm is well-equipped in this regard.
6. Consider Your Affordability
Often, victims of personal injury try to handle their legal matters on their own simply because they cannot afford an attorney. However, it is important to understand that personal injury claims require expert evidence from doctors, accountants, accident reconstructionists, and others. Only a seasoned personal injury lawyer will have access to these expert professionals, whose reports can help you match the body of evidence presented by the defending insurance company.
The good news is, that most personal injury law firms work on a contingency basis, which means you won’t have to pay legal fees unless you win. So, you need not worry about how you’ll pay. Instead, you can focus on recovering from your injuries and getting your life back to (or at least close to) the way it was before your accident.
7. Do They Have Enough Time for Your Case?
You should be wary of lawyers trying to make a quick buck off of their clients. They tend to take on a large volume of cases and try to settle them as soon as possible without allotting the necessary resources or time.
While this may work for small cases, it definitely won’t in cases involving serious injuries. If your case involves considerable injury which deserves a huge payout, you should work with a personal injury law firm that specializes in dealing with more serious cases.
A firm that takes on a select number of serious cases will put in the time and effort needed to build a strong claim. They’ll work with expert witnesses and professionals to achieve the settlement you rightfully deserve.
You should ask prospective personal injury lawyers about their caseload and the results they’ve achieved for some of the larger cases in the area of personal injury.
8. Avoid Anyone Who Guarantees a Quick Resolution
While a quick settlement may be ideal for small cases, it might not be so for claims involving serious injuries. You may feel cheated or find yourself paying medical bills out of your own pocket. Hence, steer clear of personal injury law firms who promise unrealistic results or guarantee a quick resolution for a major claim.
A genuine law firm will leave no stone unturned in strengthening your case and moving it towards a timely as well as fair settlement. They’ll guide you about rejecting a lowball, unreasonable, and unfair amount while fighting to maximize the payout due to you.
In Conclusion
If you’ve been injured or have lost a dear one due to somebody else’s reckless or wrongful actions, you should seek justice with the help of a Utah personal injury attorney. However, not all personal injury law firms are made equal. You need to make sure you hire the one who’s right for your case. A good Utah personal injury lawyer will know that all cases and claims are unique and be willing to steer yours in the right direction to get you justice and fair compensation.
At Carlson Injury Law, we routinely help personal injury victims hold wrongdoers accountable and recover the compensation they deserve. Our team believes in fighting to improve the community at large, and treats clients like family. If you need legal assistance, call us at (801) 845-4577 or reach out to us via our online form. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.