Did you know, a crucial factor of a successful lawsuit or recovery is getting the right lawyer to represent you? However, the “right” lawyer is usually expensive, and individuals or companies with bigger resources will be able to hire them.
As a victim, it’s normal to be lost when looking for the right lawyer, which is why we wrote this article. We want you to find the right lawyer, while also keeping yourself away from the bad ones. We believe you deserve to get the proper compensation for your loss, which is why finding a good law firm such as Graham Evans and Partners Solicitors is very important.
With that said, you should ask some important questions before hiring a lawyer, as their answers will show signs of their competencies and experience levels. Here are some questions you should ask before hiring a personal injury lawyer:
What Are Your Past Experiences?
This question will prompt your lawyer to share their previous experiences on how they handled their cases. This will provide a good insight into your lawyer’s style and experience, which you can put into consideration. A good lawyer with experience handling cases similar to yours has a better understanding of the legal process and the right steps to take to win. They will also know what is the price or benchmark for “fair compensation”.
What is Your Fee Structure?
Here’s the part where it gets tricky. Ever heard of law firms providing “No fee if no recovery?” Let us give you some context.
Law firms usually charge on a contingency fee basis, which means there will be no “service fee” charged if there are no recoveries made. However, here’s the catch: there will still be some charges in most cases to cover their working expenses, as some work needs to be carried out by third parties such as getting documents and filing fees. Of course, these are not a problem if your lawyer has successfully recovered, but it will pose as some misunderstanding if your lawyer did not win your case.
To prevent confusion, we’d recommend you find a lawyer with a fixed fee structure that requires you to pay a fixed amount of money instead of involving yourself in promotional schemes such as “No fee if no recovery”. A fixed fee structure ensures that you will not be financially burdened as the legal process goes on, while also paying the lawyer fairly for their work.
What Are Your Certifications?
This question will give you information on whether your lawyer is certified by a regulatory body. A certified lawyer under a regulatory body such as SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) will need to meet specific requirements and undergo constant training to ensure that they are receiving the latest updates and changes within the legal world.
Lawyers or solicitors that are certified are much more likely to be more trustable and reputable as they are regulated by a bigger entity. It ensures that the lawyers are performing in an ethical and professional matter.
Bonus Tip: Remember To Check Their Reputation First!
It definitely doesn’t make sense to ask about the reputation of the lawyer from the lawyer himself or herself. Always be sceptical and check their reviews and experiences from past cases.
There are a few ways you can check their credibility and reputation, one of them is by their ratings on legal directories or third-party websites such as Google Reviews. Lawyers with high average ratings generally have a better chance of getting the job done well than those with lower ratings.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, you should not compromise anything to get a good personal injury lawyer, as they have a higher chance of recovery, which is what anyone deserves. Remember to follow the steps closely to ensure that you find the right personal injury lawyer.