Going through a life experience that leads to your needing a personal injury lawyer can already be traumatic: but you don’t require finding that to be stressful at all. So instead of going through the stress and questioning of interviewing many lawyers and still not knowing what you want, these are some of the top things to consider.
Experience
How long has this lawyer been doing this? Have they been a personal injury lawyer in Wilkes-Barre, PA, for years, or did they start this year? You can look up almost every lawyer’s credentials online, and most are happy to give you reviews from previous clients as well. Have they handled cases like yours before, or are they new to this type of case? These are all serious questions to ask yourself before you move forward with them.
A Good Track Record
What’s their win to lose ratio? How often do they settle out of court? Don’t let their dropping out of court numbers bother you: over 90% of personal injury cases settle out of court because, on average, only 3% win the court case. Settling can often be the safest option to ensure the victim gets some support out of this situation. Compared to other lawyers’ numbers, how does the one you’re looking at stack up?
They Listen To You
We all know what it’s like to be ignored or spoken over. When you talk to this lawyer, do you feel like they’re absorbing what you’re saying, or does it feel like they’re just waiting for you to stop talking so that they can speak again? A good lawyer has to be great at saying what they think: but they also have to be incredible at listening to pick up on any information that might be vital to a court case. If a lawyer doesn’t listen to you while you’re trying to hire them, they might not hear during the case and could lose your case because of it.
Fees You Can Handle
Many people say they don’t consider fees for a lawyer: but those fees matter. If there are two or three lawyers you like and everything else aligns, consider how much you could afford their fees. If you win the case, the amount will come out of that, but you could end up in debt. Most lawyers who work on personal injury cases understand that financial citation is difficult for their clients and are more than willing to talk about money.
They’re Confident and Assertive
Do they seem like someone who can be assertive and confident in a courtroom? You don’t need someone who seems like they would be out of control and mean, but can they talk confidently and clearly? Do they seem believable to you? You don’t have to be friends with your lawyer, you don’t even have to like them personally, but if you believe they could win your case for you: then it’s all worth it.