You take your personal safety seriously. You are vigilant and conscientious when you are out and about and do not take unnecessary risks with your life. This is not always enough to prevent an accident. And if you have been involved in a car crash, slip-and-fall, or other type of accident that owes to the negligence or recklessness of another, then you should seek compensation from them. Torts is the field of law that gives a person the right to claim damages from another whose action or inaction caused them material harm. To put this field of law to use in your injury case, you must work with a Covington Kentucky lawyer with expertise in personal injury.
Why You Must Hire a Lawyer Immediately
If you are like most people, you want to keep things as simple as possible. If you only suffered minor injury in an accident, and the person who caused it is willing to pay your medical bills and other damages, then it may be in your best interest to accept the offer.
However, if you were in a major accident that caused you serious injuries, then you will need a great deal of money to pay your medical bills and get your life back on track. In this instance, it is better to hire a lawyer immediately, such as Christoper Jackson Law. You should begin your search as soon as you are well enough to do so.
Here is the reason. If you have been badly hurt in an accident, the insurance company of the person or business responsible for the accident will try to minimize the amount of money they must pay you. They will try to get in touch with you soon after the accident and will probably make a low-dollar settlement offer. You should accept no such offer without the advice of a lawyer. Indeed, you should not even speak to them directly. All communication and negotiation should be handled by your personal injury attorney.
Not Every Lawyer is the Same
All the notions you may have had of lawyers before the accident should be put aside. Nothing less than the future quality of your life is at stake in a personal injury case. You must ensure that you hire the right person for the job.
Your loved ones will probably give you advice and make recommendations. Some of your friends and family may even try to connect you to a lawyer they may happen to know but who has no experience in personal injury. If the person they recommend has any regard for professional conduct, they will turn down the case or recommend a personal injury attorney whose work they are familiar with. The bottom line is that you must hire a lawyer who is right for your case.
The lawyer you hire should possess the following qualities:
1. They should have significant experience and expertise in personal injury law
Law is a huge and unwieldy field. All lawyers must specialize in certain areas of it. The lawyer you hire should have a background and a proven record in personal injury cases. Such a lawyer will know how to build a case like yours from scratch. They will know the questions to ask, the evidence to gather, and the legal technicalities to leverage. They will also be connected to the various specialists that are required for any personal injury case, including investigators, medical professionals, and forensic experts.
2. They should be members of the Bar in good standing
Do not assume that every lawyer you speak to has a license to practice law. There have been disturbing incidents of people who have graduated from law school, have failed to pass the Bar exam, but have decided to practice law anyway. If you are lured into hiring such a person, it can do lasting damage to your case.
The best way to verify the credentials of any lawyer you are thinking of hiring is to check them out with your local or the state Bar association. They should be listed.
You also want to make sure that your lawyer has a clean record. It is better to avoid lawyers who have been disciplined by the Bar association. Although they may not have lost their license, they may have lost their reputation. A good reputation is important in the legal community. It is better to hire a lawyer who other lawyers are willing to work with. If your case runs into an unanticipated complication, it will be hard for a lawyer with a bad reputation to get the help and support they may need.
3. Willing to work on contingency
It is better to hire a lawyer who is willing to work on a no-win, no fee basis. This means that they will only get their fees if they win the case. Lawyers who work on this basis will only accept cases they know they can win. A lawyer who works in this way has a vested interest in dedicating their time and talents to getting the best settlement for their clients.
4. A track record of high-dollar settlements
When looking at the record of personal injury lawyers, you should not look at the number of jury trials they have won; you should look at the amount of money they win for their clients on average. The main aim of a personal injury lawyer is to get as much money as possible for their clients, not to win jury trials. The latter can be expensive and emotionally exhausting. It is much better to work with an attorney who has proven skill in negotiating high-dollar settlements. It wills save you the trouble of going through a trial, and it will get you the money you need sooner rather than later.
5. Timely, responsive, and compassionate
Your lawyer should also show some degree of compassion for your plight. They lawyer should always keep you informed of the progress of your case and should answer your questions and queries promptly.
