You’ll have a lot of decisions to make after suffering a serious accident. It’s common for accident victims to feel overwhelmed by concerns such as ongoing pain and suffering, medical bills, rehabilitation, and impacted relationships. Choosing the right St. Louis personal injury lawyer, however, can help you deal better with most of the problems caused by your accident.
Here is a list of some of the important factors you should consider.
Settle Your Case or Go to Trial?
Whether you seek a quick settlement or are willing to take your case to court could affect which lawyer you hire. Keep in mind that an attorney with a strong track record of winning at trial might help with both of these goals. The defendant may think twice about rejecting your settlement offer if rejection would entail facing your lawyer at trial.
Make a List of the Qualities You Seek in an Attorney
Below is a short list of questions that you should ask yourself when assessing an attorney’s qualities:
- Is the lawyer experienced in handling your kind of case?
- What are the lawyer’s professional credentials, and how many years of personal injury experience do they have behind them?
- What do the lawyer’s case results look like?
- Does the lawyer have good communication skills?
When it comes to experience, professional credentials, and case results, it is critical that your lawyer has a background in handling the practice area for your case. For example, if you suffered an injury in a truck accident, you’ll need a lawyer who has successfully handled truck accident claims. If you’re filing a wrongful death claim, you’ll need a lawyer who has handled wrongful death claims.
You might add to this list. Ultimately, you must decide which qualities are most important based on your preferences.
Seek Personal Referrals
The best referrals come from people you know, people who you trust for a reason. Ask your friends and professional associates if they can recommend a reputable personal injury lawyer. Question the person recommending the lawyer and pay attention to their response. After all, what they need in a lawyer might be different from what you need.
Compile a Short List
Once you’ve listed the qualities you seek in an attorney and sought personal referrals, you should make out a list of attorneys you might want to meet with. Most personal injury lawyers will gladly schedule you a free initial consultation if you have a promising case.
Ask the attorney what documents you should bring with you. Organize documents in your possession related to your case so you can show them to the attorney during your consultation. Prepare a list of questions to ask them, and develop an understanding of your case so that you can answer questions from the lawyer.
Attend Consultations With Your Select Attorneys
If you’re not too badly injured, try to attend the consultation in person. Make sure to get the attorney to carefully explain their fee arrangement. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you only pay attorney’s fees if you win. Also, ask them how they will charge for third-party case expenses, such as expert witness fees.
Choosing the Right Lawyer Might be the Most Important Decision You Make for Your Case
A lawyer is not necessary for every claim. You may not need a lawyer for a fender bender, for example. Some claims are simply too small to justify the involvement of a lawyer.
However, if your claim is substantial, hiring the right lawyer could result in a higher settlement or court award.
Contact our St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers from Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in St.Louis, MO, today. We have two convenient locations in Missouri, including St. Louis and Richmond Heights.
We proudly serve St. Louis County and its surrounding areas.
Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Louis Office
10 S Broadway #560
St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 932 – 1066
Eason Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers – Richmond Heights Office
1034 S Brentwood Blvd Penthouse 1-C
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
(314) 932 – 1066