Finding the right lawyer to handle your case can be a challenge. Being in a serious accident or having to deal with the death of a loved one is a traumatic and life-changing event. Choosing the right lawyer is one of the most important decisions that you can make on your path to recovery.
In serious injury and wrongful death cases, it is vital that you speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Witness statements should be taken by the lawyer or his or her associates and potential evidence needs to be preserved. Photographs of the scene of the incident and inspections of any products or machinery that was defective or malfunctioned need to be taken before changes occur or repairs are made. Your lawyer may want to have an expert in the field, such as a traffic accident reconstructionist or metallurgist, visit the scene of the accident or inspect the product and gather evidence in your favor.
An experienced personal injury lawyer or law firm will know the type of investigation and fact finding that needs to be done in your particular case. The longer you wait to retain a personal injury lawyer, the worse it will be for you. Witnesses may move out of the area, the product that injured you may be destroyed or repaired, and the company of the employee that hurt you may go out of business.
In California there are more than 160,000 active lawyers. While the State Bar of California provides certification in some specialized areas of law—such as family law, taxation, and criminal law—it does not provide specialization certificates in the area of personal injury and wrongful death law. However, if you have been seriously injured or had a loved one killed in an accident, you will want to focus your search for an attorney in the area of personal injury lawyers.
There are many places you can begin your search for an experienced personal injury lawyer. With just a few keystrokes, the Internet will pull hundreds of lawyers for you in seconds. Whether you are blindly searching the Internet or researching a lawyer or law firm that was recommended to you by a friend, it is important to choose a lawyer that you are comfortable with.
It is always a good idea to meet and speak with more than one lawyer before making your final decision on which lawyer to hire. You should make a list of questions to ask the lawyer prior to meeting with him or her in order to help in your determination if this is the right lawyer for you. Decide what matters the most to you and what you hope to achieve, and make a list of what to discuss with the lawyer.
Here are some suggested questions to get you started:
Make sure that the law firm understands your objectives and goals, and knows what it means to be in your shoes. It is of the utmost importance that the lawyer representing you can effectively convey your message and your struggles to others. Whether it is to an insurance adjuster who will attempt to make a settlement or a jury that will make a monetary award, it is critical that your lawyer knows exactly how your life has been changed by the accident and can effectively communicate that to the insurance adjuster or a jury.
