Do you believe it would be in your best interest to contact a local personal injury attorney? No matter your answer, you will never truly know where you stand until you speak with a qualified professional regarding your case.
Do You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer?
First, it can be helpful to determine if you need a personal injury lawyer. Navigating an injury on your own can be overwhelming, especially if you also have to figure out the legal system. Consider the following when deciding if you need a lawyer to represent you:
- The severity of your injury: How severe are your injuries? Did you require medical care or follow-up procedures? Do you deal with daily pain? Will the injury prevent you from working? Do you have evidence that your injury is severe, either through your medical records or with a witness statement?
- Was someone else responsible: In order to file a personal injury claim, someone else must be responsible for your injury. Did another driver, employer, manufacturer, medical professional caused your injury? Do you have available evidence that points to them acting in a way that is considered negligent?
- Did the insurance company deny your claim? Massachusetts is a no-fault state, which means that regardless of fault, they will cover your initial damages. However, if they denied your claim, then you may need a lawyer.
- Were you offered a settlement offer? If someone else offered you a settlement, it often means that they are admitting blame. Before accepting any offer, it is important to understand the full extent of your injuries and what they will cost you. It can also be helpful to talk with a personal injury lawyer first.
A personal injury lawyer can be invaluable to your case, especially if you are overwhelmed at the idea of talking with insurance companies and other lawyers while dealing with an injury.
How Do I Choose the Right Lawyer for My Case?
You may think that all attorneys are the same, but this is never true regardless of area of specialty or where you live. For this reason, you have to focus on the right factors when making a hiring decision.
Here are a few factors to consider:
- Are you being offered a free legal consultation? If the answer is no, consider another option instead. You shouldn’t have to pay to consider your legal options.
- Experience: An attorney with many years of experience is one that will have industry-leading knowledge – and that is what you want.
- Track record of success: It is not good enough for an attorney to have experience and knowledge. He or she must be able to prove past success in the courtroom.
- Good reputation in your area: Just like any sort of service professional, you only want to consider those that have a good reputation among locals.
- Availability: Will the attorney be fully ready to assist you, every step of the way? When you work with an attorney, you expect a high level of service from the initial meeting until the very end of the case.
With these five factors fueling you, finding the best personal injury attorney should be an easier task than expected. Make sure you have enough time to choose the best lawyer for your case.