If you have suffered a personal injury due to the negligence of another person or party in Atlanta, you may be eligible for compensatory damages. You will need to prove negligence, come up with a suitable demand for damages, and finally file the claim. On your own, the process of filing the claim and then negotiating with the insurance company can be very daunting. A qualified Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you guide through the process.
Even after you file the claim, it’s a long road to actually securing a fair amount of damages. The insurance company may turn down your claim, dispute the evidence, or offer you a much lower amount. If the negotiations break down, you may need to take your claim to a court of law by filing a lawsuit. Before all of this can be done, it is important to hire the right lawyer to help and guide you.
Here is a look at some factors you should consider when choosing the right personal injury lawyer.
Legal Domain
Different lawyers specialize in different legal domains such as family law, business law, employment and labor law, criminal law, and personal injury law. Even when it comes to personal injury law, a number of legal specialties exist. For instance, a particular lawyer may specialize in car accident claims. Another may be an expert in medical malpractice law. A third may have a solid track record of success in slip-and-fall claims.
You should ideally choose a lawyer that is specifically related to the nature of your personal injury claim. The more specific is the lawyer’s qualifications and experience the better will be the legal help and guidance you receive.
Experience
A common way of judging a lawyer’s standing is by considering their experience. A lawyer with more extensive experience in the legal domain is typically preferable to one who has only started out. An experienced lawyer will better understand how claims work, what tactics insurers usually use, and how best to secure a favorable outcome for you.
Track Record of Success
You can easily judge a lawyer’s competence by looking at their past track record of success. If a lawyer has been able to settle a large number of personal injury claims, this means he or she is good at it. On the other hand, if a lawyer has settled a smaller percentage of cases, this reflects a low success rate.
It is interesting to note that many insurance companies also keep a record of a lawyer’s success at settling cases. When you are represented by a lawyer who has settled a large number of cases, the insurer is more likely to reach an out of court agreement.
Trial Experience
Most personal injury claims settle before going to trial. According to Bureau of Justice statistics, three-quarters of tort cases settle out of court while only 3% are settled through a trial verdict. If your case does go to trial, you want to make sure your lawyer has extensive trial experience and expertise. So it is important to ask a lawyer about his or her trial experience before you hire one.
Fees and Related Policies
Most lawyers take up personal injury cases on a contingency basis. In a contingency fee arrangement, you are not required to pay any money upfront. Instead, the lawyer receives a percentage of the damages only once and if your case is settled. You must discuss with a lawyer the specific terms of a contingency fee arrangement before you make your choice. The terms may cover the fee percentage, the nature of other expenses, any variations in the fee due to related factors, and so on.
Focal Person
Many lawyers and law firms relegate personal injury cases to associates and other legal team personnel. It is alright for these personnel to perform various tasks related to your claim. However, your lawyer should ideally be the person negotiating with the insurer and overseeing your case in general. You must discuss this and get an agreement from your lawyer to this end before you hire him or her.
Hiring a Reliable Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
If you are looking for a reliable lawyer to help you with your Atlanta, GA personal injury claim, we can help you. Here at Ted Greve & Associates, we offer expertise in both legal and medical domains. This means that we can look at a personal injury from both perspectives to offer the best legal advice. Our goal is to help you secure a fair amount of compensation as the victim of a personal injury. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and discuss your Atlanta personal injury claim with our lawyers.
