When you go through something traumatic enough to make you need a personal injury lawyer, it can be confusing when you have to decide if you even like them or not.
Although it’s a good idea to get along with them, you may worry about putting your life in their hands if you don’t feel any connection.
These are the top things to think about if you’re unsure.
Do They Care About Your Case
You wouldn’t expect your lawyer to cry over your case with you, but do they seem to care about it at all? Are they interested when you talk, and do you feel like your injury lawyer understands why this is so important to you? It can be hard to feel heard and cared about if you have trouble keeping in contact with them or feel like your lawyer vanishes unless they decide they need to talk about something.
This can be a problem, especially while going through something this personal.
Do You Feel Safe Discussing Things With Them
Have they won court cases before? Look into their case history, and discover whether or not they’ve put in the work and time to create a good track record. If they’ve worked on cases like yours before, how well did it go, and how much did their clients win (if any).
Of course, a lawyer will have to argue your case in court whether or not they believe your point of view, but it can be disheartening if you cannot convince the person that’s supposed to be representing you in court.
Do You Think They Can Win Your Case
Have they won court cases before? Look into their case history, and discover whether or not they’ve put in the work and time to create a good track record. If they’ve worked on cases like yours before, how well did it go, and how much did their clients win (if any).
If you’re able to talk to their previous clients, ask questions about interactions with them and whether they impacted how the case turned out. If they admitted to not liking the lawyer very much but winning the case, this might sway your opinion.
Red Flags That You Shouldn’t Hire Them
Of course, there are some warning signs that you shouldn’t hire them. These red flags may pop up that can make it so that they aren’t the right fit for any of their clients.
These could be a long track record of losing or making cases settle against their client’s wishes. Any court cases against them that they didn’t win or don’t want to discuss. If they push a lot of deadlines in your case, it could be a problem because that means they’re not using the right amount of time to research and ensure that your case is won.
Do they refuse to give you references when you ask for them? Although you don’t necessarily have to like your lawyer, they don’t have to be your best friend: you must be able to have faith in them. If you can’t, they’re not the right choice.
