When you’ve been injured in an accident, selecting the right personal injury lawyer to represent you is important. A good lawyer can help you navigate the complex legal system and ensure you receive all the compensation you deserve.
A bad lawyer can destroy your case or create a situation that ensures you get much less money than you could have gotten. Here are several red flags to keep in mind.
#1 Lack of Experience
Experience is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a personal injury lawyer.
An experienced lawyer will better understand the legal system and how to navigate it to get the best possible outcome for your case. You especially want to look for a lawyer with trial experience.
If you want to give a newbie lawyer a shot, at least make sure that they have a supervisor or a mentor they can go to to ask questions.
#2 Poor Communication Skills
Effective communication is crucial when working with a personal injury lawyer. What’s the biggest complaint about personal injury lawyers?
That they don’t communicate!
You want to look for a lawyer who responds to your calls and emails. You want someone who will keep you informed about the status of your case. Comb through reviews to see how the lawyer has treated past clients.
#3 Inflated Promises
You should avoid lawyers who make unreasonable promises or guarantees about the outcome of your case.
A good lawyer will be upfront and honest about the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
If it sounds like they’re making promises they can’t possibly keep, walk away. The case isn’t over until it’s over, every case throws curve balls, and nothing is certain until the ink is dry.
#4 Lack of Resources
Personal injury cases may need a significant amount of up-front resources to investigate and litigate.
Your case could fail if the lawyer doesn’t have the necessary war chest.
They get those big contingency fees partly because they provide those resources on the front end of the process! Ensure your lawyer has what they need to hire expert witnesses, file important paperwork, or meet deadlines.
#5 You Don’t Like the Lawyer
You will have to work with this attorney for 18 to 24 months.
If they lack empathy, talk down to you, or just don’t click with you personally, you may want to keep looking.
#6 The Lawyer Seems Unprofessional
Professionalism is important in any legal setting.
If your lawyer seems scattered, disorganized, rude, disrespectful, or slovenly, you’re looking at a red flag that could significantly impact your case at every step of the process.
#7 The Lawyer Uses High-Pressure Tactics
Beware of lawyers who use high-pressure tactics to try to get you to sign on as their client. Good lawyers don’t need to act like used car salesmen.
Good lawyers provide you with the information and let you make your own decisions.
Get Help Today
Here at Jaroslawicz and Jaros, we have decades of experience and treat all of our clients with respect.
If you’d like to find out whether we’re a good match for your personal injury case, call us to schedule a free case review today.
