How to Find the Best Injury Lawyer for You

By Ernest Hamilton

Feb 05, 2021 04:05 PM EST

How to Find the Best Injury Lawyer for You(How to Find the Best Injury Lawyer for You) (Credit: Getty Image)

No one plans to be in an accident, so it can be traumatic, especially if any injuries are sustained when it does happen. Besides trying to heal, you also need to deal with medical bills, miss work or income opportunities and suffer emotional trauma. 

If the incident wasn't your fault and was caused by a third party, you may be able to file for compensation. Jeremy Diamond, a senior partner at Diamond & Diamond Lawyers, a full-service law firm, has plenty of personal injury cases experience. 

He explains that the filing of lawsuits can be hassle-free if you consult with a knowledgeable lawyer after your accident. It'll save you time and get you expert legal advice on your rights and options for successful litigation. 

Experience Is a Priority

Personal injury claims are not straightforward, and insurance companies may contest your demands based on different factors. You should find a personal injury lawyer that has experience in handling such complex cases. Look for someone specializing specifically in such lawsuits instead of an attorney who only occasionally handles these types of claims.

If you're unsure where to start looking, consider asking friends and family if they can refer anyone. Alternatively, you can use internet resources such as online business directories. 

You'll probably come across some firms that advertise their service on TV. However, ultimately a word of mouth referral is the best since people will only send you to a legal professional that they trust.

Once you've shortlisted a few potential firms, you can research the attorneys online. Every state has a local bar association, and legal professionals must register to practice law in that county. 

You can check their bar status and whether there have been any disciplinary complaints lodged against them. Another thing you can look for is how active the professional is in national trial lawyer groups. 

Experienced personal injury attorneys collaborate and learn from each other. In a challenging environment where insurers don't hesitate to use various tactics to discredit injured people, legal representatives need to know what type of defense insurance companies are using. 

Diamond & Diamond on Complexity of Injury Law and Insurance

A couple of factors that make personal trauma-related cases so challenging is that the laws are continually evolving, as are the regulations on insurance policies. That's why it's crucial to find an injury lawyer who's up to date with current legislation and procedure. 

Individual Cases are so complex because no accident or physical damages are the same. Attorneys can't use the same legal method for every plaintiff since no two claims are identical. To give you an idea of how different claims can be, have a look at some of the litigation possibilities below:

Diamond and Diamond Lawyer's Background

You can trust Diamond & Diamond on finding an injury lawyer with decades of experience with personal trauma cases. Your legal counsel will have inside knowledge of how insurance companies work when it comes to claims. 

They'll know how to respond to counter-strategies used by the defendant companies and what kind of evidence you need to collect to help your case. Several steps are involved in claiming personal damages. Some processes occur even before a claim is logged, and your lawyer needs to know what to do. 

First, the claimed physical injury must be evaluated and assessed to determine whether there is a basis for a lawsuit. Then evidence needs to be collected, and this includes locating and interviewing eyewitnesses, if any. It can also involve gathering video or photographic evidence to prove the claim. 

When you're searching for an attorney to represent you, please don't be shy to ask about their background in dealing with the process of personal injury claims. Some questions to ask are: 

  • How long have you been practicing?

  • How many of your cases have dealt with claiming for physical pain and suffering due to an accident?

  • Will you be personally handling my case, or is it going to be handed over to an associate?

The last question is particularly important. If the lead attorney can't take time to meet with you and instead sends a paralegal to do the talking and take notes, they're unlikely to give your case the attention it deserves.

Settlements and Trials Explained by Jeremy Diamond

The majority of claims result in settlements, but sometimes the matter can go to trial. Getting a personal injury lawyer who has experience presenting to a court is crucial to winning your case. 

Your legal counsel should be willing to go to trial to fight for your right to fair compensation. To get the process started, your attorney will prepare a letter of demand once they've studied the circumstances of the case. 

The document is sent to whoever caused your injury, regardless of whether it's an individual or an organization. Depending on the circumstances, it could also be sent to the offending party's insurance company. Once the communication is delivered, there's an opportunity for both legal teams to study the matter and decide on the next course of action. 

Sometimes the parties will negotiate and settle out of court. If this doesn't happen, then the claim becomes more complicated and prolonged. There are several other stages that the matter must go through to reach a conclusion. 

The steps include discovery, depositions and pre-trial motions until, finally, it goes to trial. If you're facing more than one defendant, you might settle with some parties but not with others. Unfortunately, this prolongs the issue as you'll still need to go to court to get a ruling.

The Importance of Communication

Due to the case's complexity, personal injury claims can take months or even years to settle. Your legal counsel needs to regularly communicate with you to keep you updated on the litigation status. Make sure that when you choose a representative, you pick someone with whom you're comfortable talking. 

Please take note of how accessible the lawyer is and their communication channels. It makes sense to hire someone within your vicinity, so it's not too far to travel for meetings when required. 

You should chat to more than one law practitioner before making your choice and not be afraid to trust your gut. If a particular firm or attorney doesn't feel right for you, move onto another counselor, even if the representation has begun. 

Final Thoughts

A personal injury lawyer should always aim to get you the compensation you deserve. Jeremy Diamond, a senior partner of Diamond & Diamond, knows this all too well, having spent years fighting on behalf of his clients. 

He maintains that people can tell if a lawyer is dedicated to winning the case for them. Victims of accidents appreciate their legal counsel's services if they feel they're fully committed to their cause.

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