10 things to know before hiring a personal injury attorney

1 You have choices. The personal injury attorneys you see advertising aren’t the only ones in town. So be sure to shop around and understand the choices that are available to you.

2 Not every personal injury attorney is the same. You should choose a personal injury lawyer that fits your personality—and your case.

3 Service is as important as settlement. Find an attorney who will get to know you and your case. An attorney who understands your case thoroughly will have a better chance of success and will make the process less stressful.

4 Find a law firm that focuses on people like you. Some personal injury firms also represent insurance companies. So look for a law firm that only represents people who have been injured—not insurance companies.

5 The lawyer you see may not be the lawyer you get. The personal injury firms that advertise heavily have many lawyers—many of them junior lawyers with little experience and little time to dedicate to your case. So make sure you will be represented by the attorney you meet.

6 Don’t trust law firms that contact you first. Law firms that contact people who have been in an accident may be violating ethics rules for attorneys.

7 Don’t feel rushed into making a decision. It is good to choose an attorney promptly after an accident. But you have time. You should not feel pushed into making a decision immediately.

8 Find an attorney you trust. Have a face-to-face meeting before you make your decision. Make sure you feel a sense of comfort and trust, because you will be dealing with your attorney on a frequent basis for a long time.

9 Don’t fall for no-fee promises. Almost every personal injury lawyer works on a contingency basis. In other words, they won’t get paid unless you get paid. So don’t let “no-fee promises” sway your decision.

10 You can interview more than one law firm. You don’t have to choose the first firm that you call.