Hiring an Injury Lawyer: The Path to Compensation

There are no shortage of commercials on radio and TV asking people to call their firm if they’ve been hurt in an accident. Behind most of these commercials is an injury lawyer. Their job is to take on clients who have been hurt in an auto accident or injured while on the job or suffered some sort of pain that someone else could be held liable for. This is their legal specialty and you should call one if you feel like you have a case. Many of these attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning you won’t have to shell out a dime unless they win your case. Of course, this also means that these attorneys are choosy about who they take on as a client.

The first step to filing a compensation claim is to find an injury lawyer who can help you. Those commercials you hear can be a decent starting point, but you should never choose your representation based on that alone. Make sure and look at other factors before you make your final decision. Check their references and see if the bar association has anything negative to say about them. Use the internet. In today’s world of information, there’s certainly no need to hire an attorney in the dark.

After you’ve found an injury lawyer willing to take your case, the filing process can begin. The defendant will be notified of the filing and they can use this intervening time to offer a settlement or come to some sort of resolution. Speaking of resolutions, this is another factor that should play a hand in choosing your injury lawyer. If they have a proven track record of making settlements and you want the case to go to court, the relationship might not be a match. If you want to go before a jury, find a trial dog who will fight tooth and nail for your case. If you’d rather come to some sort of agreement, find an attorney who is good at getting their clients agreeable settlements.

If no settlement is reached, the case will go to trial. At the trial, you will have to present evidence that you were not only hurt in some way, but that the defendant is legally responsible for your injuries. Even that is not enough, however. In most cases, you’ll have to show that you have suffered some sort of loss because of the injuries you’ve suffered. This gives a monetary value to the suit, which the jury can then decide to award to you if the case goes in your favor. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded.