In the US alone, a personal injury attorney could work on one of more than 39 million accidental or unintentional injuries each year. If you’re unlucky enough to be in that number, then you’ll need an attorney who knows what she or he is doing.
In the following article, we guide you toward the type of attorney you need by showing you what not to fall for. Pay close attention to each of these red flags.
1. Slow or No Response
The first of our personal injury attorney red flags is the slow- or no-response attorney. If your personal injury lawyer is slow to respond to you, it’s a sign that they don’t take your case seriously. You are not their priority as a client.
When you’re in a personal injury case, you need that communication. Attorneys should be able to respond to your emails and phone calls in a timely manner if they want to build brand loyalty. Expect 24 hours or less.
2. Cleanliness and Organization Is Not Existent
Another sign of a bad personal injury attorney is that they don’t keep a clean or organized office. This disheveled approach to business offers some insight into how they will handle your case.
Considering that you may be facing life-long injuries and a permanent impact on your earning capabilities, you need someone who is organized. Pay attention to the systems your attorney has in place and how their office physically looks, feels, and smells.
3. Lack of Previous Cases
The third of our signs of a bad personal injury attorney is the lack of information on previous cases. If he or she cannot point you toward previous successes or cases in general, it’s a sign they don’t have the experience or ability to give you the representation you deserve.
4. They Get Paid Even If You Do Not
Want to know how to choose a good lawyer? Start with the system of payment. How do they intend for you to pay them?
Attorneys who want their money no matter what do not instill a lot of confidence. On the other hand, the ones confident enough to work for free if they don’t get you a monetary reward project surety.
Avoid attorneys who prioritize payment over results. You have too much riding on this to pay $100 or $200 an hour for no guarantees.
5. Guaranteed Payouts
At the same time, the best personal injury attorney qualities come back to honesty. Avoid automatically believing an attorney who guarantees you a payout. It’s impossible to know what a judge or jury will decide.
The best an attorney should do is to offer you a “we don’t get paid unless you do” deal. Too many who guarantee a payout are more interested in settlements even when that is not the best move for your particular case.
This is particularly of concern when it comes to insurance cases. If you want to know more about how your personal injury attorney should fight these cases, talk to attorneys with experience in such pursuits.
Tread Carefully When Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney
Choosing a personal injury attorney is not a decision to take lightly. You can learn a lot about what you need by revisiting these red flags.
Be leery of any guarantees or attorneys more concerned with getting paid than getting results. Also, look at their responsiveness, organizational qualities, and track record. For more legal information on personal injuries and other cases, check out some of our additional posts!