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A personal injury occurs when you are physically or emotionally hurt by someone else’s actions. In order to protect yourself and get proper compensation, you may need to hire a personal injury attorney to be by your side. It is important that you look for someone who has experience handling your personal injury claim and with whom you feel you can trust. Here are some tips to help you find the best attorney to support you.
Before you meet with anyone, identify your needs. The type of case you have will change the type of attorney you will need to hire. For example, a straightforward car accident with minor injuries can be handled by most personal injury attorneys. However, more complex cases with serious physical/emotional injuries or death will require the attention of an experienced trial attorney. Even if your intention is to settle your case, insurance companies take into account an attorney’s reputation when they decide how much to offer. Attorney’s who try cases are generally able to secure more for their clients than attorney’s who do not tend to try cases.
Next, research several attorneys. You can gather a list by asking friends and acquaintances who have been represented by a lawyer in their own personal injury claims or know someone who has. The internet is another place to gather information and names. Be sure to look at the actual attorney profiles. How long have they been in practice? Have they help leadership positions? Do they have a track record of trial results? Do they have a track record of settlement results? Do they have positive testimonials on their website? Do they handle a bit of everything or are they more focused on personal injury. Once you have your list, take time to interview with more than one lawyer. First consultations are always free.
When meeting with attorneys, notice if you have a positive connection. Are they focused on you without other interruptions? Do they make eye contact with you? Do they remember what you are saying? Do they keep you waiting without an apology? Do you feel like this is someone you can trust? When you ask questions, are they able to answer them without beating around bush? Are they able to answer all of your technical questions with knowledge?
Tyrone Maho and Chad Prentice of Maho and Prentice LLP take pride in their ability to care and advocate for their clients. An example of testimonials which back this behavior are shown on their website www.maho-prentice.com as follows:
“Settling a case can be a long, stressful procedure. Tyrone was there guiding and supporting me at all critical times.” Previous Client, Santa Barbara
“Chad is a true professional, kept me up to date on how things were going, gave me realistic advice on how everything would go, made his staff readily available when I had questions and really just made a literally painful situation kind of just go away.” Joel Perez, Santa Barbara
Finally, be sure to bring any documentation you have from your accident such as copies of police reports, medical records and bills, income loss information, and all correspondence with the insurance company. When you finish your first visit, you should be able to walk away with an immediate action plan. If you feel confident with a lawyer’s experience, and comfortable with his or her idea of how to proceed with your case, chances are good that you have found a lawyer with whom you can work.
A personal injury occurs when you are physically or emotionally hurt by someone else’s actions. In order to protect yourself and get proper compensation, you may need to hire a personal injury attorney to be by your side. It is important that you look for someone who has experience handling your personal injury claim and whom you feel you can trust. Here are some tips to help you find the best attorney to support you.
Before you meet with anyone, identify your needs. The type of case you have will change the type of attorney you will need to hire. For example, a straightforward car accident with minor injuries can be handled by most personal injury attorneys. However, more complex cases with serious physical/emotional injuries or death will require the attention of an experienced trial attorney. Even if your intention is to settle your case, insurance companies take into account an attorney’s reputation when they decide how much to offer. Attorney’s who try cases are generally able to secure more for their clients than attorney’s who do not tend to try cases.
Next, research several attorneys. You can gather a list by asking friends and acquaintances who have been represented by a lawyer in their own personal injury claims or know someone who has. The internet is another place to gather information and names. Be sure to look at the actual attorney profiles. How long have they been in practice? Have they help leadership positions? Do they have a track record of trial results? Do they have a track record of settlement results? Do they have positive testimonials on their website? Do they handle a bit of everything or are they more focused on personal injury. Once you have your list, take time to interview with more than one lawyer. First consultations are always free.
When meeting with attorneys, notice if you have a positive connection. Are they focused on you without other interruptions? Do they make eye contact with you? Do they remember what you are saying? Do they keep you waiting without an apology? Do you feel like this is someone you can trust? When you ask questions, are they able to answer them without beating around bush? Are they able to answer all of your technical questions with knowledge?
Tyrone Maho and Chad Prentice of Maho and Prentice LLP take pride in their ability to care and advocate for their clients. An example of testimonials which back this behavior are shown on their website www.maho-prentice.com as follows:
“Settling a case can be a long, stressful procedure. Tyrone was there guiding and supporting me at all critical times.” Previous Client, Santa Barbara
“Chad is a true professional, kept me up to date on how things were going, gave me realistic advice on how everything would go, made his staff readily available when I had questions and really just made a literally painful situation kind of just go away.” Joel Perez, Santa Barbara
Finally, be sure to bring any documentation you have from your accident such as copies of police reports, medical records and bills, income loss information, and all correspondence with the insurance company. When you finish your first visit, you should be able to walk away with an immediate action plan. If you feel confident with a lawyer’s experience, and comfortable with his or her idea of how to proceed with your case, chances are good that you have found a lawyer with whom you can work.