There are dozens of Columbus personal injury attorneys in the area who are listed with the Columbus Bar Association. How are you supposed to select and hire an attorney from the crowd? And how you do know that the attorney you choose is the right one for you?
According to the Columbus Bar Association, two of the most important things you can do right off the bat when hiring an attorney are:
- organize your thoughts, questions, and goals before your initial contact; and
- find an attorney that handles legal issues similar to yours. (You don’t want to hire a divorce attorney if you’ve been in a truck accident, for example.)
There are four key areas discussed below that you’ll want to consider as you begin your search to find a good lawyer.
Experience and Suitability
When you’re trying to find a good lawyer to help you navigate your personal injury case, experience and know how are a must. Naturally, your case is very important to you, and choosing an attorney with little experience (both in and out of court), could wind up costing you your case.
It’s good practice to come up with a list of prospects using a variety of sources, such as friend and family referrals, internet searches, and bar association searches. Ensure that your list only contains law firms that handle cases like yours.
Then, when you contact each attorney for an initial consultation, you can ask them detailed questions about their experience, such as:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- How many cases similar to mine have you handled?
- What kind of training have you had since law school?
Goals and Strategies
Next, you’ll want to try to determine the Columbus personal injury attorney’s style and what kinds of strategies he or she tends to utilize when handling cases. You’ll want to select a lawyer who has goals for your case that seem realistic, yet positive.
There are several questions you’ll want to have a good feel for before you decide to hire any Columbus personal injury attorney:
- Are they aggressive or more passive in the way they handle cases?
- Which do they tend to do more often: settle or go to court?
- What methods do they routinely use when investigating and compiling evidence for cases like yours?
- What kinds of tactics do the use when dealing with insurance companies?
- What are their potential goals for your case, and how do they propose accomplishing those goals?
Success Rates
It goes without saying that you want to find a good lawyer who has a proven track record with personal injury cases. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask the attorney how successful he or she has been in recovering damages for their clients.
You can also learn a lot about prospective attorneys by asking questions on the subject:
- How many cases they have brought to trial?
- What percentage of cases have they settled out-of-court?
- Do you have any client testimonials to share?
Solid Attorney/Client Relationships
Lastly, don’t overlook the importance of having a good rapport with the Columbus personal injury attorney. You’ll want to honestly assess whether you think the attorney will be committed to maintaining close and open communication with you.
To ensure that client education and communication are at the top of their priority list, you can ask the attorney questions during your initial consultation such as:
- How often do you plan on updating me on the status of my case?
- Will I be working with you directly or with other staff members?
- What are your preferred forms of correspondence? (Email, phone, text? Compare this with how well you respond via these channels.)
- Do you have any literature or reference materials that may help educate me on the process of my personal injury case?
Your best bet will be an attorney who you feel is truly concerned about your case, patiently and clearly answers your questions, and who you feel will ardently protect your best interests.
Hiring a Columbus Personal Injury Attorney
Many attorneys offer free consultations during which you can discuss your case and ask any questions you have about the case, claims process, or the attorney. Contact Bressman Law at 877-538-1116 to schedule a free consultation and discover how he may be able to help you with your personal injury claim. Mr. Bressman is a dedicated Columbus personal injury attorney who can help those pursuing a variety of personal injury claims.