You’re the victim of a car accident or another kind of personal injury case. You’re starting your search for the right personal injury attorney. You need an attorney to protect you and fight for you and the compensation you deserve for all your damages and losses: vehicle, injuries, doctors, lost wages, mounting bills, and pain and suffering. The stakes are high here—your health, bank account, and future—so you’re looking for the very best personal injury lawyer you can find with an ongoing successful track record of jury trials. Your quest is to find an attorney whose law practice focuses on personal injury as well as trial law. In other words, the personal injury attorney must be willing and competent to take your case all the way to the courtroom, if the at-fault insurance company isn’t willing to offer you a fair settlement. You can start your search by seeking referrals from people whom you know and trust, especially those who have been personally represented by a personal injury attorney after an accident or professionals who know or work directly with personal injury lawyers. Potential referral sources:
  • Family members and friends.The people around you can offer you a wealth of information. Simply start asking. As you’re well aware, just because you know and trust someone doesn’t mean the attorney he or she recommends is the right one for you.Be sure to filter out the questionable recommendations from the quite-possible recommendations. Asking the questions below will help you decide whether or not to follow up on a particular recommended personal injury attorney.
  • Healthcare professionals: medical doctors, chiropractors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dentists, nurses, acupuncturists, massage therapists, physical therapists, medical assistants and receptionists.Personal injury attorneys and healthcare professionals frequently work together for the quickest, complete-as-possible recovery of their mutual clients/patients from injuries caused by a motor vehicle accident or another kind of personal injury. Asking questions of trusted healthcare professionals may prove to be very helpful in your search.
  • Attorneys. Because attorneys routinely network with their peers through school associations and friendships, professional relationships, and professional organizations and resources, they can be a great referral source. For instance, an attorney who focuses his practice on estate planning may be able to recommend an excellent personal injury attorney, and vice versa.Also, an attorney you know or know of outside your geographical area may be able to recommend a personal injury attorney who serves clients in your area. An attorney from Spokane, Washington, or even another state may be able to recommend a personal injury attorney in Clallam and Jefferson Counties on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Ask your referral source fact-finding questions about the personal injury attorney they recommend, such as:
  1. How do you know or know of the personal injury attorney you are recommending?
  2. Did this personal injury attorney represent you for a personal injury claim?
  3. If yes, was the outcome favorable? Were you completely satisfied with him or her? If not, what didn’t you like about him or her? What did you like?
  4. If this personal injury attorney has never represented you, how do you know him or her? Do you have a professional or personal relationship with him or her? How long and how well have you known this attorney?
  5. Does this attorney focus on personal injuries in his law practice?
  6. Do you know if this personal injury lawyer is an excellent trial lawyer as well?
  7. Would you hire this attorney yourself (or again) for a personal injury claim?
  8. Would you refer a family member to him or her?
  9. Do you know any particular attorney you would steer clear of and why?
  10. What is the number one reason why you recommend this personal injury attorney?
Keep your mission in the forefront of your mind and ask people throughout your day if they know or know of an excellent personal injury attorney. Continue asking until you compile a list of recommended personal attorneys to contact. In the meantime, hop to “Review Web Sites: Part 3″. In case you’ve missed any part of this 6-part blog, here’s an overview: “How Do I Find the Right Personal Attorney after My Personal Injury?”