Did you recently sustain injuries in a slip-and-fall accident on someone else’s property because of the owner’s negligence? Finding the right slip-and-fall accident lawyer might seem difficult when you are constantly bombarded with advertisements for lawyers on television, social media, buses, and billboards, but choosing the right attorney is important. Your injury claim’s success will partly depend on the quality and amount of work that your attorney puts into your case. Scroll down to learn how to find the right attorney to represent you.
How to Choose a Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer
Asking for Referrals
If you have previously worked with an attorney on a different type of case, you can ask them for a referral to a personal injury attorney. You can also ask people in your network for referrals to any personal injury attorneys they might have worked with in the past. Finally, use the internet to locate qualified and experienced lawyers in your area who have a wealth of experience in personal injury law. Once you have created a shortlist of attorneys, you can schedule consultations with each of them to get a feel for how they might handle your case and gauge their experience and knowledge levels.
Experience Practicing Law
Look for an attorney who has years of experience practicing law. While new lawyers might be excellent attorneys, it is best not to hire someone who has limited court experience and might be learning on the job while representing you. An experienced attorney might also know the various insurance adjusters for companies in the area and the attorneys who represent the insurance companies. Ask each attorney you interview how long they have been licensed to practice law and when they were first admitted to the bar.
Personal Injury Experience
While it is important that an attorney be experienced, you should make sure that the attorney you hire has experience handling slip-and-fall accident cases specifically. A general practice attorney who does not have much experience handling personal injury matters might not be familiar with the insurance companies and defense bar and may not know the best strategies to use to help you win your case. Ask the attorneys you interview about their experience handling personal injury matters in general as well as slip-and-fall cases in particular.
Track Record
While an attorney’s past case results are not a guarantee of what you might expect, they do indicate the attorney’s level of skill. Ask each attorney you interview for example settlements and verdicts they have won for past clients. You should also ask them whether they have any trial experience, how many cases they have taken to trial, and what the outcomes of those cases were. While the vast majority of cases are settled before trial, you will still want to find a lawyer who is prepared to fight for you at trial if necessary. Finally, ask for references from past clients, and follow up with them to learn what their experiences were like when working with the lawyer.
Good Financial Resources
Slip-and-fall claims can be expensive and complex, especially if they involve spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries. For these types of injuries, the lawyers will need to have the resources to advance payments to experts, including medical specialists and accountants. While the lawyers will recover these costs after successfully negotiating a settlement, the services of experts must be paid in advance. Ask each lawyer you interview how he or she handles expert witnesses and whether they are prepared to pay the expert fees upfront and wait to recoup their costs until later.
Contact Ellis & Associates
If you’re searching for a slip-and-fall accident lawyer to handle your claim, take some time to compare different attorneys to ensure that you find the right person for the job. The attorneys at Ellis & Associates have years of experience handling slip-and-fall claims. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation by calling 800-MR-ELLIS or sending us a message online.