Did you suffer harm because of a surgical error? Were you injured in an unexpected slip & fall accident on someone’s property? Were you injured in a car accident? You could have a valid personal injury claim. The scope of personal injury law is huge, and expectedly, not all attorneys are the same when it comes to experience and expertise. In this guide, we share a few tips for choosing the right Lexington personal injury attorney.
- Check for the right kind of experience. Just like you wouldn’t go to a heart surgeon for a brain tumor, you cannot expect any random lawyer to fight your injury case. Numerous law firms in Kentucky work only on personal injury cases. Make sure that the lawyer you choose has experience with similar cases. The approach and legal strategy for a slip & fall accident case would be different than that of a birth injury lawsuit.
- Find more through reviews. Clients often post reviews when they are on the extremes. Online and independent reviews posted on Google can be really useful for knowing and comparing attorneys. If a law firm has too many bad reviews, you should see that as a matter of concern. You can also ask the attorney for a few references.
- Success rate and settlements matter. When you meet a lawyer, ask them about their landmark personal injury cases and settlements. What is their success rate? A lawyer with years of experience will never step back from discussing the key aspects of their top cases.
- Trial experience is important. Most personal injury lawsuits in Kentucky are settled outside of court, because a trial is an expensive option for the defendant and claimant alike. However, you wouldn’t want to take chances when it comes to fighting your legal battle. Ask the lawyer if they have worked on trial cases and inquire about the outcomes.
- Discuss the costs and their fee. PI lawyers usually take a contingency fee, which is a part of the settlement. If you don’t win, the lawyer cannot demand their fee, but there are other expenses that must be paid. Ask the lawyer about their fee, which should be anywhere between 25% and 40% of the settlement.
Lastly, don’t forget to ask the lawyer if they can handle the case personally. If the attorney assigns the case to an associate, you should still have access to your lawyer.