Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been injured as the result of someone else’s negligence, you may need an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you navigate your personal injury case and obtain a fair and reasonable settlement or file a lawsuit on your behalf. But where and how do you find a personal injury lawyer you can trust? How much will it cost you to hire a lawyer? What questions should you ask to make sure you get the best lawyer for your case?
Obviously, a good personal injury lawyer brings a lot to the table: experience and knowledge of the law and procedure, an office, support staff and technology to help you process your case, the ability and experience to negotiate a fair settlement and/or to file a lawsuit and present your case to a jury. In exchange for this work, knowledge and experience, you will have to pay your lawyer a percentage of your settlement or trial result. This fee in the personal injury world is known as a contingency fee. It is completely CONTINGENT on the outcome of the case. If you get nothing from your case you do NOT pay your lawyer. If you do obtain a settlement or a jury verdict you will have to pay the lawyer a part of that amount. In Florida, the normal contingency fee is between 33% and 40% depending on when the case is resolved – by settlement before a lawsuit is filed OR after the lawsuit was filed.
You should also know it’s not necessary to hire an attorney for all personal injury scenarios. It really depends on the severity of your injuries and the amount at stake. If your injuries are minor and the cause of the injuries is clear, you may be able to handle your case on your own. This approach could save you a lot of money but you also risk not obtaining a fair settlement amount because you do not have the experience to determine what a fair amount is. With more serious injuries and damages, however, it is recommended that you at least consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Whether you need a personal injury lawyer can be a hard decision. Some minor cases that are not complicated can possibly be handled on your own. If your injuries are severe and you need long term medical care and will incur significant medical bills you should, at least, consult with a personal injury lawyer. Also, if the facts of the accident are complicated or there are multiple parties at fault for your injuries you also may want to consult with a personal injury lawyer.
How to Choose a Personal Injury Attorney
If you are like most people, you probably would not think of handling your own case. There are too many factors that you are not aware of that would make it time consuming and difficult for you to obtain a fair and reasonable settlement. If you do not wish to handle your case on your own there are some things to look for when searching for a personal injury lawyer. Location – is the lawyer’s office location convenient for you? Experience – has the lawyer been practicing law a long time? Knowledge – does the lawyer only handle personal injury cases or does he/she also handle other types of cases? It is our opinion that you should only hire a lawyer who specializes in personal injury cases and does not handle other types of cases. Office staff – does the lawyer have a nice and dependable staff? Communication – does the lawyer return your calls or emails. It is our practice to religiously return calls and emails as soon as they come in. Technology – does the lawyer have the latest in technology or is he/she still using a typewriter and carbon paper?
In answering all of the above questions, we feel that our office and staff is ready, willing and more than capable to handle your personal injury case. All we do is personal injury. We have over 43 years of combined legal experience. Our main office is located conveniently in Delray Beach right off of I-95. We also have other offices in South Florida. We pride ourselves in keeping up with the latest in technology – we are mostly paperless, we have an incredible case management system, and we are always purchasing the latest and greatest computer technology to use in the office and during our jury trials.
We welcome you to come by our office to meet with us and discuss why our firm would be a good fit for your personal injury case. Feel free to call us at 561-266-9191 OR email us at daronberg@aronberglaw.com.
