Across the nation, we’ve seen a 16% year-over-year increase in preventable injury-related accidents. This indicates an increase in preventable injuries, overall. When you sustain an injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, it can impact everything from your ability to work to the medical debt you carry. When this happens, it’s time to look for a personal injury attorney. The question is, how do you find the right personal injury attorney to take on your case?
Read on to learn five important tips that will help you narrow your options to the best personal injury attorneys in San Bernardino.
1. Identify the Type of Case You’re Dealing With
Personal injury law is a broad umbrella that can encompass everything from truck accidents, and rideshare accidents to wrongful death. If you have a simple personal injury claim on your hands that will result in a modest personal injury settlement, you might be able to get away with hiring a general personal injury attorney.
However, you’re often better off identifying the type of case you’re dealing with and hiring a personal injury attorney that works specifically with clients like you.
For example, car accident fatalities have been on the rise after dipping for several years. Car accident claims can be tricky to prove and trickier to win, which is why you should hire an auto accident attorney to represent you after a car accident.
2. Ask for Referrals and Read Reviews
Do you know anyone in San Bernardino who has hired a personal injury attorney in recent years? If so, ask them whom they hired and how they felt about it. Even if they wouldn’t recommend their lawyer to you, this will help you to narrow your search by crossing options off the list.
What if you don’t know anyone who has hired a personal injury attorney in San Bernardino? The good news is that with the help of the internet, you can crowdsource to find a highly recommended lawyer. Check out the reviews for different law firms in the region on websites like:
- Google Review
- Better Business Bureau
- Yelp
By reading reviews, you can learn more about how different personal injury attorneys interact with their clients and how well-represented those clients felt. Look for feedback about communication and dedication, in addition to whether the attorney in question was able to secure a high settlement.
3. Check Credentials
Before you hire a personal injury attorney, learn more about them. Where did they study law and where did they work as a legal intern or paralegal? How long have they been practicing personal injury law, and what milestones have they achieved in that time?
A trustworthy attorney’s website will tell you a lot about their credentials. You can also take your research a step further to ensure that they are licensed to practice law currently and assess whether they have been disciplined in the past.
4. Take Advantage of Free Consultations
Just like you want to pick the right attorney to help you fight your personal injury lawsuit, good attorneys will want to make sure that your case is worth taking. That’s why most personal injury attorneys offer a free initial consultation before you make a permanent decision.
We recommend asking for case consultations from different personal injury attorneys in San Bernardino. You can use your case consultation to ask questions that will help you to make a more informed decision. Be sure to ask questions such as:
- What is your preferred method of communication?
- How large is your typical caseload?
- How big is your legal team and what functions do they perform?
- How often do you handle cases like mine?
- Do you have courtroom experience?
- How do you charge your clients and does this include additional legal fees?
The goal is to find an attorney that has a communication style that works for you and a legal team that will keep the ball rolling. These types of questions will also help you to learn more about a law firm than you might find on their website or in reviews.
5. Avoid Personal Injury Attorneys with Red Flags
There are plenty of outstanding personal injury attorneys handling different types of personal injury lawsuits for San Bernardino residents. However, there are also bad actors in any major city. By learning what personal injury attorney red flags look like, you can avoid hiring someone who is providing subpar legal representation or charging more than a standard amount.
The biggest red flag to look out for is what we sometimes refer to as “over-promising.” For example, if a personal injury attorney guarantees a win, you should be concerned.
No personal injury attorney can give you a true, 100% guarantee that they will secure a high settlement for you, and those that do are taking advantage of the vulnerability that comes with sustaining a life-altering injury.
While certain fee systems aren’t inherently problematic, you may want to avoid personal injury attorneys that charge for case consultations. Most will not require you to pay for this initial conversation, given that you are not yet under contract.
Looking for a Car Accident Attorney in San Bernardino? Come to Us
Sustaining an injury as the result of someone else’s negligence can change your life for years. If you’re wondering what to do after a car accident, make sure that one of your first steps is hiring a personal injury attorney.
Arrowhead Accident Attorneys are proud to represent car accident victims in San Bernardino. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, contact us and we will set up your free case consultation. You can also use our Live Chat option to speak with a representative right away.