After you've been injured and you've decided to file a personal injury claim, one of your biggest decisions will be choosing the right personal injury lawyer in Arizona. Of course, there are a great many skilled and experienced attorneys in the state, but how do you narrow down the possibilities? You can't just select the one whose office is nearest to your home, because that completely ignores all the other important factors.
It can be an overwhelming kind of task, but you have to nail it because the right lawyer can help you file your claim properly within the time limit and fight to protect your right to recovery. Below are some tips that may help you in finding the right attorney to represent you in your personal injury case.
Make a List of Important Criteria
When you're thinking about choosing the best possible personal injury attorney, one of your important tasks will be to list out all the criteria that are important to you. For instance, you might want a lawyer who charges no upfront fee but instead asks for a percentage of your reimbursement amount. Similarly, you may want to work with a technologically-savvy firm that offers remote online consultations. This is one good way to narrow down the list of candidates and firms so that you'll be left with a smaller pool of candidates from which to make your selection.
Ask for Lawyer Referrals
You may have friends or family members who have already collaborated with a specific lawyer on a personal injury case. It's a good idea to ask them about what kind of experience they had with that lawyer and make a point of asking specific questions, to get an idea of what it was like to work with that specific lawyer. Then you should focus on whether your friend was satisfied with the case outcome, how helpful the lawyer was, and whether your friend felt their needs were fully addressed. Other things you should ask about are whether your friend's concerns were listened to, whether the case went to trial, and if so, what the whole trial experience was like.
Do some online research
In addition to soliciting referrals from friends and relatives, doing some online research may help you to discover which personal injury attorneys are most effective in Arizona and New Mexico. You may be tempted to choose someone whose firm is close to your residence, but remember that your objective is to obtain the best legal representation, and not necessarily to choose a convenient option. There are also online review sites that apply quantifiable rankings to candidate lawyers. Sites like these provide ratings to help potential clients gain an understanding of the relative skill and reputation levels of particular lawyers.
Review Track Records of Candidates
Arizona requires a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited Law School, and lawyers are required to pass the state bar exam before they can begin to practice. In addition to obtaining and maintaining a license to practice, your lawyer must have an established record of success. Anyone who files a personal injury claim expects to win the case, and an experienced lawyer can give you the best opportunity for obtaining a favorable outcome. Pay close attention to the track record of any candidate lawyers you're considering, because you can expect the same kind of performance in your own case.
Consider Lawyers Who Match Your Requirements
Once you've had a preliminary narrowing down of candidates, you should further narrow the list of candidates by deciding which ones may meet your needs. This should leave you with perhaps four or five potential candidates, and you may actually have to meet personally with each of them to come to a decision. Make sure to have your case details and documentation on hand because your lawyer will need it before he/she can make any legal determinations. We provide free initial consultations for our clients, which you can schedule at this link.
Consider the Firm Itself
When you have a shortlist of lawyer candidates, it's time to consider the size and availability of the firms they work at. You may encounter more experience and greater resources at a larger firm, but that may also mean they have less time to dedicate to your particular case. Make sure to consider the kind of experience that any particular law firm has because even if your specific lawyer has less experience, the firm as a whole may have decades of collective experience to draw on.
Schedule Your Free Case Review
You may still be in the research phase of your accident. Please review our collection of online resources, which you can find here. Additionally, check out our online personal injury settlement amount calculator.
When you're ready to discuss your case, give us a call or text at 602-345-1818, or request your free consultation by filling out this online form. Remember that thoroughly vetting your personal injury lawyer is important, and, in an injury case, time is of the essence. We're standing by ready to answer your questions and start the process to get you back on track to physical and financial recovery.