If you have been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you should understand that there is a lot at stake. You are likely facing medical bills, property damage, emotional distress, and an uncertain future.
While it is not possible to turn back the clock and erase what occurred – or the fact that it will continue to have an impact on your life – you may have the right to pursue compensation against the negligent party for the damages you have sustained. These damages can include everything from the bills you are facing and the psychological trauma you have endured to the negative impact the injury has on your ability to work and enjoy life as you did before the accident.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in West Virginia can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Some of the most important qualities to look for when choosing an attorney include:
Experience Handling Personal Injury Claims
To someone who has never dealt with a personal injury case before, it might be easy to assume that all lawyers are the same. Maybe you know a lawyer, or you have a friend who had a great experience with a local attorney.
While personal references and connections can be helpful, it is crucial that the attorney you are considering has experience with personal injury claims. If an attorney is primarily focused on business law, family law, or probate law, they likely don’t have the deep experience with personal injury cases needed to give you the best chance of recovering maximum compensation.
Beyond working in the field of personal injury, the attorney you hire should also have specific experience with the kind of accident in which you were involved. A truck accident, for example, is much different from a slip and fall, which is different from a workplace accident. While many firms are skilled at handling many different kinds of personal injury cases, it’s important to check that the attorneys have experience handling cases similar to your own.
Personal Injury Results
Of course, any lawyer can claim they have experience in a certain area. But what’s even more important is that they can show the results of this experience.
Again, it is important to make sure the attorney or law firm has results specific to your type of accident, proving they have the ability to skillfully handle your case. Your need for fair compensation is simply too important for you to work with attorneys who have not proved their ability to win.
Reviews from Satisfied Clients
Another great way to research the capabilities of a law firm is to look for reviews from past clients. Most qualified attorneys will post reviews on their website that include stories from clients that describe their experience working with the firm.
That said, we also recommend looking at reviews on other websites, including Google. After all, firms might curate only the very best reviews on their websites, leaving out anything negative. On third-party sites, however, they are unable to control which reviews are published, making it a more unbiased source of information.
Local Knowledge
While it is clearly important to work with an attorney who is licensed in your state, you should also find a lawyer who is experienced in your local community. A local attorney will have a much better understanding of the courts in your city, county, or district, from the judges to the clerks to the opposing attorneys. Lawyers who practice locally are also better equipped to find expert witnesses who understand the area, and they will have experience with local medical professionals.
Ultimately, winning a personal injury claim is about knowing the law and being able to apply it to real-world cases in the local community. National personal injury law firms may open offices across the country to accept cases in your area, but the attorneys rarely have the wealth of experience in the community that a local lawyer has.
High-Quality Legal Service
While all of the factors above should give you a good sense of the quality of a personal injury firm, you should also take your personal experience with that firm into account. This starts with how you are treated from the moment you get in touch with the law firm. Are the attorneys and staff compassionate, courteous, and professional? Or do they act careless, uninterested, and preoccupied?
It’s important at this stage to keep in mind that you are going to work closely with your attorney for months, if not longer. If you do not feel comfortable with the firm or feel as though you can’t trust them, chances are it is not a good fit.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in West Virginia Today
Hopefully these pointers have given you a good roadmap for finding the right personal injury lawyer for you. While it might be tempting to go with the first option you find, it’s important to take your time to make the right decision.
Colombo Law has been serving clients throughout West Virginia for over 20 years. We have earned significant verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients who have been injured in a variety of different ways by the negligence of a wide range of different parties.
Please call (304) 599-4229 today for a free consultation. Our personal injury lawyers serve clients in Morgantown and other areas in West Virginia.
