Choosing the Right Personal Injury Lawyer in Atlanta: Key Considerations

If you or your loved one has recently suffered a personal injury resulting from someone else’s negligence, you may be considering filing a lawsuit to get compensation for your damages. After all, the law entitles you to seek such compensation. 

However, while searching the internet, you may feel overwhelmed by the numerous choices of personal injury law firms available to you. How can you choose the right law firm to represent your Atlanta personal injury claim? What exactly should you look for to make the right choice?

Why You Need the Assistance of an Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer

If you are searching for an Atlanta personal injury lawyer to assist you with your claim, that is an excellent first step. Some people make the mistake of handling a personal injury claim without legal representation, only to discover later that the process is more complicated than they originally thought. 

Others may assume their settlement will be greater without paying attorney fees. However, statistics have shown time and again that personal injury claims handled by personal injury lawyers typically have better outcomes and larger settlements. 

Thus, it is ideal to have a personal injury attorney assist with your personal injury claim. This will also give you:

• Peace of mind: Right after hiring an Atlanta personal injury lawyer, you may begin to feel less stress by removing the entire claims process from your shoulders. Since a skilled advocate will be handling all communications on your behalf, you can focus on healing.
• Crucial evidence: The right lawyer will know how to investigate all the contributing factors of the accident. He or she can gather evidence from multiple sources, such as photos, surveillance cameras, police reports, and medical records. Your lawyer can also review witness testimony and accident reconstruction by an expert witness. Once all evidence is obtained, your legal team can aggressively pursue all responsible parties for compensation.
• Assistance in filing legal paperwork: During the claims process, there are multiple deadlines that must be met for filing legal documents. For example, the general time limit for filing a personal injury claim in Atlanta is 2 years from the date of your injury. Missing a deadline could result in the entire claim being dismissed. The lawyer you choose should know the statutes and procedures that must be followed so as to ensure all documents are filed accurately and on time.
• Access to expert witnesses: In some cases, the testimony of professionals who are experts in their fields can have a direct impact on the amount of your claim or even the entire outcome. An experienced personal injury attorney, having handled multiple claims throughout the years, would know how to connect with such experts at any given moment.
• Understanding of your personal injury claim’s true value: People who choose to represent themselves frequently make the mistake of settling their claim for a much lesser amount than they are truly entitled to receive. A personal injury lawyer, though, would know how to calculate a realistic amount of damages for the present and the future. Such damages may include lost wages, reduced earning capacity, medical bills, and pain and suffering. 
• Someone to negotiate with insurance companies and opposing attorneys: Insurance adjusters are highly trained at using tactics to minimize the value or even dismiss your claim. Further, the liable parties may hire skilled defense lawyers to represent them. Your potential lawyer should be familiar with tactics used by insurance companies and defense attorneys. He or she should know how to counter these attempts and successfully negotiate a fair settlement. 
• Lawsuit assistance if needed: If a fair settlement cannot be negotiated, your personal injury attorney would file a lawsuit to pursue just compensation. A lawsuit may also be needed if the amount of your damages exceeds the insurance company’s limits.

This list highlights just a few of the reasons why it is vital to have a knowledgeable personal injury attorney represent your claim – so don’t go it alone. But how can you decide which law firm is right to help you?

What Are the Keys to Finding the Right Personal Injury Lawyer? 

Choosing the right personal injury attorneys is an important matter since this choice will significantly impact the outcome of your case for better or for worse. 

If you have been scoping web page after web page of personal injury law firms, you may end up feeling like you are trying to find a needle in a haystack. 

We can help with that. The following list isolates some key points to look for that will help you to narrow down your options. 

Size of the firm

Larger firms generally offer the benefit of a team of lawyers who may be experienced with handling a variety of personal injury claims. However, you may be working with a paralegal assigned to handle your claim. Further, larger law offices tend to feel more formal. 

By contrast, the attorneys at a smaller firm may have the same years of experience as the attorneys with a larger firm, and you would most likely be dealing directly with a lawyer working on your case. Also, a smaller firm might bring with it a warm personal feeling.

Years of experience

You should select a lawyer who has many years of experience in handling personal injury cases – specifically your type of case. For example, some attorneys specialize in car accidents, others in wrongful death cases, others in premises liability cases, and so on. A highly experienced personal injury lawyer would know the elements needed to build a strong case on your behalf, while an inexperienced personal injury lawyer may make a costly mistake that could inadvertently weaken or damage your case.

Included in your attorney’s years of experience should be firsthand knowledge of skillfully arguing a personal injury case in the local courts before a judge or jury. A personal injury attorney who lacks trial experience might try to rush a settlement to avoid going to trial. If such a rushed settlement is obtained, it would likely be for a lesser amount than you may otherwise be entitled to receive.

Success rate

Checking the success rate of an Atlanta personal injury attorney can give you a good gauge of how your claim might turn out if you decide to choose him or her. Look for an Atlanta personal injury attorney who has a track record of successfully negotiating or arguing personal injury claims in court. This indicates the diligence of the firm’s attorneys.

Client reviews

Although the reviews from former clients listed on the firm’s website should be read and considered, checking unbiased sources such as Google and Yelp can give you a more realistic view of the firm. Do not dismiss a lawyer if he or she has just a few negative online reviews from past clients when the majority of the reviews are very positive.

Also, check with a family member, friends, or coworkers who have used personal injury lawyers in the past for their opinions on a particular lawyer or firm. If you can only find very few or no recommendations or reviews for a firm, it might be best to choose another firm.

Free consultation and affordable legal services

When a law office works on a contingency fee basis, this indicates that the lawyers feel confident they have the skills and resources needed to handle and win your case. Usually, firms like these also offer a free case evaluation, which means there’s a pretty good chance that you would be impressed with retaining them after the initial visit.

When a personal injury law firm asks for money upfront for just an initial meeting or before performing any work, that may be a sign that they do not have your best interests at heart and won’t be as diligent in handling your claim. It might be prudent to avoid retaining such a firm.

Make the Right Choice Today

Don’t take too long to make a decision, but please don’t rush to hire the first personal injury lawyer you find online either. The keys we have given you on this page can unlock the way for you to find an experienced attorney who will have your best interest at heart. This can make all the difference in your personal injury claim.

The personal injury lawyers at Hoffspiegel Law have a reputation for not only being tenacious in pursuing a favorable outcome for each of our clients but also for taking the time to explain each step of the process along the way. In fact, our legal warriors only work with a small number of clients who have been injured, so we can give each one of their claims the time and attention needed to secure a successful future for each of them. 

The reviews of our law firm speak for themselves. So why not give us a call right now to schedule a free initial consultation? Call us at (404)760-8600 or click the Contact Us button below. We handle personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, so you don’t have to pay us anything unless we win a settlement for you.