If you have been in an accident that was not your fault, you may have a case for a personal injury lawsuit. This is a very stressful and upsetting time. For all the times people think they would like to win some big lawsuit, no one ever wants to be injured by another person’s carelessness. Car accidents that are caused by people who text while driving on increasing all of the time. In fact, some new research suggests that driving while texting is the equivalent of driving after having four drinks. If you have been injured by a driver who was distracted by texting or was under the influence of a drug or alcohol, you should talk to a personal injury attorney.

6 Tips for Finding a Good Attorney:

1. Talk to your friends and family. If you need a particular product or service and want to get the very best, you should start your search by talking to your friends and family. There is a pretty good chance that they have talked to a personal injury lawyer. You may find that the person your friend or family member is not the right kind of personal injury attorney for your case but getting these names can help you get started with your search.
2. Talk to any lawyers you know. The legal community in your area is more interconnected that you may think. If you have used the services of a divorce lawyer, they cannot help you deal directly with your case but they may be able to point you in the right direction to find a personal injury attorney. It is always worth it to ask the question.
3. Determine what kind of lawyer you need. Some cases are more complicated than others. Most personal injury lawyers can handle cases of simple car accidents. If your accident was more complicated or if there were deaths involved, you may have a need for a more specialized personal injury attorney. Lest you think your case does not warrant a specialized lawyer, you should know that insurance companies look at the reputation of the personal injury lawyer when they decide what they will pay out so you can get more money if you have a more experienced lawyer on your side. It cannot hurt.
4. Look into a few law firms. All personal injury law firms give a first consultation for free. This gives you a chance to get to know the lawyer and the lawyer can look at your case and let you know what they think. Many people assume that personal injury lawyers goad people into filing frivolous lawsuits but the opposite is really true. Many work on a contingency basis. They do not get paid their fee unless they win so they are not going to take on cases they know are losers from the outset. Research the law practices before you go in for your consultation. Treat these like job interviews. You are going to hire a lawyer, after all. The personal injury attorney should be willing to answer all of your questions. If they are not, you need to go elsewhere with your business.
5. Ask about who will be working on your case. Many law firms have legal assistants and paralegals who do a lot of the work on cases like this. You should know who will be working on your case and who will be available to answer your questions when you have them. Will you be able to speak to the main attorney? You may not be able to talk to them every day but they should be at least somewhat accessible.
6. What is the fee structure like? Yes, the law firm may operate on a contingency basis but that is for the fee. There may be other charges and costs that you will be responsible for. These include all of the research that needs to happen during these cases. You need to be totally clear on what you will have to pay your personal injury attorney.

Having a good personal injury attorney by your side can make the process a lot less stressful and let you focus your energies on getting better.