Car accidents are inevitable. As per 2020 accident data, 63% of car accidents in Philadelphia County resulted in injury or death. You can file a personal injury lawsuit if you are injured in an auto accident.
However, personal injury claims are complex, and the defending party will make every effort to deny your legitimate claim. Hence, you should hire an excellent personal injury lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, to file a lawsuit.
There are hundreds of lawyers in Philadelphia, and selecting the right one can make a huge difference in your case’s outcome. Here are some helpful tips for finding an excellent personal injury attorney in Philadelphia.
Seek a Specialist
There are different fields of law like banking and finance, civil rights, constitutional corporate, criminal, entertainment, and employment. Personal injury claims fall in the civil rights law category. When filing a personal injury claim, you need to look for a lawyer who is a specialist because they have more experience in fighting personal injury claims.
A general lawyer usually practices in many areas, but when you have a specialist on your side, his expertise increases your chances of winning.
Experience
Litigation experience is essential when finding an excellent personal injury lawyer in Philadelphia, PA. You can file a personal injury claim if you have suffered a head injury or severe bodily injury in a slip and fall accident.
Pennsylvania has a statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims in slip and fall accidents. The law states that you should file a personal injury claim within two years from the accident date. An experienced lawyer knows the statute of limitations and ensures the personal injury claim is filed before the stipulated deadline. They are more likely to know about the objections raised by the defendant’s lawyer or the evidence admissible to prove the neglect or wrongful act that caused the slip and fall accident resulting in injuries.
Ask about the success rate of the cases undertaken
While experience is a crucially important factor, it is not the most important. The success rate is also essential when choosing a personal injury lawyer for yourself. Experts argue that most personal injury claims are settled between parties, and few cases go to trial. Hence, it would be best to ask what the lawyer’s success rate is.
Some lawyers try to coerce their clients into settlements even if it is not in the best interest of their clients. Hence, it would be best to ask the lawyer how many personal injury claims he has won for his clients.
Fee Structure
Lawyers are expensive, and some lawyers charge exorbitant fees to their clients. Hence, it would help to ask about the fees to file a personal injury claim. Pennsylvania laws require lawyers to communicate costs to the client. If the lawyer and client have agreed to a contingency fee model, the agreement should clearly state how much of the compensation amount the lawyer will accept as fees.
In the contingency fee model, you are not required to pay any upfront fees, but the lawyer may ask you to pay costs for documentation and court fees related to filing the case. Therefore, before hiring a personal injury lawyer, get a detailed fee structure to avoid any nasty surprises at the later stages of the case.
Following these guidelines will aid in selecting a personal injury attorney who will have the best interest at his heart and help you get maximum compensation.
