If you have never had to hire an attorney for yourself, then you probably don’t know what to look for in one. The most common reason why Americans need lawyers is for workers compensation cases. Hiring a workers compensation lawyer is necessary for every type of injury or illness that happens in the workplace, especially if the workplace is trying to dispute what you have been through. Here are a few things that you should look for in an attorney, when you first begin looking for one.
Expertise in Workers Compensation or Your Particular Situation
Whenever you are hiring a lawyer, it’s a good idea to hire one that has expertise in a particular field that you were looking in. In this case you will need to find an actual workers compensation lawyer. A DUI lawyer, while still a lawyer, may not know much about the workers comp field. However, a workers compensation lawyer deals specifically with injuries in the workplace and will have the information needed to help you already. The reason it’s important to find someone that is an expert in the field is because it saves a lot of time and money that would have to be put into research otherwise. If the lawyer has already experienced something like your case before then they will have this to pull from.
Familiarity with the Location that Will Hold Your Trial
You want an attorney that spends a lot of time in the courthouse where your case will be held. This is because you want them to be familiar with the judges and have a good reputation in that court as well as knowing the local rules of the court room. All of these things can vary by court and it will be in your benefit to have a lawyer that already knows them. If a lawyer frequents a certain court then he or she will have already established a reputation. Having a good reputation and being respected by the judges and other colleagues is a good sign of a good attorney and it doesn’t hurt when you have to go to court.
A Pattern of Success in Cases like Yours
Now, success can be measured in different ways. Of course the thing that you want the most is a lawyer that has already won numerous cases just like yours. However, whether winning or not, the most important thing is that the client was pleased with the outcome. You can look up client recommendations and referrals for any workers compensation lawyer that you are looking into. This might be a good way to find them in the first place. You will find that the more experience a lawyer has in the area of law that is relevant to your problem, the more wins they will have under their belt.
Ease of Communication Between You Two
A good lawyer needs to be able to communicate with you. Even though attorneys are well known for not calling back, don’t accept this. Look for a lawyer who will call you back or answer an email within 24 hours. When you think you may have found your attorney, ask them how they prefer to communicate and how soon you can expect an answer from them when you ask something. Listening to you is just as important as talking to you. You want to know that your case is understood and that your lawyer believes in you. If your lawyer doesn’t believe you you will never be able to convince a judge and jury.
Finding a lawyer is just as important as how they present your case. Overall, trust your gut. You need to know that you trust and believe in your lawyer just as much as they reciprocate those feelings. If you think you like your attorney but something just doesn’t sit right, then there is no lack of other attorneys for you to choose from. Simply inform your current attorney that it’s not going to work out and move on to another attorney. It helps if you’re able to pay but even if not, and the lawyer is working pro bono, this should not prejudice an attorney against you.