The emotional and financial stress resulting from any kind of accident, especially if it wasn’t your fault, can flip your life upside down. When such is the case, hiring a personal injury lawyer becomes a must. By picking the right lawyer to have your back, you can make sure the case is handled properly and your interests are looked after. Here are some helpful tips to help residents pick the best among accident lawyers in New Jersey.
1) Experience Handling Your Type of Claim
First things first – research a lawyer’s specific experience with cases like yours. Personal injury law covers tons of cases – car crashes, truck smashups, motorcycle spills, pedestrian mishaps, dog bites, slip and falls, workplace injuries, and more.
While many firms take all kinds of injury and accident cases, others specialize. For example, some may focus solely on trucking mishaps or medical malpractice suits. Dig into a law firm’s site and background to gauge their experience with your particular claim type.
2) Verify Track Record of Results
The best indicator of future performance is past results. Along with checking reviews from former clients, research the success record of any lawyer you consider hiring. The top personal injury firms will highlight case results on their websites, including past settlement amounts and verdicts secured for clients.
Look for consistency in delivering results above insurance policy limits. While guarantees are never possible, a proven history of multi-million and billion-dollar verdicts and settlements should give you confidence in the lawyer’s ability.
3) Validate Resources & Reputation
Succeeding with accident and injury lawsuits takes substantial resources – from experienced legal teams to financial capital to cover case expenses. Highly reputable accident lawyers in New Jersey have the capabilities and staff needed to undertake in-depth investigations, secure expert testimonies, and fully prepare cases for trial if necessary.
4) Ask About Personalized Attention
Hiring a top lawyer doesn’t always mean getting their direct attention and involvement, unfortunately. Some large firms pass off cases to less experienced attorneys.
You want assurance your case will get the focus it deserves. Ask firms about their communication policies, attorney accessibility, and how involved senior partners stay in claim management.
5) Clarify Contingency Fee Structures
Reputable personal injury firms work on contingency, meaning you pay nothing upfront and they only collect if your case succeeds. However, contingency fee percentages vary. The industry standard hovers around 33%, but rates range from 25% on the low end to 40-50% at some firms.
6) Accident Lawyers in New Jersey Should Be Familiar with the State’s System
Last but not least, it’s smart to verify a prospective attorney has plenty of experience navigating the state’s legal waters. Laws and procedures can vary a ton place to place, so choosing a rep familiar with the ins and outs of where you are seriously benefits your potential for success.
Attorneys based in New Jersey themselves and actively working cases in the state’s courts have clear advantages over lawyers licensed elsewhere.
The Takeaway
Picking the best from among accident lawyers in New Jersey to pursue injury claims requires research into things like legal experience, results records, fee structures, and overall compatibility. Taking time upfront to evaluate attorneys carefully pays dividends for your case later on. With the right lawyer in your corner, you get the best shot at recovering fair compensation so you can heal and move forward after any type of accident.
