You don’t have to look far to see an ad for a personal injury lawyer in Milwaukee. With every attorney claiming that they are the right one to help you, how can you know who has the experience and specialized knowledge you need to create a strong case?
Here are six attributes you should to look for as you search for the right lawyer for your personal injury claim.
1. Experience
Everyone wants an experienced attorney, but how can you know what your lawyer has actually done – beyond what they tell you? A sign of experience, aside from years in practice, is doing work beyond just settlements, including trial and appellate work. Attorneys that have taken cases to trial or on appeal have real courtroom experience. This means they know how to argue a case on your behalf and do everything they can to get the highest possible settlement — not just settling, out of the courtroom, for the first offer put forth from the insurance companies.
Preparation for trial and appeal involves a tremendous amount of time and effort, and an inexperienced lawyer will not have handled many cases in the courtroom. You can check your personal injury attorney’s level of experience yourself: the court of appeals and Supreme Court allow anyone to search for an attorney’s name and see the list of cases that they have handled on appeal. How many has your attorney completed?
2. Specialized Knowledge
Law is increasingly specialized, much like medicine. You would not see a surgeon for help with your allergies, and you should choose the right attorney for your injury as well. As Milwaukee attorneys specializing in personal injury cases, we are the experts that you will want on your team for vehicle accidents, (including car, truck, motorcycle, and even bicycle) medical malpractice and nursing home injuries, and workers compensation injuries.
3. Regular Communication
When you have questions for your attorney, are they easy to reach? Do they respond to you in a timely manner? Can you contact them in different ways, such as via phone or email? Communication is a very important part of developing a strong legal case, and if communication with your attorney is a struggle, the quality of your case can suffer.
4. Clear Explanations
Why do you need to retain a lawyer at all? You hire a lawyer so that you will have an expert on your side when navigating complex laws, and negotiations with the insurance companies. In addition to being an expert in their field, your lawyer is also your interpreter. They should be able to explain the facts and choices involved in your case in a way that you can understand. You should clearly recognize the options available to you, and the decisions you need to make.
5. No Surprises
Personal injury cases can be lengthy. If you have significant injuries, we will want to see you make a full recovery before your case can be resolved. During this time, you should not be confused about the status of your case, or what will be happening next. A high quality attorney will make sure that you understand any changes or developments in your case as they happen – no surprises or confusion for you.
6. A Strong Relationship
As we mentioned before, resolving a personal injury claim can be a long process. Wouldn’t it be better to go through that lengthy journey with an attorney that you have built a good relationship with? A strong personal injury case requires you and your lawyer to work well together. Your attorney will not do everything for you, and you should not feel like you are doing everything for them! An excellent relationship with your attorney will be the result of the factors above, such as frequent, clear communication, and the ability to reliably answer all of your questions.
If you are still looking for the right attorney for you, consider filling out a free case evaluation and talking with an attorney today. You’ll see the difference when you have the opportunity to talk directly with an expert.
At Murphy & Prachthauser we practice personal injury law the way it should be practiced – motivated and equipped to do our best for you. We take pride in being good lawyers who help people.
If you have a car accident case you would like to speak to a lawyer about, please contact us to schedule a free consultation and get an experienced team working on your behalf.