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Most personal injury cases hardly see the courtroom since claimants tend to work with insurers in negotiation rooms. This explains why people get less than they deserve since they do not have an expert attorney to handle insurance tactics.
In 2023 alone, there were over 55 million personal injury incidents in US cities, including Valdosta in Georgia, and by estimation, 80% were never paid the exact amount they claimed. These statistics underscore the need for the best representative to handle your case.
But how do you know which attorney is right and fit for your case? Choosing the right one is like navigating a minefield. There are many who promise to get you the best outcome but may not deliver.
Therefore, it is too tough to judge and evaluate who is good and most suitable for your case. If you’re caught in a dilemma, here are a few questions you can ask to ensure you pick the best attorney in Valdosta.
1. What Is Your Experience with Personal Injury Cases?
Winning personal injury cases requires an in-depth wit to maneuver the traps insurers set. Thus, you need an attorney who will not settle easily and is willing to go to the extent of trials to win.
Above all, you need the most experienced guy who understands the insurer tactics and Valdosta laws. With all the experience, they can exploit legal loopholes to win a case or outmaneuver insurers, adjusters, and negotiators.
So, when selecting a Valdosta personal injury lawyer, choose an attorney with at least a decade of experience. Valdosta has many attorneys experienced in various types of personal injury, including workplace accidents and medical malpractice. Your decision should be based on the nature of the injury and years of experience dealing with such issues.
With that in mind, the local lawyer you select should also have handled over 100 cases and have a success rate of over 80%. These statistics are on their websites; hence, you can compare different lawyers.
Finally, Valdosta has a higher number of injuries, so there are many attorneys committed to helping the residents. Therefore, getting the most qualified attorney should be easier and simpler.
2. How Would You Assess and Value My Case?
Since your main objective is to get a payment proportional to the injury you suffered, you should focus on how to calculate the compensation. It is your attorney’s duty to create a quote and present the value to insurers.
The first thing to focus on is how they would calculate the exact damage. Ensure you are present during such an assessment. A good lawyer should consider everything, including minor pain and suffering.
Additionally, your attorney must maximize and capture the exact values based on loss of wages, medical bills, and emotional distress. Therefore, your lawyer should also consider future financial expenses.
If you are satisfied with the evaluation, let them handle the case. Otherwise, you can try the next one if they are unwilling to be realistic and set a higher value.
3. What Is Your Fee Structure?
Remember, the value in your quotation is subject to negotiation. So, you will get a few dollars less than you expect. Then, you must pay the lawyer based on the compensation amount. So, you need to know their rate and agree to it.
Ideally, the fees shouldn’t be overwhelming. So, your lawyer should always set the quote high and, to a certain extent, include their fee in the commission quotation.
4. How Will You Communicate During the Case?
Communication matters a lot and is critical to keeping you updated about the progress. Secondly, communication is essential in case you need to add some extra details that could boost your case. Besides the phone call, can the lawyer schedule a one-on-one meeting to review a few things before and during the case?
5. Who Will Handle My Case?
Within the attorney’s office are trainees and interns who are there for the experience. Thus, you should ensure that only the most qualified person handles your cases, not the paralegal.
While junior associates and paralegals may be good at case arguments, they have limited experience dealing with insurers. So, your lawyer should guarantee they will handle the case alone.
6. What Resources Do You Have to Win My Case?
Winning such a case is all about the evidence and witnesses the lawyer has. Thus, they should have all the resources to boost interrogation and persuade witnesses or experts to testify for your case.
Therefore, partner with a lawyer with more technology to assist in case investigation and prove the damage.
7. What Is Your Approach to Negotiations?
A good representative must excel at negotiation and court trials. They must also be aggressive enough and willing to walk away if the negotiation stalls and insurers are less committed to your case.
Also, you need to know if the attorney prefers mediation or aggressive negotiation. Regardless of their approach, ensure they can get you the desired outcome.
Bottomline
Asking the right question can make a significant difference and marks the first successful step to getting the compensation you deserve. Your queries should focus on experience, how they will handle your case, their resources, and the communication strategy.
Thus, focus on questions related to calculating the damages and getting the right amount. All these questions should be a priority even when the lawyer has a higher success rate.
