At Crawford Law, our clients come first. We have over 20 years of experience in the field of accidents and personal injury law. In the course of our legal representation of clients, we have encountered many individuals being legally misadvised. Considering that, we have created this guide to ensure that you get the best professional service from your Pensacola accident attorney.
Who is qualified to handle my personal injury case?
The legal specialty of your attorney matters a great deal. Lawyers do not have the same legal training and experience. Therefore, a divorce attorney, a real estate attorney and a personal injury lawyer all possess different strengths. The best Pensacola accident attorney practices in this area of the law 90 % of their time.
An Ivy League degree in law doesn’t mean that an attorney is good enough to handle your personal injury case. Today, many mediocre lawyers with no courtroom experience went to excellent schools.
The best personal injury lawyers are Board Certified in personal injury and accident trial law. They also possess the National Board of Trial Advocacy certification. Only 7% of lawyers meet the requirements for these certifications.
Uncertified lawyers (93 %) might take a stab at your case. After all, no law restricts a real estate attorney from handling a personal injury case. But most likely you won’t get the best outcome. They will handle your litigation in ways that most certainly will fall short of the experienced accident lawyer. The attorney you hire could result in a difference between $1000 and $1000000.
Should I let my case go to trial?
Most people do not know when to push for a trial and when to settle. Even though most personal injury cases often end up in a settlement, your lawyer must prepare your claim as if it was going to trial. In the process, they will put together a claim that is compelling to the defendant.
Also, understand this: Not all lawyers go to trial! Even those that advertise their services as the “best Pensacola accident attorney.” These lawyers might also push you to settle. Their business runs on fast settlements.
On the other side, insurance companies push for a settlement to avoid being hit by a higher compensation verdict in trial. In a case involving severe damages, a lawyer that rushes to settle might leave millions of compensation on the table. That does not serve your interest.
It would be best to work with a trial lawyer that has years of courtroom experience. If they have a reputation for winning cases, the sheer mention of their name or law firm can get the insurer to bump up their settlement offer. That’s because the defendant knows they will have lower chances of winning if the case goes to court.
What can I expect during the litigation process?
Your interests and that of your accident/personal injury lawyers should be aligned. That’s necessary to get the highest sum whether by settlement or trial. A specialized Pensacola accident attorney will burn the midnight oil to know your case and prove your damages.
The difference between expert personal injury attorneys and jacks-of-all-trades is that the latter would be prone to settle fast. They won’t have the time and resources—let alone the character—to dedicate toward winning your case. They will avoid going to court in favor of quick money.
What is the nature of a personal injury litigation process?
The litigation process is adversarial. The insurance company is going to do everything in their power to pay nothing or as little as possible for your claim. Your lawyer’s task is laid out for them. They should bring legal wit, bravado, and aggressiveness in the fight. They must prove the injuries you have suffered, and the consequences imposed on your life.
Your lawyer must have the best in class legal ability and high ethical standards to get you what you deserve. They should never force you to accept an offer for their convenience. They should have zero conflicts of interest as well.
A Pensacola attorney that’s not a personal injury trial advocate will have little understanding of your case. They have zero specialties in personal injury case trials. Their only experience in so far as your case is concerned is settlement negotiation.
The damages caused by an accident, including physical injuries, unemployment or inability to lead your life as before might never be fully recompensed. However, the best lawyer would get you a sum that returns you as nearly as possible to the original position except for the accident.
What are the tell-tale signs of inexperienced personal injury attorneys?
They may lie to you. These lawyers will tell you that everything is going great when they are doing nothing in your case. Then a low settlement offer will come in, and they will pressure you to take it.
They miss deadlines. Non-trial personal injury attorneys will be incompetent at case preparation. They may show up late to meetings or miss deadlines. They may file the wrong paperwork or submit them incorrectly.
They are not compassionate. Experienced personal injury attorneys have handled victims of horrible accidents before. They identify with the client’s suffering, injuries and losses and therefore treat them with kindness. That’s not something you will get with an attorney outside this specialty.
There is no excuse for dishonesty and unprofessionalism on the part of lawyers. If this is happening to you, you should start looking for a new Pensacola personal injury attorney.
Should my Pensacola accident attorney hand over my case to another?
It happens. The lawyer might drop your case if it turns out to be bigger than they expected. They just might not have the resources or courtroom experience to go after big insurance companies or manufacturers. Others might hand you over to another lawyer or law firm if your case turns out to have multiple depositions in numerous jurisdictions. Such lawyers did not have your best interest at heart from the word “go.”
In other instances, the lawyers won’t drop your case, but they will have it handled by paralegals and secretaries. In truth, they are aiming for nothing but a quick settlement offer.
The best personal injury lawyer will stick with your case no matter how complicated it turns out to be. They will gather evidence, create legal hypotheses, and refer to case law. They will draft motions, depose witnesses and file discovery requests. They will take your case to trial if it comes to that, no matter which defendant they are up against.
Should I be worried about losing when the case goes to trial?
Your lawyers’ number one task is handling your burden of proof or proving “on a balance of probability” what your future would be like had the accident not happened. Some insurers will intimidate you (through the lawyers) to accept their offer by saying that you have no case. You shouldn’t receive any pressure to settle from your lawyer.
Provided your claim has been solidly assembled, there is no reason to worry about going to trial. If the insurer still denies liability or contributory negligence, or if their offer doesn’t extensively reflect the impact of the accident on your life, you stand to get a better offer at trial.
At Crawford Law, personal injury law is our specialty. We have a reputation for trial winnings. You deserve a Pensacola accident attorney that serves your best interest. That’s what we do. Let us help you win.
The post A Pensacola Accident Attorney Should Represent Your Best Interests appeared first on Crawford Law.