At the Law Offices of Mickey Fine, our Bakersfield personal injury lawyer has an excellent reputation and 20-year track record for recovering compensation for injured victims and their families. Contact our offices for a free case evaluation and learn more about our law firm.
Choosing a lawyer to take on your personal injury case can be a challenging decision, and it’s essential to understand the myriad of ways a lawyer can help or harm your claim. You want a seasoned attorney with ample experience in your type of personal injury claim.
Below are some things to look for when choosing an attorney to handle your case.
Focus On Personal Injury Law
Lawyers specialize in sub-sets of the law in the United States to better serve their clients and focus on certain issues, such as environmental law, torts, or personal injury law. When it comes to your accident case, a general practice lawyer will not lead to the best settlement because they don’t have the intricate understanding of personal injury laws required to pursue these types of claims. A general attorney may not know all the areas of recoverable compensation, such as lost wages and mental anguish. Personal injury lawyers focus on liability and injuries caused by car accidents, motorcycle crashes, dog bites, and slip and fall accidents.
A lawyer focusing on personal injury law has spent decades honing their skills and helping clients. They know precisely what steps to take to build your claim and understand the shameful tactics insurance providers use to devalue or deny valid injury cases.
Proven Results
The search for the right lawyer for your claim doesn’t stop with the first listing that shows up for a Bakersfield personal injury lawyer. Research law firms to understand their typical cases and the verdicts and settlements they’ve achieved for previous clients. Most lawyers list these proven results on their website, which may be a red flag if you don’t see any winning verdicts or high settlements in their case history or none are listed.
Looking at the proven results of Bakersfield personal injury lawyers can identify the firm’s strong suits or weak points. Someone who lost a loved one to wrongful death after an accident may want to choose an attorney who has recovered hundreds of thousands for other families pursuing wrongful death lawsuits. Conversely, someone injured by a dangerous dog should look for someone with a successful case history of dog bites in Bakersfield.
Client Testimonials
With the rise of internet purchases in the last few decades, most people won’t buy a product or service before reading reviews from other users or customers online. That is no different with personal injury lawyers. The lawyer you choose will directly impact how much compensation you recover for medical expenses, loss of income, and other types of losses. Law firms boast these client testimonials on their websites, YouTube, and social media. When searching for Bakersfield personal injury lawyers, look for these testimonials to get a feel for how the law firm treats their clients and the results they have achieved for them.
Client testimonials help you gauge how clients feel about the lawyer and showcase their dedication to reaching a maximum settlement or going to trial.
Fees
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning the client doesn’t pay for legal services until or unless they win the case or reach a settlement. The lawyer then retains a certain percentage of the settlement or awarded amount. The consultation or case evaluation is typically free, whether over the phone or in person. The contingency fee helps injured clients avoid accruing large legal debts while they pursue a personal injury claim and incentivizes the lawyer to recover the highest monetary amount possible.
Each personal injury law firm in Bakersfield may have a different percentage that they receive from the final settlement or verdict.
Trial Readiness
Some personal injury lawyers prefer to settle claims with the insurance company or the liable party, but this may not leave you with the compensation you need to cover lifelong medical expenses from severe injury or the loss of lifetime earnings for wrongful death claims. Personal injury lawyers must be ready and prepared to go to trial if necessary and should have a proven track record of successful verdicts in and out of the courtroom.
Insurance companies do not have the injured party’s best interests in mind. Their goal is to pay the least amount possible to close the case, and it’s your lawyer’s job to fight for the compensation you deserve, whether in settlement negotiations or at trial.
Compassion
A personal injury lawyer with all the above accolades is only a good fit for you and your claim if you feel comfortable with their approach and they show compassion for your circumstances. Injured victims and grieving families need time and care to heal after an accident, and your chosen lawyer should understand the hard times you face to best represent you and help you through the long claims process.
Speak With a Bakersfield Personal Injury Lawyer for Free
The Law Offices of Mickey Fine in Bakersfield and Manhattan Beach, California, understand the devastating impact personal injury claims have on the lives of injured victims and their families.
Contact our lawyer at (661) 333-3333 for a free case evaluation over the phone.