There are probably hundreds of personal injury lawyers working in Perth and in Western Australia. A simple Google search for personal injury lawyer Perth will result in pages and pages of results. If you have been injured in a car accident in Perth how do you choose a personal injury lawyer? There are a couple of things to think about when choosing a personal injury lawyer:
Does the lawyer have experience with my kind of claim?
Some lawyers are happy to take on any work and give it a go, but that is not necessarily in your best interests. You can’t expect a lawyer who is brilliant in Divorce work to necessarily be brilliant for your car crash compensation claim. Many cases come across obstacles and problems along the way and so it is important that you have a lawyer who has experience in your type of claim.Ask about your lawyer’s experience. How many of your type of case have they done and how recent? Have they just started out or have they been practicing for many years? Always choose somebody with the right experience.
Does the lawyer have a track record and reputation in the industry?
Just because they have been a lawyer for years and years that does not necessarily meant that they are the right lawyer for your compensation claim. Some lawyers have a very good reputation in the industry and are know by their colleagues to do a good job. Consider looking at reviews by previous clients. Consider looking at survey sites such as Doyles Guide.
How accessible is this lawyer?
How responsive will this lawyer be to your emails and phone calls?Personal injury claims can take months or years before they are finalized. It is important that the lawyer you choose is somebody who is gets back to you when you call or send emails. It is also important that you have the option of being able to meet face-to-face to chat about the details of your claim. Your lawyer should be somewhere where you can reach them and be able to meet with them. If you are battling to get hold of your lawyer or they take ages to get back to you, then query whether you have the right lawyer on your side.
Do you think that you can get along with this person?
Your accident and your injuries will affect you and your family, possibly for months, but possibly for years. Because you will be working with your lawyer for a long time you need to be confident that you can get along with your lawyer. You need to feel comfortable and confident that you can speak openly to your lawyer and that they listen and understand your accident and your injuries. You also need to trust them when they talk about how long your case is going to take, your potential outcomes, and the costs involved.
Word of mouth
One of the safest ways to find the right lawyer is to get a recommendation from somebody who you trust. Just ask a friend who has used a personal injury lawyer themselves and ask if they would use them again. Ask about their experience and whether they would use the same lawyer again or whether they would try somebody else.
Just call
Just give the lawyer a call. By chatting you will quickly get an impression of whether or not the lawyer is going to be a good fit for your claim. Warning signs might be when a lawyer won’t take your call, or, promises to call back but never does, or, tries to rush you off the phone. On the other hand if you call and are able to chat to the lawyer, and the lawyer knows the work and clearly has experience and reputation, then that might be the best lawyer for you.
