It can be overwhelming to decide which law firm to trust to handle your car accident claim. Many law firms practice personal injury law; however, not all of them may be a good fit for you. Here are some things that you should keep in mind when you are choosing a law firm that’s a good fit for your car accident personal injury claim.

In this post, we will cover many of the important considerations that personal injury claimants should consider when deciding whether to hire a lawyer and law firm for their car accident claim and if so, which law firm to choose.

Should you Hire a Law Firm for your Car Accident Claim?

It is important to carefully consider whether you need a car accident lawyer to help you with your car accident personal injury claim. Law firms typically charge 30-40% in contingency fees, so it is only beneficial to hire one if they add a minimum of 30-40% of value to your claim. Lawyers generally add more value to the car accident claim when the accident and injuries are more serious. If you answer yes to the following questions, then your claim might be an excellent opportunity for a lawyer-less settlement:

  • The property damage (i.e. damage to the vehicle) was minor
  • You did not require immediate medical care
  • You did not need more than 21 treatments by medical providers such as a physiotherapist, chiropractor, or massage therapist
  • You and your treatment provider agree that you don’t require any further treatment for accident-related injuries
  • You missed less than a week of work

If you don’t fall into these categories, are close to the limitation period (generally two years post-accident), don’t know the value of your claim, or don’t feel comfortable negotiating with an insurance adjuster, you should contact a law firm.

Is the Law Firm Committed to Educating and Providing Resources?

Some law firms do not provide free consultation or resources to potential clients. At NOVA Injury Law, we offer a free consultation for all types of personal injury cases. We also provide valuable resources to the public for FREE.

If you have suffered an injury in a car accident claim, order the Must-Read Guide To Nova Scotia Car Accident Claims to find out everything you need to know about motor vehicle accident claims.

For more information about car accident claims, see:

  • The Nova Scotia Car Accident Claim Consumer Report
  • The Prince Edward Island Car Accident Consumer Report

Does the Law Firm Provide Quality Service?

A successful law firm should be able to provide you with good service. Indicators of good service can be seen by how you are treated when you speak with the legal practitioners at the firm, and if your phone calls are promptly returned. These factors can also be used as indicators to see how the legal team at a law firm will communicate with you once you have been signed as a client. It is important to have good communication with your legal team so that you are aware of what is going on with your car accident injury case during every step of the legal process.

Service is often impacted by how large a law firm is. When it comes to personal injury claims, larger firms are not necessarily better equipped to handle your case. Many large firms take on many more cases and have less time to dedicate to each case. Many large law firms also frequently shuffle cases around their legal team. Clients are often unsure who is handling their case. Some clients may even feel that elements of their claim are missing because too many people have been working on their case.

The experience some clients have with large firms is negative because they have trouble getting a reply to their concern or a meaningful update about their case. Smaller firms generally take on fewer cases and have more time to dedicate to each client. Firms that work exclusively in personal injury law are also better positioned to understand the unique aspects of your personal injury claim and how to receive adequate compensation for the impact that your injury has had on you.

What is the Law Firm’s Reputation?

The best way to find out a firm’s reputation is by asking around. If your friends, co-workers or family members have had a personal injury claim before, find out what their experience was like with that lawyer and law firm, and if they would recommend them. If you have worked with a law firm on another matter and enjoyed working with them, it is a good idea to contact them and ask if they can recommend a personal injury law firm or what they think of a firm.

It may also be useful to study the law firm’s website and review the credentials and experience of the firm’s lawyers. It is a good idea to research law firms and lawyers using online reviews. Reviews can help you to get a better idea of the reputation and skill of the lawyers who practice at that firm.

If you haven’t worked with a personal injury lawyer before, you may want to turn to trusted reviews. The largest collection of reviews by real clients are on Google. If people have had negative experiences with a law firm, there will often be negative reviews online. Similarly, if people have had positive experiences with a law firm, there will generally be positive reviews online.

At NOVA Injury Law, we encourage potential clients considering our firm to read our reviews. We are proud of the experience we offer to clients and trust that potential clients will consider the experience of past clients when deciding on a lawyer for their car accident personal injury case.

How Experienced are Lawyers at the Law Firm?

There are many different types of personal injuries. Personal injuries can occur as the result of car accidents, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and so on. Some law firms may only take cases with catastrophic or fatal injuries, whereas others may take cases with less severe injuries. When choosing a law firm for your car accident personal injury claim, make sure that the lawyer who will be handling your claim has experience dealing with cases of the same type and severity of the injury that you suffered.

Jeff Mitchell has worked for insurance companies and personal injury victims. His firm only represents personal injury victims who have suffered injuries following a negligent event. He is well versed in the claims process and is also prepared to take the case to trial if a resolution cannot be reached short of litigation.

Does the Law Firm Produce Results?

A law firm should have the ability to obtain the results you deserve. However, having the ability to obtain results does not necessarily mean that results are guaranteed for your case. A law firm should not be promising that they can get you compensation before they have even listened to the details of your case.

No case is perfect. You should expect to hear the good and the bad components of your case from a potential lawyer. You should also expect to hear how the lawyer has managed similar cases in the past.

Also, does the law firm dedicate itself to injury law? The law firm with lawyers that work exclusively on personal injury claims should know the most recent updates in law and be most familiar with personal injury claim strategies. Most clients want an experienced and honest personal injury lawyer on their side.

How Are Legal Fees Paid?

An important aspect to consider when looking at law firms is your budget. Many law firms typically charge on an hourly basis, and this can quickly add up. However, many personal injury lawyers take cases on a contingent fee basis.

A contingency fee arrangement means that you will only pay the lawyer and the law firm if they settle your case or win in court. Most lawyers charge between 30-40% in contingency fees. Some law firms charge graduated fees, which means that as your lawsuit goes on, the fee increases.

A lawyer or law firm with a contingency fee can be a good option if you are concerned about the cost of hiring a lawyer, but make sure that you feel comfortable with the contingency agreement before you hire a lawyer or law firm.

How are Other Fees Paid?

It is also essential to determine who will pay the costs of running the claim. Law firms often refer to the costs that are associated with pursuing a legal claim as disbursements. Disbursements in a personal injury claim can range from hundreds of dollars to tens-of-thousands of dollars. These costs can include filing documents at the court or hiring expert witnesses on your behalf.

It is crucial to find out if you will have to pay these costs, or if the law firm will pay them on your behalf until the case is settled or won. If the law firm is the one who will pay for these costs up front, it is important to know when and how these costs are to be paid back to the law firm and if they will be charging interest on that amount.

Do you Feel Comfortable with Your Lawyer?

It is important to make sure that you are well-informed before choosing a law firm for your car accident personal injury case. At the end of the day, it is more important that you have a good personal injury lawyer than what law firm that lawyer works for. For more information on choosing a lawyer for your car accident claim, see this post.

It is important that you feel confident in your lawyer’s ability to effectively represent you and your car accident personal injury claim. You should be comfortable contacting your lawyer and the law firm and discussing your case with them.

Most law firms provide a free initial consultation. A consultation is a good option to utilize so that you can get an impression of the law firms’ quality and atmosphere, as well as the lawyer’s professionalism and demeanour. Having an initial consultation does not mean that you are obliged to hire that lawyer or law firm. Take the time you need to find a lawyer and law firm that you feel confident about hiring.

Why choose NOVA Injury Law Firm?

Hiring a law firm for your car accident personal injury case is an important decision to make during a stressful time. We want to make it easy for you. Jeff Mitchell is the Principal Lawyer and Founder of NOVA Injury Law.  Jeff has dedicated his practice to the area of personal injury, accident, and disability benefits law.

Contact 1.800.262.8104 or jeff@novainjurylaw.com to arrange for a free case review today. Ask as many questions as you’d like. You won’t pay us until we win your claim, and we will cover the costs of running your claim without interest.