How To Choose The Best Personal Injury Lawyer in South Carolina
When you are injured because of another party’s negligence or intentional torts in South Carolina, you can file a personal injury claim seeking compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Examples of personal injury cases include but are not limited to, medical malpractice, car accidents, workplace accidents, slip and fall accidents, and many other situations.
If another party causes you to be injured, you might wonder if you need to hire a Rock Hill personal injury lawyer to handle your case. Ultimately, the best way to know if you need a lawyer is to meet with one for a free consultation.
However, choosing the best personal injury lawyer in South Carolina can be overwhelming. How do you know a Rock Hill personal injury attorney is the best attorney for your case? You can take the mystery out of finding the best lawyer by keeping the following things in mind:
Research Personal Injury Attorneys in Rock Hill, SC
The first step in choosing a personal injury lawyer is to create a short list of candidates. Researching local personal injury attorneys is the best place to begin.
An internet search provides a list of personal injury lawyers in your area. You can narrow that list by reading reviews and visiting the attorneys’ websites. Always search for an attorney with substantial experience in personal injury law.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch provides an attorney information search tool for basic contact information on its website. However, in addition to basic information, you can verify that the attorney is in good standing with the South Carolina Bar.
Qualities of the Best Personal Injury Lawyers in South Carolina
The best personal injury lawyers share similar characteristics. The qualities you want to look for when choosing a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina include:
- Significant experience practicing personal injury law
- Clean disciplinary record
- In good standing with the bar
- A successful track record of winning cases at trial and obtaining personal injury settlements
- Sufficient size law firm to provide the resources to handle your case
- Available to answer questions and address concerns about your case
- Willing to provide a free consultation
- Good communication skills
- Excellent reputation with peers and clients
While you can learn a lot of information by reading reviews and testimonials online, meeting with an attorney is the only way to judge whether a lawyer is the right attorney to handle your case. Fortunately, most personal injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation. Therefore, when you have a short list of potential lawyers, schedule a consultation with each lawyer to discuss your case.
Questions To Ask Personal Injury Attorneys During a Free Consultation
The consultation is the opportunity for an attorney to learn about your situation so they can provide legal advice about your personal injury case. Consultations are also an opportunity for you to get to know an attorney’s personality and learn more about how they practice law.
Examples of questions to ask during an initial consultation include:
- How many years have you practiced personal injury law?
- What is your experience handling cases similar to my case?
- What is the percentage of cases you settle versus going to trial?
- How many cases have you taken to trial? What is your success record?
- What do you charge for your legal services, and how is the fee paid?
- How will you communicate with me about my case, including updates regarding the case progress?
- What difficulties do you see with my case?
- How much time and resources do you have to devote to my case?
- Can I speak with you if I have questions or concerns? Who will manage my case?
- What is my personal injury case worth?
There could be some questions that the attorney might not be able to answer until they investigate your claim fully. However, an experienced lawyer should be able to explain the matter in general terms to help you understand the issue better.
You should feel comfortable discussing your case with a lawyer. The conversation should not be one-way. A good attorney listens to you to learn as much as possible before offering their advice.
If you feel uncomfortable with the attorney, it may indicate the attorney is not the right fit for you. You must be able to communicate effectively with an attorney, or the lawyer is not the best lawyer for your personal injury case.
Discuss Attorneys’ Fees and Costs Before Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Always discuss how much a personal injury attorney costs before hiring them. Most attorneys represent personal injury clients for a contingency fee.
A contingency fee is based on how much the attorney recovers for your personal injury case. Instead of paying an upfront fee to hire a personal injury lawyer in Rock Hill, the attorney receives a percentage of the jury verdict or settlement as their fees. In other words, the attorney is paid for legal services only after they win your case.
Read the entire document before signing a contingency fee agreement and retainer agreement. Ask the lawyer about changes in fees.
For example, what is the contingency fee if the case settles, and what is the contingency fee if the attorney has to file a lawsuit and/or go to trial? Contingency fees usually increase if your case goes to trial because of the time and expense involved in litigating a case.
Another issue of concern is the costs of the cases. Costs can include filing fees, copy costs, fees for records, deposition costs, and more. Generally, a law firm pays these fees for you during the case. The firm is reimbursed for the fees from your settlement.
However, ask the attorney who pays the costs if the attorney does not recover money for your case. You need to understand what costs you are responsible for paying during and after the case, regardless of the outcome.
Choose the Best Personal Injury Lawyer for You in Rock Hill, SC
Generally, people recover more money when they hire a personal injury attorney than when handling their case directly with an insurance company. At the very least, it is worth discussing your case with an attorney during a free consultation. You want as much information about personal injury claims as possible before making what could be a life-altering decision.