A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer that represents individuals who are seeking compensation for an injury. The area of law that personal injury lawyers specialize in is called tort law, which largely concerns how to protect and compensate people who have been injured through negligent, reckless, or intentionally harmful conduct. Tort lawsuits represent the biggest category of civil litigation and cover a truly wide range of personal injury claims, such as car accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, slips and falls, dog bites, burns, product liability, and medical malpractice – to name just a few.
Generally, the goals of tort law are to provide compensation to wrongfully injured people, hold people accountable for their harmful conduct, and deter others from engaging in behaviors that cause injury. In Colorado tort cases, compensatory damages can include medical and rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, mental and physical pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life, as well as damages for permanent impairment and disfigurement. Punitive damages, which are also called “exemplary damages” in Colorado, can be obtained in some personal injury cases.
Hiring a competent personal injury lawyer to represent you in the wake of a bad accident can drastically improve your chances of ultimately receiving compensation. How, then, should you go about finding a lawyer that you can feel comfortable working with? Here’s what to look for:
Check out more about what to look for in a personal injury lawyer here!
Experience
The importance of hiring a lawyer with experience that is directly applicable to your specific claim can’t be overstated. If, for example, you’ve sustained serious injuries in a trucking accident—such as a brain injury or spinal cord injury—it would be very smart to hire a lawyer who has previously handled (and successfully handled) cases against trucking companies and handled cases involving catastrophic injuries. It is always a good idea to ask a lawyer specific questions about their experience during your free initial consultation with them.
Reputation
Similar yet still distinct from experience is a lawyer’s reputation. The importance of reputation also can’t be overstated as hiring a lawyer with a strong reputation in the community can improve your chances of getting a good settlement and avoiding court. To assess reputation, you can check online reviews and testimonials given by clients, consult the state bar association, or consult other attorney review databases.
Compatibility
Being an experienced lawyer with a good reputation doesn’t automatically make that lawyer someone you would be satisfied working with. Similarly, being a likeable lawyer isn’t necessarily one that’ll provide you great legal representation. You ideally want to hire a lawyer that you’re comfortable working with and confident will work aggressively on your behalf during negotiation and (if necessary) trial.
While it might be difficult to determine compatibility when meeting with a lawyer during your initial free consultation, it can be helpful to ask certain questions during that first consultation to help make a basic assessment. For example, you can ask them about how the case will be staffed by the lawyer, what will happen during the case, and what communications you can expect from the lawyer during the case. A competent and experienced lawyer will provide you candid and honest answers to your important questions and help you assess whether you are compatible.
Contact Whalen Injury Lawyers
We at Whalen Injury Lawyers fully understand that looking for a personal injury lawyer can be difficult, especially if you’re still recovering from your accident and facing personal challenges. The lawyers on our team are passionate and compassionate professionals who are standing by ready to evaluate your case and willing to help you begin exploring your legal options. We will be happy to help you schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer at our Colorado law firm who has a proven track record of successfully representing plaintiffs like you.
Call Whalen Injury Lawyers at 720-307-2666 or schedule your consultation today!