Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney

Personal injury law is a relatively broad area as there are many ways that an injury could potentially occur. However, in virtually all cases, plaintiffs must provide evidence that they suffered an injury of some type, that the defendant owed some type of duty to the plaintiff, and that the plaintiff’s injury was caused by the actions or inactions of the defendant. If there is a preponderance of evidence supporting these three points, plaintiffs may be entitled to financial compensation. As personal injury law is complex, however, victims often hire an attorney to represent them. The problem that many people encounter is that they have never needed an injury attorney, so they are not certain how to choose a lawyer for a personal injury case. If you need to select a personal injury attorney in Nevada, the following advice may help you feel more secure about your decision.

Common Causes of Personal Injuries

One very common cause of a personal injury is a vehicle accident. Vehicle accidents, whether they be a car accident or truck accident may be between two or more cars, or a commercial truck or bus may be involved. Motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists may also suffer an injury in a vehicle accident. Other causes of personal injuries are listed below.

• Product liability laws cover people who are injured due to a defective or unsafe product. In some cases, the manufacturer and the seller can both be named as defendants.
• Premises liability can include injuries suffered in a slip and fall accident as well as injuries due to poor security, inadequate signage, poor lighting, unsafe playground equipment, construction hazards and similar shortcomings.
• Dog bites are the most common type of animal attack, but domesticated and exotic animals can also inflict severe injuries.

If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, under Nevada law, the other party does not have to be completely at fault. Even if you were partially at fault, you may still be entitled to compensation.

How to Choose a Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer

The attorney who handles your case can have a significant impact on the results you obtain. Therefore, you do not want to simply pick someone just because you have seen an advertisement for the law firm.

• Start your search by asking friends, colleagues and relatives for referrals. If you know a lawyer who focuses on a different type of law, ask him or her to recommend a personal injury attorney. You can also search online and visit the websites of several likely candidates.
• If you needed to have a new roof installed on your home, you would want to interview more than one contractor. Finding the right lawyer is a similar process. Select at least three attorneys who seem to have similar experience and ask each the same questions. You will want to know how long they have practiced personal injury law, whether personal injury law is their primary focus, their typical caseload, and whether your case will be handled primarily by paralegals and junior attorneys.
• Ask about the outcomes in previous cases, including whether the cases were settled or went to court. The attorney should have a mixture of settlements and judgments. On a related note, every case is unique, so no attorney can offer an ironclad guarantee of what the outcome will be. Experienced lawyers may be able to offer an estimate that is based on previous cases with similarities to your case, but they cannot predict precisely how much you might receive.
• Be sure to ask about the payment schedule. Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, so they do not get paid until you get paid. However, it never hurts to ask. You should also ask whether the attorney will provide you with an itemized statement of fees and charges.
• Trust your instincts. You need to feel comfortable with the attorney you choose. If you feel that the attorney lacks compassion, is overextended, does not have your best interests at heart, is disrespectful, or is inattentive, you might have grounds to be concerned. The best personal injury lawyers know that their clients are already dealing with stressful situations, so they take the time to devise a legal strategy that is tailored to each client’s needs. They offer each client a personalized service rather than a standardized process.

When you choose Lloyd Baker Injury Attorneys, one of our experienced attorneys will take the time to listen to you so that we can understand your needs and circumstances. We bring a personal approach to every one of our cases. Our entire practice is focused on personal injury law. For a free case consultation, call our office at 702-444-2222 for Las Vegas, NV, or 602-265-5555 for Phoenix Arizona.