12- point checklist in choosing your injury compensation lawyer

Let’s face it, unless you have had many dealings with lawyers, choose a lawyer may seem a daunting task. Choosing the correct lawyer, for your case is critical. Your compensation claim is likely to take many months (sometimes several years) to settle and it is important that during that process, you have confidence in your lawyer, which makes the initial selection most important.

Having handled compensation claims for well over 30 years, I thought it useful to prepare a checklist to assist you in making this all-important decision.

Here is my checklist:

• Was he/she professional in presentation? Would you use a surgeon who presented with dirty hands?
• Did he/she actively listen to you?
• Will the person you initially saw, be the person handling your matter?
• If yes, what is the experience of him/her?
• If no, who will be handling your matter and his/her level of experience?
• If you ring the firm, are you able to speak to the person handling your matter?
• What is their policy in relation to the timeframe in returning your calls?
• Did you have the process clearly explained to you?
• Did the lawyer talk in plain English, as opposed to legal jargon?
• Was the anticipated timeframe to complete your matter discussed?
• Was the method of charging and the amount of costs likely to be charged, clearly explained to you?
• Were you given an opportunity to ask questions?
• Did the lawyer seem interested? This may seem a strange item, but don’t you want someone to have a passion in your matter and not simply ‘go through the paces’?
• Did you feel comfortable in putting your matter in their hands? I am a firm believer in a client using their intuition or ‘gut feeling’, when deciding if they are comfortable in dealing with the person in front of them. In fact, I tend to advise my clients at the first meeting to go with their intuitive feeling.

If injured, we invite you to contact an expert compensation lawyer here at LawCall for a no obligation initial free consultation, and use this checklist.