When seeking compensation in personal injury cases, many people only focus on what the personal injury lawyer can do for them, without stopping to consider "How to be a good client during your personal injury case."
As such, if things go wrong in a personal injury claim, as they sometimes do when dealing with a determined insurance company, the personal injury clients are quick to blame their attorneys.
However, even the best injury lawyer in Houston, Texas cannot win every single case, regardless of the circumstances.
The best outcome is usually achieved when there is a strong attorney/client relationship and both parties communicate and work together effectively with each other.
Usually, the personal injury practice area can be difficult to navigate, but having a good client makes the work much easier for personal injury attorneys.
Victims who are looking for the right personal injury attorney to help them recover damages for injuries they sustained due to someone else's negligence, can approach the Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys law firm in Houston, and ask for a free consultation where they can help with questions like what should I ask before hiring a personal injury lawyer?
Communicating Effectively With Personal Injury Lawyers Is Important
Victims filing a personal injury lawsuit should never underestimate the importance of effective communication between them and their attorney. Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys can explain the mediation of personal injury claims.
Answering the lawyer's questions, and giving them all the information regarding personal injury cases is the best way to ensure that there will be no surprises during the lawsuit.
One of the most important things for victims to remember is that from the moment they sit down to discuss their case with their attorney, they are protected by attorney/client privilege. This means anything they say will be between them and their lawyer.
As such, victims should feel free to discuss all the aspects of the case, which is something personal injury law firms thrive on when fighting for fair compensation for their clients.
Eight Tips to Remember When Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Good attorneys are not only interested in getting more personal injury clients, but also in winning the personal injury claims they are entrusted with. To achieve this, attorneys and new personal injury clients need to have a good working relationship.
Here are a few tips for clients to remember when working with a personal injury law firm to help them seek compensation:
Honesty During the Free Consultation
Potential clients need to remember to be truthful when they explain what happened to the lawyer during the free case evaluation.
Withholding any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could result in the lawyer choosing the wrong strategy, only to be caught unawares when the defendant brings the information to light during the personal injury case.
Returning the Attorney's Calls
Effective communication between the law firm and the client is a very important thing, especially in a complicated personal injury claim, such as a medical malpractice lawsuit, where a lot of issues have to be discussed.
As such, frequent phone calls between the attorney and their clients are common during the personal injury case.
Victims need to be ready to accommodate their lawyer as much as possible to increase their chances of launching a successful personal injury lawsuit.
Not abusing the Personal Injury Attorney/Client Privilege
The attorney-client privilege is meant to protect the client and prevent personal information from being disclosed by their lawyer. However, this does not mean the client can say or do whatever they want while in the attorney's office.
There are certain situations where the attorney is allowed to break privilege, for example, when there is a risk of someone else getting injured.
As such, lawyers appreciate clients who do not abuse this privilege and put their attorneys in compromising situations.
Attending All Medical and Physical Therapy Sessions
Missing medical appointments can have a disastrous effect on a lawyer's ability to negotiate for a higher settlement because it suggests that the victim's injuries are not as bad as they claim.
An example is when a car accident lawyer is arguing that the victim deserves a higher settlement for their pain and suffering but it emerges that the victim missed a lot of appointments with the doctor.
To the jury, this would indicate the victim was not in pain if they were well enough to avoid going to the hospital.
Maintaining Reasonable Expectations
When personal injury leads to a lot of suffering for the victim, it is normal for them to expect a huge settlement offer from the insurance company. However, this is not always the case.
There are a lot of things to consider when dealing with personal injury cases. An example is when dealing with comparative negligence laws. Even if the defendant is found liable for the injury claim, the victim's contribution to the accident will limit the settlement they will receive.
As such, victims need to manage their expectations early on and have reasonable expectations when it comes to the damages they may walk away with.
Gathering as Much Evidence as Possible
Personal injury lawyers love victims who come to their offices armed with the physical evidence needed to win the case. This makes an attorney's job easier and increases the chances of receiving fair compensation.
Also, when it comes to the statute of limitations, gathering as much evidence as possible early on means the attorney will be able to file the lawsuit before the final date arrives.
Patience and Trust
There is no telling exactly how long a personal injury claim will take before being settled, and during the legal process, there may be a lot of ups and downs and the victim's lawyer goes to war against the defense team.
As such, victims must trust that their lawyer is competent enough to handle and push the case forward, and be patient until the law runs its course.
Cooperation During Discovery
During discovery, the defense team will send a list of questions for the victim, as well as document requests for medical bills, police reports, and other such things. The victims must cooperate with their attorney by answering all the questions and providing any documentation they have.
A Good Client/Attorney Relationship Can Win More Personal Injury Cases
While a lot of emphasis is placed on physical evidence, having a good client can also boost the chances of the personal injury lawyer winning the case. With effective communication and cooperation, no stone will be left unturned, and victims can walk away with massive damages.
Schuerger Shunnarah Trial Attorneys is ready to go to war for its clients in personal injury claims. Victims can get in touch with the law firm and ask for a free consultation.