What Your Personal Injury Lawyer
Will Do For You

The attorney you choose should show interest in gathering evidence with an eye toward trying the case in court. If you have an attorney who appears to be waiting around for the case to settle, your alarm bells should be ringing; a good attorney does not assume a case will settle. Being prepared for trial may ultimately be what prompts the other side to offer a fair settlement. Be wary of hiring an attorney who rarely, if ever, goes to trial. Similarly, if you know you don't want to go to trial, you shouldn't file a lawsuit.

After an initial meeting with your attorney, he/she will begin putting your case together by interviewing witnesses and thoroughly investigating and documenting the accident. After this information-gathering phase, the attorney will begin discussions with the other party. In the case of car accidents, this is generally the other driver's insurance company, who is contractually obligated to defend them. Many attorneys organize all the evidence and medical records in a settlement brochure, which is sent to the insurance representative for consideration of the claim. The attorney might also include in the brochure a demand for a specific amount of compensation. After some back-and-forth with the insurance company, many cases settle. Many others do not and a lawsuit must be filed.

Copyright © 2006 Personal Injury Attorney Information.