Use a combination of objective measures and your instincts to choose the right San Jose personal injury lawyer for your case. You should consider whether a law firm has achieved noteworthy results in cases similar to yours. You should also complete free consultations with law firms to gauge which firm can best represent you.
You should not wait to hire your lawyer, as you may have a fast-approaching deadline to abide by. That said, you should also do your due diligence to find the law firm most qualified to lead your case in San Jose.
What to Consider When Choosing a San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer
There are several important criteria to weigh when choosing the right San Jose personal injury lawyer, which includes:
The Law Firm’s Location
While location should not be your only consideration when hiring a personal injury lawyer, it is a logical starting point. All things being equal, you should hire a firm in or near San Jose.
If you find a highly qualified law firm not in San Jose but with an office nearby, you may still decide to hire them. Just consider that a law firm that is far away from San Jose may not handle all of the demands of your case.
The Law Firm’s Client Reviews
While most lawyers strive to provide excellent client service, some firms achieve this goal, while others fall short.
Review former clients’ reviews about a law firm to gauge:
- Whether former clients generally feel positive or negatively about the firm and its attorneys
- Whether former clients are satisfied with communication, lawyers’ demeanor, and other aspects of client service
- Whether clients have common complaints about the law firm
Reviews may help you avoid a law firm that does not follow through on its promises. Conversely, reviews can reveal that a law firm goes above and beyond in serving its clients.
The Law Firm’s Record of Financial Recoveries
Look at law firms’ websites to see:
- Settlements they have negotiated for clients like you
- Verdicts they have obtained by completing trials
- The number and amount of financial recoveries the law firm is responsible for
Consider that the average car accident involving injuries costs tens of thousands of dollars (or more) in economic costs alone. A law firm must have the ability to seek all the compensation you deserve. Reviewing a firm’s case results shows whether the firm’s attorneys can win large financial recoveries.
The Law Firm’s Size and Personnel
Law firms of all sizes can do a phenomenal job representing clients. However, you may consider the size of a law firm when choosing an attorney.
If this is an important factor to you (perhaps you want a larger firm because you believe it will have more resources to invest in your case), you can consider this data point.
The Impression You Get During Your Free Consultation
Free consultations benefit the client. You can speak with law firms’ representatives, ask them questions, and experience how they treat prospective clients.
If the law firm gives a strong or weak impression during your consultation, factor this into your decision of which firm to hire.
Your San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer Should Use a Contingency Fee
The majority of personal injury lawyers offer contingency fees.
You should confirm that a law firm uses this fee structure before hiring them because a contingency fee structure means:
- You pay no upfront fees (and possibly no costs): If your lawyer works for a contingency fee, you won’t pay any upfront fee. The law firm may also cover case costs for you.
- The law firm builds its fee into your financial recovery: A contingency fee means that the law firm only gets paid if you get paid. Your attorney will receive a percentage of any settlement or judgment they obtain for you. This avoids you having to pay an attorney out of your own pocket.
- Your lawyer has a direct financial incentive to win your case: Your attorney will not be paid for their time and effort unless they secure compensation for you. This arrangement will highly motivate your lawyer to obtain as much money as possible.
- You won’t have to lose sleep over the cost of a lawyer: Knowing you won’t bear the cost of a lawyer may provide much-needed peace of mind. This is one reason why law firms offer contingency fees.
Though contingency fees are common among personal injury lawyers, you should always confirm that a lawyer uses this arrangement before hiring them. Before formally agreeing to hire the firm, you should know what percentage of your financial recovery the lawyer will receive.
What to Ask During Free Consultations with Personal Injury Law Firms
Most law firms brand themselves as favorably as possible. You may determine which law firms are truly qualified to represent you by completing free consultations with each firm you consider.
Some questions you might ask during free consultations include:
- Do you use contingency fees?
- Where is your nearest office to San Jose?
- What results have you obtained for clients in circumstances similar to mine?
- What kinds of resources will you invest in my case?
- Are you willing to take my case to trial?
- Why should I hire your law firm to represent me?
A law firm’s website may not provide all the information you need. For instance, you may ask how many lawyers are on staff if the site does not make it clear.
Be open with questions during your consultation. This is a prime opportunity to determine whether a law firm is qualified to represent you.
When to Hire Your Personal Injury Lawyer
Hire your San Jose personal injury lawyer as soon as possible because:
- There are often deadlines for reporting injuries and filing insurance claims
- There are generally deadlines for filing lawsuits
- Your San Jose personal injury attorney will need to gather evidence (including witness accounts) as soon as possible
If you do not hire your lawyer before filing deadlines expire, you may not pursue the compensation you deserve. This can have devastating financial consequences that significantly harm your quality of life.
How Personal Injury Lawyers Serve Clients in San Jose
Your personal injury attorney and their team will take your entire case off your hands.
A lawyer’s typical responsibilities include:
- Securing evidence right away: Your lawyer and their team will obtain witness accounts, video, photographs, police reports, and all other relevant evidence as soon as possible. The quality of evidence can determine the outcome of a personal injury case, so your lawyer will conduct an exhaustive investigation.
- Documenting damages: Your legal team will secure proof of the harm you’ve suffered because of others’ negligence. Medical images and records, invoices, and employment records may be among the documentation that helps win your case.
- Establishing a case value: Attorneys determine the specific financial value of clients’ damages. Your attorney will use this value to determine how much money you deserve through a settlement or judgment.
- Negotiating a settlement: Whether an insurance company or another party owes you compensation, your attorney will negotiate for a fair financial settlement. Because most civil cases settle, your lawyer may have a reasonable expectation of obtaining a fair settlement. However, attorneys know it takes two parties to settle, so your lawyer should prepare for trial if necessary.
- Determining if trial is necessary: As your case moves forward, your lawyer will gauge whether liable parties intend to settle for a fair amount. If it becomes clear that liable parties will not offer the compensation you deserve, your lawyer may advise you to approve a trial.
- Completing any necessary trial: If you and your lawyer mutually agree to pursue a trial, your attorney will take the lead. They will complete discovery, question witnesses, make arguments, and handle the many other duties of a trial.
It is always the client’s choice of how to resolve a case. Your attorney can provide their perspective, but you will have the final say over accepting any settlement offers or going to court.
Your Lawyer Will Deal with the Challenges of the Claims Process
Many personal injury cases begin with the insurance claims process. Those who have never been through a difficult claims process may assume that insurers simply hand over the money a claimant deserves—this isn’t always how it goes.
Your San Jose personal injury lawyer will deal with any of the challenges that often hinder the claims process, including:
- The denial of your claim without fair reason
- Undervaluation of your losses
- Arguments about who is at fault for your losses
- Misinformation about the details of insurance policies
- Refusal to offer the full amount of compensation you deserve
Personal injury attorneys agree to fight these battles when they choose to represent a client. Your physical and mental health may benefit tremendously from having a personal injury lawyer handle these challenges for you.
Case Types San Jose Personal Injury Lawyers Handle
Personal injury lawyers aim to represent clients in distress.
This can mean casting a wide net when it comes to case types, and a personal injury lawyer may handle cases involving:
- Boat accidents
- Car accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Animal attacks, including dog bites
- Slip and fall accidents
- Trip and fall accidents
- Negligent security
- Defective products
- Workplace accidents
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Wrongful death
If your case type does not appear here, don’t worry. If you are the victim of negligence, a San Jose personal injury lawyer will fight for the compensation you deserve.
Three Common Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney
Though each client has a unique story, there are three primary reasons to hire a personal injury attorney:
- You have suffered injuries
- You have become sick
- You have lost a loved one
Negligence is the common thread in most personal injury cases. When someone acts in an unreasonable manner that causes harm to someone else, their actions may constitute negligence. Defendants in personal injury and wrongful death cases may have engaged in negligent behavior.
Recoverable Damages in Your San Jose Personal Injury Case
Leave it to your lawyer to identify your recoverable damages. These damages are unique to each case, and some common recoverable damages include:
Pain and Suffering
Most plaintiffs in personal injury cases have non-economic damages, known as pain and suffering.
These damages can include:
- Acute and chronic physical pain
- Emotional anguish
- Psychological distress
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
These are just a few examples of pain and suffering. Your lawyer will account for any other harm you’ve experienced because of the defendant’s negligence.
Medical Expenses
Your lawyer will work with your doctor to identify all medical costs stemming from negligence. These costs may arise from the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries or illnesses.
Professional Harm
Common professional harm in personal injury cases include:
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Inability to earn performance incentives (like overtime and bonuses)
- Loss of professional status and promotion opportunities
Your San Jose personal injury lawyer may work with an economist to calculate your unique professional damages.
Some cases involve property damage, wrongful death-related damages, and other harm. Trust an attorney to account for every type of economic and non-economic damage of yours.
Hire Your San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer as Soon as Possible
State laws generally require personal injury lawyers to file lawsuits within a specific time frame of a harmful event, which are often two or three years from the injury. Insurance claims may also have deadlines.
These deadlines provide additional important reasons to hire a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Acting quickly also helps your attorney preserve important evidence to support your case.
Don’t wait to contact personal injury law firms serving San Jose. Identify the most qualified attorney to represent you and hire them as soon as possible. Remember that free consultations are a useful way to identify the right law firm for you.
