How To Find a Personal Injury Lawyer | Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys

If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, you may be unsure of the next steps. If you decide to take legal action, you’ll want to seek the guidance of a personal injury lawyer. A lawyer specializing in personal injury will know what liable parties to go after, how to hold the responsible parties accountable, and how to collect critical evidence to prove your case. 

If you have suffered a personal injury in Miami, Florida, you will not find a shortage of personal injury attorneys. Despite this, you want to make sure you pick a reputable law firm like the team at Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys to take on your case. 

Our law firm is proud to be a leading law firm in Miami with practice areas including slips and falls, motorcycle, car and truck accidents, medical malpractice, and other circumstances where a personal injury may occur. 

How to find a personal injury lawyer

If you want to take legal action, you might not know where to start. The easiest way to find a personal injury lawyer is by searching online for reputable personal injury attorneys near you and reading reviews and customer testimonials. You can also ask friends and family members if they have any recommendations of attorneys you can turn to for guidance.

When you first start your search for a personal injury lawyer, it’s important to keep all options open so you can find the right lawyer to take on your case. On your part, this may mean “shopping around” for attorneys, looking at their reputation within your local court system, and vetting them out to make sure they can take on your unique case. 

Choosing the right personal injury lawyer

Choosing a personal injury attorney who can take on your case is a lot like choosing the right dentist or therapist. You want to make sure the professional you work with is someone you can trust, someone who can break down complicated topics in ways that are easy to understand, and someone who can help guide you during times of need.

There are a couple of things you’ll want to consider when choosing the right personal injury lawyer, and some factors are more important to consider than others when finding the right legal representation. Let’s take a look at important factors to help you narrow down an attorney who can best handle your case.

Look at their experience

The experience of a personal injury attorney is important because it can give you insight into their work ethic, ability to help you recover the damages you’re seeking, and ability to successfully handle your case.

When looking at a personal injury attorney’s experience, consider things like previous cases they’ve worked on, typical outcomes, and even their specialization. Of course, the more experienced a personal injury attorney is, the easier it can be to trust them to handle your case thoroughly and diligently. 

That’s not to say that an attorney who has been practicing for only a short period of time should automatically be ruled out. For example, a novice personal injury attorney might not have much experience behind them but represents a law firm that offers more support and access to critical resources than a more experienced attorney might.

Look at their reviews and online presence

In today’s technological age, reviews are a game changer. For any personal injury attorney you’re considering working with, looking at their online reviews can be a great way to decide who to work with. 

You’ll find a number of online websites that offer lawyer reviews and even client testimonials. You can also search for the law firm with the Better Business Bureau to get a better sense of their practice, reviews, and overall rating. 

Look for peer reviews

Alongside professional reviews, peer reviews can give you even more insight into an attorney or a law firm’s ability to represent you. Peer reviews can be found on popular online sources like Google reviews. 

You can also ask an attorney or a law firm to get you in touch with previous clients they’ve represented. This will give you a first-hand account of how the attorney and law firm operates, their strengths and weaknesses, and other factors determining whether they are the right person to handle your case.

Consider referrals from people you trust

Sometimes, the best way to find the right personal injury attorney to work with is by following through with referrals given to you by people you trust. You can get these referrals by asking around friend groups, employers, and even local online groups and forums you are a part of. The people in your life who you trust will generally have your best interest in mind and can help you connect to a personal injury lawyer who could be a good fit. 

Questions to ask a potential personal injury lawyer

Once you have narrowed down a pool of potential lawyers to work with, it’s time to ask the important questions that can help refine your search further. Most attorneys and law firms offer free case consultations that allow them to assess the strength of your case before they take it on. 

During these consultations, it can be a great time to ask these critical questions to determine if the attorney is a good fit. Even if you don’t schedule a consultation beforehand, you can still contact the lawyer or law firm and ask these questions informally. 

Once you have the answers, compare them with the other lawyers you have interviewed and narrow down the legal representative who best fits your needs. 

The following are some critical questions you should ask a personal injury lawyer before you hire them to take on your case.

How long have you been handling personal injury cases?

Experience is important with any personal injury attorney. You want to make sure the attorney you work with has a proven track record of taking on personal injury cases like yours. Lawyers can handle a variety of different cases, but working with an attorney who specializes in cases like yours can prove invaluable. 

At the law offices of Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys, we have a proven track record of representing victims in various practice areas, allowing you more opportunities to work with a lawyer who has experience handling similar cases.

What percentages of your cases are referrals from other lawyers?

Asking about an attorney’s percentage of referrals from other lawyers gives you insight into their overall network. If the percentage is higher, this could indicate that the attorney is well respected within the legal community and that their reputation is because of their valuable expertise and skill set. 

What kind of cases do you handle daily?

Understanding an attorney’s case portfolio is critical for understanding how they can help you. If you have been injured in a car accident, you’ll want to work with a lawyer who specializes in car accident personal injuries. 

Knowing what kind of cases an attorney handles on a day-to-day basis gives you insight into the type of cases they’re most comfortable and likely most knowledgeable working with. 

Try to work with lawyers who have handled cases similar to yours. If an attorney does not show a track record of working on similar topics, ask them if they have dealt with a case like yours. Be sure to also ask about the case’s outcome and what challenges they might have experienced along the way. 

Do you typically settle or go to court?

An overwhelming majority of personal injury lawsuits end up settling outside of court, while only a small fraction ever go before a judge or jury. Get a sense of a personal injury attorney’s track record by asking whether they usually settle or go to court. This allows you to understand an attorney’s strategies when taking on a case and how those strategies translate into successful cases.

What percentage of cases have you won?

Finally, a track record is generally measured by a success rate, and it’s essential to know your attorney’s overall success rate before you hire them to take your case. 

Asking about their success rate gives insight into their effectiveness when taking cases. It also gives you an understanding of the type of outcomes they can obtain for their clients.

Why choose Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys? 

Bernstein & Maryanoff Injury Attorneys have the experience and drive you need to win your case. Our dedicated legal team will work diligently to represent your rights so you can recover full compensation for your personal injury. 

Our law firm specializes in protecting and representing victims who the negligence of another person or entity has injured. Whether it is a slip-and-fall, a hit-and-run, medical malpractice, or negligence by other means, we cover all practice areas and are ready to represent victims just like you. 

A proven track record of success, millions recovered in total settlement amounts, and access to critical resources to win your case are just some of the ways we’ve grown to be a law firm victims can trust. 

Sources:

Johnson, J. (2022). Personal Injury Settlement Amounts Examples (2023 Guide).

Lawyers in USA. (2023). 

Types of Damages in Personal Injury Lawsuits. (2023).