One of the worst scenarios most of us could ever imagine ourselves in would be a serious accident. Most of us take great caution and care to minimize the risk of something bad happening to us, or to the people around us.
That said – it is an unfortunate fact that tragic accidents happen in our country all the time.
According to data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year there are over 20 million reports of people going to the emergency room or a doctor’s office for an injury that happened unintentionally.
Whether it’s from a dog bite, a car accident, a slip, and fall, or even an accident that happened at work, many of these situations could have been prevented if someone would have been paying closer attention or following certain rules and regulations that have been put in place to keep such accidents from happening.
Not only are accidents like this usually preventable but – for the personal injury victims who have been hurt in the accident – they are now having to deal with more than just their pain, injuries, and suffering.
Being the victim of a personal injury can be incredibly overwhelming.
From having to deal with serious injuries to having to now deal with insurance companies, ongoing medical treatment, medical bills, and probably even lost wages because of time off work, a personal injury victim will need to find support through the difficult process of healing and getting their life back on track.
This is where the best personal injury attorneys Los Angeles has to offer can help.
What Is a Personal Injury Lawyer?
When an individual graduates from law school, they have a variety of different paths their career can follow.
Deciding to become a personal injury lawyer Los Angeles is usually a decision that’s made by those individuals who have a strong desire to advocate for others.
Personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles believe that justice – above all else – should be served, particularly in situations where personal injuries or even a wrongful death occurred because of another person’s negligence, wrongdoing, or intentional ill will.
When a person is hurt at the hands of another, they need an advocate in their corner.
And this is where the personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can help.
Personal injury lawyers work in the field of what is called tort law.Tort law is often referred to as the law of wrongful injuries. It is the law that represents an individual when they have been unfairly wronged and/or injured and works to protect and compensate people when such acts have occurred.
Though there are many examples of tort law, some common ones include things like motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice personal injury lawsuits, animal attacks, and assault and battery charges.
If you or someone you love has been a victim of any of these sorts of incidences, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention, then quickly find an experienced personal injury attorney in Los Angeles who is well-versed in tort law to help you.
It is unfortunate, but oftentimes when a personal injury claim is suspected, the person responsible for the accident will quickly contact their attorney or insurance company for guidance.
They may work quickly to try and prove that the personal injuries caused to you were not their fault.
For this reason, you will need to act quickly and have someone who knows the laws of your area give you the guidance you need throughout this process.
How Do I Find an Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer?
In the United States today, it is estimated that there are well over 100,000 attorneys who are practicing in the field of personal injury claims.
Out of these 100,000 attorneys, most will have several personal injury cases that they are representing at any given time.
Though many personal injury claims end up being settled out of court, many personal injury lawyers Los Angeles has to offer will also have at least one case at a time that is being litigated within a court of law.
So the question remains…with so many personal injury lawyers out there – and so many personal injury cases being settled and/or litigated – how do you choose the right personal injury attorney and the right personal injury law firm for your case?
Your specific personal injury case is going to be unique to your circumstances, and you need to make sure that you find the personal injury attorney that is going to be best at finding you the justice you deserve and the compensation you need to move forward with your life.
And though every case is different, there are some specific things you can look for when choosing your own personal injury lawyer.
#1 – Find a Personal Injury Lawyer by Word of Mouth
For many people, having a personal injury lawyer on their speed dial is probably not very common.
That said, because so many personal injury claims are filed every year, most of us very likely have at least one friend or relative who has had to hire a personal injury lawyer at some point in the not-too-distant past.
A great place to start when you are trying to find the right personal injury attorney to work with your case would be to ask friends and family if they have used a personal injury law firm and – if so – were they pleased with the work that the firm did on their behalf.
For example, maybe you remember a co-worker having to take time off work last summer when her child was bitten by a dog at the park and suffered catastrophic injuries that resulted in months of intensive medical treatment.
She had talked about how difficult it was to arrange doctor’s visits and get the person responsible to take ownership for what their dog had done.
But – thanks to the personal injury attorney she hired – she was able to reach an agreement with the dog owner and get compensation for her child’s medical bills, her lost wages, and the pain and suffering the whole incident caused for both her and her family.
Another example might be a relative who was in a car accident recently.
You remember that they had to hire a personal injury lawyer to help them get the other person’s insurance company to pay the damages that were done to them and their vehicle, since the person responsible for the car accident was not adhering to certain traffic laws, which resulted in the accident taking place.
Spend some time and think about people you know who have had to hire an attorney for something that happened to them because of someone else’s negligence.
Most people will be happy to share with you the experience they had with their attorney and whether or not they felt satisfied with the way in which that attorney handled their personal injury case.
#2 – Find a Personal Injury Lawyer by Referral
Another great way to find the right personal injury attorney for your personal injury claim is to do it through a referral network.
For example, an attorney who practices estate law may have a client who recently worked with them to get their will, trust, or other personal estate documents prepared.
Perhaps – after doing that work – that same client was then involved in a motor vehicle accident.
The estate lawyer will often be contacted by the victim or their family to find out if they know of a reputable and experienced personal injury attorney that could help them with their personal injury claim against the other driver who caused the accident.
Similar to doctors who often can refer patients to different specialists, other attorneys can be a great resource in helping someone find personal injury attorneys when they need one.
Another way to get a referral for a good personal injury attorney may be through your state bar association.
Each attorney needs to be licensed to practice in their specific state. In California, for example, California law requires that any attorney who is practicing law in that state be licensed by the California Bar Association.
Because of these types of licensing requirements, finding a good attorney with a positive reputation through the state bar may be a great place to start.
#3 – Find a Personal Injury Lawyer Through Interviews
If you have not had any luck finding a personal injury lawyer through word of mouth or referrals, another straightforward way to locate one is by interviewing them.
When you first reach out to a law firm, make sure you have as many details as possible regarding your personal injury case.
This way, the person who takes your initial call can best match you with the attorney in their firm who is going to be a good fit for you.
Some Los Angeles personal injury lawyers may have more experience with personal injury cases that have involved car accidents.
Others may be highly skilled at dealing with medical malpractice cases.
There may even be parts of your personality that will mesh better with one attorney or another.
Remember, your case is unique to you and it’s important that you feel that the person providing you with legal representation truly has your best interest at heart.
Once you’ve reached out to a law firm that specializes in personal injury lawsuits, take some time to not only meet with the attorney (or attorneys at that firm) but also get to know a bit about their support staff as well.
In a personal injury lawsuit, you will most likely find yourself interacting not just with your attorney, but with other people who are part of that law firm as well.
Most personal injury lawyers will have paralegals who help keep track of documents that pertain to your case. They will also conduct legal research on your personal injury lawsuit and may even be involved in interviewing witnesses or helping coordinate depositions, if needed.
Your attorney will likely have a legal secretary as well.
This person will be responsible for setting meeting times, keeping track of billed hours, and helping to coordinate paperwork as it is collected for your legal process.
They may also be in charge of collecting any financial compensation that comes in, or keeping track of insurance company payments or medical bills on your behalf.
Regardless of what type of support staff a law firm employs, it’s going to be in your best interest to get to know a bit about the people who may be working on your case so that you can feel confident that this is the right law firm for you.
Finally, remember this as well:Even if you think you’ve found the best personal injury lawyer in town, it’s never a bad idea to interview more than one before you make your final decision.
The best personal injury lawyers Los Angeles has to offer will have no problem taking the time to speak with you about the details of your case and answer any and all questions that you may have.
They will also understand that you need time to make your decision and that you may be interviewing more than one law firm in the process.
If a law firm at any point starts to pressure you into making a decision, or trying to convince you that they are the best personal injury lawyers without you figuring that out for yourself, then this is a red flag for you to recognize.
A reputable and highly skilled personal injury law firm does not have to bully or berate potential clients in order to secure their cases.
Looking for a Personal Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles?
If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer who practices in Los Angeles, CA then we would be honored for you to give us a call.
At the law offices of John J. Perlstein, we specialize in helping injury victims find the justice and financial compensation they deserve.
Personal injury law is the only type of law that we practice.
Because of that, our attorneys are highly skilled at understanding what your legal rights are and how the legal system works in Los Angeles, CA, and the surrounding Southern California area.
And whether your personal injury case has resulted in something as straightforward as some minor personal injuries or in something as tragic as a wrongful death, we welcome you coming to talk to us about your case.
Setting up a free consultation with one of our skilled personal injury attorneys is easy, and our staff will happily help match you with the attorney that is going to be best suited to represent your case.
Ready to Set Up Your Free Consultation?
If you have a personal injury suit and need to hire one of the best personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, give our office a call today at 213-252-1070.
Once we set an appointment to speak with you, we can begin discussing how an accident lawyer at our firm can begin working for you.
Car accidents, dog bites, and medical malpractice cases are all situations where an experienced personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles can make a big difference in whether or not you will be able to receive the maximum compensation at the outcome of your case.
Don’t leave your future in the hands of just anyone.
Make sure you do your research and hire one of the best personal injury attorneys Los Angeles has to offer to support and advocate for you through this difficult time.
You deserve to be compensated for your pain, suffering, and injuries.
And you deserve the best legal representation you can find.
We are excited for you to reach out to us today.
John J. Perlstein
Top rated personal injury attorney in Beverly Hills, California