blog home Personal Injury What to look for in a personal injury attorney

What to look for in a personal injury attorney

By Ken Gibson on March 4, 2020

Filing a Virginia personal injury claim can be confusing, to say the least. Beyond dealing with your injuries, your damaged car or other property, and your emotional shock, you now need to know what the law says about your case. This can involve asking some big questions, which the everyday person may not know.  You may turn to a Virginia personal injury attorney for help.

You might be drawn to the lawyers on a billboard, a commercial, or even in a Google search. But how do you choose among those options? If you were renovating your house, you wouldn’t just hire the first contractor who advertised near you without asking a few questions, right?

Doing a little homework is also a good idea with lawyers. When deciding on a personal injury attorney, keep in mind the following questions:

Is bigger always better?

Big firms that claim to handle hundreds or thousands of cases each year may be selling a dream. Would you want a contractor who works on several hundred houses a year? Similarly, you want an attorney who will give your case the time and care it needs. Your personal injury case shouldn’t be a race, but rather a marathon. If an attorney takes a smaller number of cases, that can mean he or she is willing to devote the time and effort needed to make sure you are completely satisfied.

Do results matter?

Using the example above, let’s say that a contractor only renovates one house per month. That sounds good, but you would still want to know how big and difficult those projects were, what they cost, and how satisfied the homeowners were with the results. When attorneys have a good track record, they should be willing to share their case results and reviews with you too.

And even then, don’t be afraid to ask more questions, such as if they have experience with similar cases to yours, or how many cases they’ve taken to trial. Also, pay attention to how they talk about past clients. If they seem to know past clients and care about how their cases went, they are more likely to care about you.

Is communication open and caring?

Make sure the attorney is taking the time to listen to you and ask questions, rather than just telling you what you want to hear. You want your lawyer to be open and honest with you. Also, you want to make sure they care about you, and often that means asking questions about your life.

You want to hear questions like: “How have your injuries affected your daily life? How are your kids handling this? Do you have pets, and is it harder now to take care of them?” If your lawyers are invested in your life, they’ll be invested in making sure you are taken care of during a case.

What’s the cost?

When you first contact a Virginia personal injury lawyer, ask if there is a cost for the initial meeting. Many lawyers offer a free consultation to review your case and see if they are the right fit for you. But it never hurts to confirm that before you meet so you won’t be surprised later.

When you meet with a lawyer, ask about any long-term costs. Some offer a contingency fee, which means they get paid if they win your case. And if they do get paid this way, make sure to ask how much, because it could end up affecting your total settlement.

We would be honored to talk with you

At GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys, we believe that our clients deserve honest, diligent, and thorough representation after an injury. That includes giving each case the time it deserves, paying attention to our clients’ wishes and needs, and advocating for the maximum amount of compensation in a trial or negotiation. We will treat you like a neighbor, and we view it as a calling to serve you. If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s actions, call us at (804) 413-6777, or toll-free (855) 781-6777.

Related Articles:

Posted in: Personal Injury

Share This Page:   

Call our Eastern Virginia office today for a free consultation
at (804) 413-6777 or toll free (855) 781-6777.

Zero Fee Guarantee

It costs you nothing for our firm to represent you. We only get paid when you do. Learn more

Community service

Prevention, empathy, and diligence are hallmarks of everything we do at GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys. Our community can see these ideals lived out in our work to prevent personal injuries from happening.

  • Safety Education
    GibsonSingleton launches a “Texts=Wrecks” campaign to reduce the number of people injured or killed by distracted drivers.
  • Annual Coat Drive
    During the fall, our team works to distribute coats to people in need in our community.
  • Hands-on Service
    John and Ken join the Gloucester Point Rotary Club in cleaning up the community.
  • Supporting Local Schools
    The Gibson family participates in Gloucester’s Botetourt Elementary Shuffle fundraiser.