Your Los Angeles personal injury attorney should provide a free initial consultation. Most cases they represent deal with slips and falls, dog bites, work related injuries, wrongful death, motorcycle and automobile accidents, and all other types of injuries. A Los Angeles personal injury attorney will help you
- File your complaint in court
- Acquire the information needed to present your case
- Work with insurance companies to get the money owed you
- Find out who is at fault
- Work with doctors and others to find out how the injury will affect your life
When you are looking for a Los Angeles personal injury attorney there are some details to consider. If you do not receive any money from your suit, there are some attorneys that will not charge you, others will. You may need a bilingual lawyer. You’ll want an attorney that you can reach if something comes up or if you have questions, so right from the beginning, ask the best way and times to get in touch with your attorney. Some offer 24 hour emergency services. And you’ll want to know how much experience the firm has, how successful they are, and how much they charge. Often law firms charge per month it takes to resolve your case. Others have an hourly charge. Find out which one works best for you before you sign on for anything.
You will also want to know what specific experience the attorney you are considering has with your specific injury. For example, if you have been munched on by a dog, you will want to know whether they have experience with dog bite cases, or if they do more of the vehicle accident cases?
If you have suffered a serious, life changing injury (blindness, brain damage, hearing loss) then you will want to find a Los Angeles personal injury attorney that has experience with these types of cases.
Attorneys recommend that after you are injured, but are not in a life threatening situations, take pictures of your injuries and anything else that is damaged, find out names and contact information of any who may have witnessed your accident, and report the accident to the police immediately. Doing these things will help your attorney when he or she is presenting your case.
The amount you receive if you win your personal injury suit depends on several things. First, it depends on the amount of your medical costs. If you had a job, and can not work because of the accident, you may be able to collect lost wages. If you are injured badly enough then you may have the right to future lost wages and future medical bills. The amount requested in each of these areas will be determined by you, your attorney, and your doctor. A dollar amount for pain and suffering may also be included in your personal injury case.
Determining whether or not you want an attorney is up to you. If you decide you want one, remember to find an attorney that has experience in your area, and do your best to gather what information you are able to at the time of your accident.
By Clint Hunter