Prosecuting Your Personal Injury Claim in Anchorage
There are plenty of attorneys in Alaska who will take your personal injury case. But if you want to find the best lawyer, here are some methods for finding such an advocate.
Initially, you want an attorney experienced as a “plaintiff’s lawyer.” To be clear, the best Anchorage Lawyers for your accident case in Anchorage will be the one who, on your behalf, is willing to sue the person or entity that harmed you if it comes to that. Finding attorneys through personal referrals and online searches are usually the best way to find quality representation.
Next, you will want to narrow down the list of candidates by finding as much information as you can about the attorney and/or law firm including, but not limited to, (i) how many years of experience they have, (ii) how they fared in prior decisions and settlements, (iii) what associations and affiliations they belong to in the industry and (iv) what other attorneys know and feel about the attorney you are researching.
After you shrink your list to a few candidates, schedule a meeting with the attorney. Typically, Anchorage Lawyers who practice in the personal injury field will not charge for a consultation. At this meeting, consider how the attorney presents herself and whether she would be effective in front of a judge, jury and other attorneys. Does he make you feel comfortable so that he will be comfortable in a courtroom? If you have questions or input during the prosecution of your case, will this lawyer respond to you?
How will you pay the attorney? Most plaintiff’s personal injury cases are done on a “contingency fee” basis, where the attorney earns a percentage of any monies you recover, so that if you get nothing, he gets nothing. However, it is important to find out what costs (such as witness fees, expert fees, copying, postage, court fees and others) will be deducted from any amount you recover in addition to this contingency fee, so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to settle or go to trial.
Finally, it is imperative that you sign a retainer agreement (sometimes called an engagement agreement). Indeed, it is in the best interest of you and your lawyers to have a clearly defined agreement so that there is no confusion regarding (i) the duties and responsibilities of both lawyer and client, (ii) all monetary matters and (iii) other material matters between the two.
No matter what, if you are not happy with your lawyers, you can, at any point, fire him or her and retain another. Typically, if you do that, the costs and expenses incurred by the former lawyers will likely have to be repaid.
With all these factors in mind, the importance of selecting the best Anchorage Lawyers for advice is crucial. Whether it be completing insurance paperwork, obtaining medical treatment, requesting records, gathering other evidence, complying with the discovery process, appearing for depositions or going to trial, attorneys will know rules you do not. As such, find a great attorney to handle your claim.
