What to Look for When Hiring a Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorney

When you’ve suffered injuries in a Las Vegas accident, it’s in your best interest to seek qualified representation as soon as possible. That being said, there are a very large number of attorneys to choose from in Sin City, and claimants may be wondering how to go about selecting the attorney that best fits their needs.

So, here are a few tips to consider the next time you’re in need of a Las Vegas personal injury attorney:

Think About Your Priorities–What are You Looking For?

The first thing to do when looking for a personal injury attorney is to think about what your goals and priorities are for your claim. Attorney-client relationships are unique because of how intensive and personal they can be, so you should consider questions like:

• What kind of personalities do you work well with?
• Do you prefer a small, intimate office or a large, well-known firm?
• Do you care solely about the outcome of your case?
• Do you have experience working with attorneys in the past? What did you like or dislike about those experiences?

It helps to have a general sense of what you want before you begin searching for attorneys, as this will make the selection process much easier and shorter. You will have a better idea of what to ask during your consultation, and you will be more confident in making the right decision.

Research Potential Attorneys and Make Sure They are Local to the Area

The internet has become an amazing resource for researching attorneys and firms before you actually start scheduling meetings. When looking at prospective attorneys, it helps to read through any reviews and testimonials that may be available online, especially from clients whose cases were similar to yours.

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Your search should include both their personal or firm website as well as third-party review platforms such as Yelp!, Facebook, and Avvo. One thing to keep in mind when researching attorneys is that nearly all of them will have at least one negative review, as it is simply not possible to please every client all the time.

Lastly, make sure that the attorney is in fact licensed to practice in Nevada–this may seem obvious, but stranger things have certainly happened. Even if they are licensed but not based in Nevada, it is usually better to opt for a local attorney.

Always Have an In-Person Consultation

As mentioned above, attorney-client relationships are extremely personal, so it’s important to actually meet face-to-face (or virtually, given recent circumstances) in order to make sure that you get along well with them and feel comfortable retaining their services. Almost all personal injury attorneys offer free case reviews, and you should steer clear of any attorney who does charge for an initial consultation.

Here are some sample questions you may want to ask:

• What is your practice specialty?
• How many years have you been practicing?
• What experience do you have with cases like mine?
• What are the details of the retainer agreement?
• Would you personally work on my case or will it be delegated to junior attorneys?
• How long do you think the process will take?
• What is your trial experience?

Try to Find Attorneys or Firms With Lots of Resources, Experience, and Trial Capabilities

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While we certainly don’t mean to disparage young attorneys or solo practitioners, the bottom line is that you will only get one opportunity to file your claim and recover compensation. When your money is on the line, it’s best to find an attorney with a lot of experience, ample resources, and a proven trial record, in order to give yourself the best chance of success. Injury claims are often filed against powerful institutions who have all of these at their disposal, so you may as well fight fire with fire.

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Fledgling attorneys and small firms simply may not have the firepower to handle your claim effectively. Larger firms often have resources and connections at their disposal, such as access to high-tech medical treatment, relationships with expert witnesses, and a large staff to ensure cases move along as they should.

Trial experience is also particularly important, as you need to feel confident that you will stand a fighting chance in court if the case proceeds to litigation. Here are some questions you may want to ask:

• How many successful verdicts have you recovered so far, and what is the average amount?
• Do you think my case has a chance of going to trial?
• What would your strategy be if a suit is filed?

Make Sure the Attorney Works on Contingency, and Go Over All Financial Details

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, make sure all financial-related questions are answered as clearly as possible so that you know exactly what the attorney’s fees are and what expenses you may or may not have to pay. Disputes over money can completely derail a case and fracture an attorney-client relationship very quickly, so you must make sure all the details are laid out before you sign a retainer agreement.

Make sure that the prospective attorney operates on contingency. This means that they will only collect their fees from any settlement or verdict that they recover for you–you will often hear this advertised as “you don’t pay if we don’t win” or something similar. To be clear, always avoid personal injury attorneys who do not operate on contingency, as this is considered bad practice and is seen as untrustworthy.

Need an Attorney’s Help? Contact Van Law Firm

If you’re looking for an experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney, look no further than Van Law Firm. Our award-winning legal team has defended the rights of injured Nevadans for nearly ten years now, and we’re ready to help you too. Simply call us (725) 900-9000 to schedule a risk-free consultation and case review.