Notes

A Helpful A-to-Z On Fast Programs For Personal Injury Law

Don't Get A Lawyer Before Reading This Article!


Going through the legal system is no simple matter, no matter how uncomplicated your reasons for doing so seem to be. It's just not wise to enter into the situation without good legal advice. The following article can help you make the right decisions when looking to hire a lawyer and what your best moves are.

A good tip if you're looking to bring on a lawyer is to make sure you thoroughly investigate whether or not a certain lawyer will be a good fit. It's generally a good idea to go over a few different lawyers at a time and compare them to each other.

http://www.pearltrees.com/nadiahood might think about paying a lawyer a retainer just in case something catastrophic happens. You will be able to find the perfect lawyer on your time. Having a trusted lawyer on retainer will also give you an expert on hand, should you ever have any legal advice.

Use Google to your advantage when it comes to hiring a lawyer. Look for reviews about any attorney you are considering. If the general consensus is that the attorney you are interested in is lazy and incompetent, you should do your best to look for another attorney to handle your case.

A lawyer who specializes in a specific issue will be an advantage for you. Specialized lawyers can be more expensive but these lawyers have extensive experience with cases like yours. You should avoid lawyers who spend most of their revenue on promoting their services and rely on their good reputation and results instead.

You can find great, local lawyers through online services; however, don't assume these online services screen the lawyers that they recommend properly. It's up to you do research them to see if they are good enough for you to hire them.

Make sure that you and your lawyer communicate well with one another. In fact, it is important to discuss in advance how often you will be talking and by what means. Will your lawyer email you weekly or biweekly? Does he prefer to call you with updates instead? The form of communication doesn't really matter as long as you and your lawyer stay in contact often.

Do not get caught up in false promises made by greedy lawyers. A great lawyer knows there aren't guarantees, and the ones stating otherwise are selling themselves. You need to consider this a red flag during the process of searching for a lawyer.

On the first meeting that you have with your lawyer, tell him that you want to have constant communication through phone calls, emails and face to face contact. This will show that you not only mean business but want to be informed constantly on what is going on with your case.

Try searching online for a lawyer. While there are many industry resources for finding a lawyer, search engines are great for jump-starting your search. You can use them to quickly find local lawyers too. There are also many search engines out there that are specifically made for finding lawyers. Some can narrow down your search to lawyers within certain zip codes and states.

Use the Internet prior to choosing an attorney. Not only can you find attorney listings and backgrounds, but you can find a lot of legal help. Legal-focused forums exist that can give you background information about your matter and guide you to the right specialists. Simple legal matters, like making a will, can sometimes also be handled through legal websites.

When you need a lawyer consider using a lawyer referral service to find a lawyer that specializes in the area that you need. An experienced lawyer that is familiar with all aspects of your type of case will get you the best results. A lawyer referral service is worth paying for to find a good lawyer.

Avoid representing yourself in court. Your scope of knowledge may be limited on the given subject. It is against your best interest to represent yourself in a criminal trial. Your life may be on the line, and a criminal case is nothing to joke about. Having the option does not mean you should take it.

Don't hire the first lawyer that you meet. You should meet with a number of lawyers to get an idea of how they operate. This is the only way that you will find one you are comfortable with. Don't ever settle for a lawyer that doesn't make you feel comfortable or you'll regret it.

Before you hire a lawyer, you need to consult the state bar association to ensure they are in good standing. The state bar will also let you know if there have been any ethical complaints or inquiries filed against the lawyer. This could alert you to some potential problems and save you some money and time beforehand.

Look for someone with a proven track record when hiring a qualified lawyer. Although someone fresh out of law school may be highly skilled and motivated, experience is vital to winning your case. Search public records and ask people you know for a lawyer that is well established in successfully maneuvering within the legal system.

Try to stay away from court appointed lawyers, because their caseloads are really heavy and they will typically not be able to give you as much personal time as a hired attorney. When you are paying for their services they tend to be more personally invested in trying to win your case.

While you may believe that paying more leads to greater quality, it does not. You are paying for the time of the lawyer, and their skill level does not necessarily equate to their pay rate. In the end, it is the amount of time they spend on your case which inflates your bill, not their experience.

If you have any problems at all with a lawyer, from personality conflict to discomfort with fees, keep looking. Don't agree to anything that makes you uncomfortable or causes you concern. For example, some unscrupulous lawyers want clients to sign a blank check to keep on hand. Naturally, this is not a good idea!

With this knowledge under your hat, you should be able to find a great lawyer. Keep what you just read in mind as you meet with lawyers. That way you can find and hire the right attorney to handle your case and get you the outcome you deserve.

Auto insurers play hardball in minor-crash claims
Profitable strategy


The cases, CNN found, illustrate a carefully developed strategy to make the victims look like they are trying to defraud the insurers.


But documents CNN obtained indicate profit, not fraud, is the reason companies decided to play hardball in small accidents.


For Allstate and State Farm, according to documents obtained by CNN, the strategy was developed in the mid-1990s with the assistance of consulting giant McKinsey & Co.


Looking for a way to boost profits, McKinsey focused on soft-tissue injuries incurred in minor crashes.


While the McKinsey documents -- numbered in the thousands -- are under seal in courts around the country, CNN saw several of them during a court hearing in Lexington, Kentucky.


Playing off Allstate's signature slogan, one document recommends the insurer put boxing gloves on its "good hands" for those who insist on going to court.


The strategy, according to former Allstate and State Farm employee Jim Mathis, relies on the three D's -- denying a claim, delaying settlement of the claim and defending against the claim in court.


"The profits are good, and as long as the community, the public allows this to occur, the insurance companies will get richer and people ... will not get a fair and reasonable settlement," Mathis said.


Both Allstate and State Farm declined requests for interviews.


In an e-mail, Allstate wrote it did not believe it would "have any real opportunity of being successful in getting you (CNN) to do a balanced report."


State Farm wrote: "We take customer service seriously and seek to pay what we owe, promptly, courteously and efficiently, and we handle each claim on its own merits."


The company also said, "Any attempt to generalize that State Farm adopted consultant recommendations as other insurers is just plain wrong."


A company spokesman sent an additional e-mail, saying that the company did work with McKinsey to improve claims handling but State Farm stopped using the McKinsey program in 1999.


Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, told CNN insurers do not have a strategy of blanket denial of claims. He also said strategies to limit expenditures on minor-impact crashes are needed to fight fraud.


Hartwig specifically singled out lawyers who he claims make a living on car accident victims, saying those lawyers are upset because "the gravy train is over."






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