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Good Florida Personal Injury Attorneys: Do’s and Don’ts

Sep 14th, 2011
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When you have suffered a personal injury in Florida due to the negligence of an individual, company or insurance company, you need a good Florida personal injury attorney. However, how do you choose a personal injury lawyer who has your best interest at heart, that is truly going to fight for your rights?

All personal injury law firms are not created equal, nor are all lawyers. If you are looking for a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney, here are some do’s and don’ts when choosing the best personal injury lawyer to advocate your case.

Contact the Florida Local Bar Association who will be able to recommend a good personal injury attorney familiar with Florida state and federal laws. You want a local personal injury attorney to defend you local case. The personal injury laws are different in every state – you want a lawyer who is licensed to practice law in Florida.
Research their experience. Experience, experience, experience can’t be said enough when it comes to personal injury attorneys. Examine their track record of success.
Ask for a referral from another attorney (e.g. if you need a criminal attorney, ask a civil attorney and vice versa) or professionals that work closely with personal injury attorneys – accountants, estate planners, financial institutions, etc. Or ask a trusted friend or associate for advice.
Discuss the fees upfront. Is there a free initial consultation? Will you proceed on an hourly basis or a retainer? Many personal injury attorneys will allow you to pay them out of your settlement.
Choose a personal injury lawyer that is a good negotiator. Most cases do not go to court – they are settled out of court. Good at negotiation is a good quality in a personal injury lawyer.
See if your personal injury lawyer belongs to local associations and memberships, taking an active involvement in the community. For instance, in the Fort Lauderdale area, many personal injury attorneys belong to the Florida Justice Association,   the Broward County Justice Association, the Florida Admiralty Trial Lawyers Association, etc.
Check out their rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Directory. “AV” is the best ethics rating. This is a peer review by other attorneys.
Make sure your personal injury lawyer is insured, including “Errors and Omissions” insurance, just in case he/she makes a mistake in your case.
Evaluate how the lawyer’s office is run. Make sure the legal staff is qualified, phone calls are returned, updates are given, etc.

Pick a Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorney from a TV commercial, radio spot or the Yellow Pages.
Choose an ambulance chaser who sets unrealistic expectation for your case.
Choose a personal injury lawyer who promises big payouts upfront.
Select a personal injury attorney because he tells you what you want to hear.
Pick a lawyer that always settles versus goes to trial. Sometimes it makes sense to go to trial. Some Florida personal injury attorneys will settle quickly, just wanting to get on to the next case!
Choose a personal injury lawyer that only delivers good news – in most cases there are good and bad. Choose a personal injury attorney that has the guts to look you in the eye and tell you the brutal truth – whether things are going right or wrong.

Choosing the right Florida personal injury attorney is a big decision.  Decide who is the best person to go to bat for you!

Music video by Fergie performing Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal). (C) 2007 will.i.am Music Group/A&M Records
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If I Don’t Need To Pay An Hourly Rate, How Do Personal Injury Lawyers Get Paid?

Feb 26th, 2011
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Whether you have every needed the services of a personal injury lawyer or not, you have probably heard the term “contingent fee arrangement”. What exactly does the term “contingent fee arrangementWhether you have every needed the services of a personal injury lawyer or not, you have probably heard the term “contingent fee arrangement”. What exactly does the term “contingent fee arrangement” mean and when do lawyers get paid by a contingent fee arrangement? A contingent fee arrangement basically means that your lawyer will receive a percentage of the monetary settlement that you, the client, ultimately receive. Under a contingent fee arrangement, if you do not receive and money at the end of your case, then your personal injury lawyers does not receive anything either. State laws fix the maximum percentage that a personal injury lawyer may receive from a settlement; however a standard percentage is around one-third of the final settlement.

Contingency fee arrangements are most common in personal injury lawsuits and in fact are forbidden in other types of legal matters such as criminal cases and divorce proceedings. Why are contingency fee arrangements allowed in personal injury lawsuits? The idea behind allowing a personal injury lawyer to collect a contingency fee is that without an arrangement where the personal injury lawyer gets paid when the case is settled, many people would effectively not have access to the judicial system. Personal injury lawsuits can frequently be very costly after you factor in the administrative costs of the lawsuits, the personal injury lawyers time, his staff’s time, experts testimony fees and other miscellaneous costs. Many people could not afford to pay all of the fees up front even before being involved in an accident. After an auto accident many people are left with no vehicle, a pile of medical bills and less income from lost time at work. If they were required to pay their personal injury attorney up front, or as she worked the case, then most people would never be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and therefore would not receive the compensation they deserve. Another consequence of a system that did not allow personal injury attorneys to accept contingency fees would be that more people might be inclined to behave negligently if they knew that very few people would actually sue them and force them to be responsible for their negligence.

Another reason for allowing personal injury lawyers to collect contingency fees is that it encourages the lawyer to fight as hard as possible for his client. If their interests are both dependent on the end result, then the personal injury lawyer has as much invested in the outcome as the client. This makes for a win-win situation for both the client and the personal injury lawyer. Likewise, it cuts down on frivolous lawsuits or on negligence claims that have no merit. If a client presents a personal injury lawyer with a set of facts that the personal injury lawyers knows will not amount to a meritorious personal injury lawsuit, then he is more likely to decline to represent the client and thereby avoid a lawsuit that can’t be won. Clients, therefore, can be reasonably assured that if a personal injury lawyer decides to represent them that they will recover something in the end.

Finally, if for some reason, the personal injury lawyer is not able to garner any compensation for the client, then the client owes the personal injury lawyer nothing. Again, this allows injured people that otherwise would not be able to risk filing a lawsuit the opportunity to do so without risking anything.” mean and when do lawyers get paid by a contingent fee arrangement? A contingent fee arrangement basically means that your lawyer will receive a percentage of the monetary settlement that you, the client, ultimately receive. Under a contingent fee arrangement, if you do not receive and money at the end of your case, then your personal injury lawyers does not receive anything either. State laws fix the maximum percentage that a personal injury lawyer may receive from a settlement; however a standard percentage is around one-third of the final settlement.

Contingency fee arrangements are most common in personal injury lawsuits and in fact are forbidden in other types of legal matters such as criminal cases and divorce proceedings. Why are contingency fee arrangements allowed in personal injury lawsuits? The idea behind allowing a personal injury lawyer to collect a contingency fee is that without an arrangement where the personal injury lawyer gets paid when the case is settled, many people would effectively not have access to the judicial system. Personal injury lawsuits can frequently be very costly after you factor in the administrative costs of the lawsuits, the personal injury lawyers time, his staff’s time, experts testimony fees and other miscellaneous costs. Many people could not afford to pay all of the fees up front even before being involved in an accident. After an auto accident many people are left with no vehicle, a pile of medical bills and less income from lost time at work. If they were required to pay their personal injury attorney up front, or as she worked the case, then most people would never be able to file a personal injury lawsuit and therefore would not receive the compensation they deserve. Another consequence of a system that did not allow personal injury attorneys to accept contingency fees would be that more people might be inclined to behave negligently if they knew that very few people would actually sue them and force them to be responsible for their negligence.

Another reason for allowing personal injury lawyers to collect contingency fees is that it encourages the lawyer to fight as hard as possible for his client. If their interests are both dependent on the end result, then the personal injury lawyer has as much invested in the outcome as the client. This makes for a win-win situation for both the client and the personal injury lawyer. Likewise, it cuts down on frivolous lawsuits or on negligence claims that have no merit. If a client presents a personal injury lawyer with a set of facts that the personal injury lawyers knows will not amount to a meritorious personal injury lawsuit, then he is more likely to decline to represent the client and thereby avoid a lawsuit that can’t be won. Clients, therefore, can be reasonably assured that if a personal injury lawyer decides to represent them that they will recover something in the end.

Finally, if for some reason, the personal injury lawyer is not able to garner any compensation for the client, then the client owes the personal injury lawyer nothing. Again, this allows injured people that otherwise would not be able to risk filing a lawsuit the opportunity to do so without risking anything.

Mae Sta. Maria is a writer who admired most the profession of a Personal Injury Lawyer and an Auto Accident Attorney, that’s why she showed great interest in reading and writing articles related to Personal Injury topics.


Article from articlesbase.com

Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer explains calculating your accident settlement

Nov 12th, 2010
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Ottawa Lawyers:  Calculating Your Settlement 

1. Damages 

First you must understand what damages you are entitled to.  If your accident or injury caused you to miss time and wages from your work, you are entitled to receive those lost wages in your compensation.  If your injury requires you to take long term disability, you should be compensated for that as well.  Any property damages as a result of your accident, as well as emotional trauma and medical bills from physical trauma, these are all things that you will want to calculate in as damages for your compensation.  Experienced Ottawa lawyers can help you figure out what your damages are from your accident and ensure that you are properly compensated. 

Who’s More at Fault? 

Another factor in determining settlement amounts is the percentage of fault.  In order to win a case, Ottawa lawyers must have evidence that the accident or injury was due to the negligence of the other party.  However, 100% of the injury need not be their fault.  Typically some of the blame may lie on the side of the injured party, and in that case the insurance company and the victim can come to a conclusion as to what percent of the accident was the fault of the injured party and what percent was the fault of the other party.   

Once a conclusion has been reached, there is a new calculation of the possible settlement amount.  After adding up all of the damage amounts, including lost wages, disability, mental anguish, and anything else you may feel entitled to, the percentage that is attributed to your fault is then taken out of the equation.  For example, if your damages total ,000, and it is decided that you are 30% to blame for the accident, you would be seeking out 0 in compensation for your losses.  Experienced Ottawa lawyers may try to argue for more on your behalf, but this is the number that will typically begin the negotiations. 

If you or a loved one has been injured or died as the result of an accident, you may be entitled to accident benefits you are not receiving. As an Ottawa lpersonal injury lawyer specializing in personal injury, I meet with people daily who have been seriously hurt and need help. Call me at 613 978-9549 or email info@ottawainjury.ca for more information and a free consultation.

                                      Visit www.ottawainjury.ca

As one of Ottawa’s top personal injury Ottawa lawyers, David Hollingsworth has been with Goldberg Stroud LLP, an Ottawa law firm of more than 50 years. Over 10 years ago, David decided to specialize in personal injury because he found that working one on one with clients and making a tremendous difference in their lives was what motivated him to continue to research best practices in personal injury law and network with other Ottawa lawyers and as a result he is now one of the top personal injury Ottawa lawyers.


Article from articlesbase.com

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Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer explains how to calculate your accident settlement

Nov 8th, 2010
by admin.
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Ottawa Lawyers:  Calculating Your Settlement 

1. Damages 

First you must understand what damages you are entitled to.  If your accident or injury caused you to miss time and wages from your work, you are entitled to receive those lost wages in your compensation.  If your injury requires you to take long term disability, you should be compensated for that as well.  Any property damages as a result of your accident, as well as emotional trauma and medical bills from physical trauma, these are all things that you will want to calculate in as damages for your compensation.  Experienced Ottawa lawyers can help you figure out what your damages are from your accident and ensure that you are properly compensated. 

Who’s More at Fault? 

Another factor in determining settlement amounts is the percentage of fault.  In order to win a case, Ottawa lawyers must have evidence that the accident or injury was due to the negligence of the other party.  However, 100% of the injury need not be their fault.  Typically some of the blame may lie on the side of the injured party, and in that case the insurance company and the victim can come to a conclusion as to what percent of the accident was the fault of the injured party and what percent was the fault of the other party.   

Once a conclusion has been reached, there is a new calculation of the possible settlement amount.  After adding up all of the damage amounts, including lost wages, disability, mental anguish, and anything else you may feel entitled to, the percentage that is attributed to your fault is then taken out of the equation.  For example, if your damages total ,000, and it is decided that you are 30% to blame for the accident, you would be seeking out 0 in compensation for your losses.  Experienced Ottawa lawyers may try to argue for more on your behalf, but this is the number that will typically begin the negotiations. 

If you or a loved one has been injured or died as the result of an accident, you may be entitled to accident benefits you are not receiving. As an Ottawa lpersonal injury lawyer specializing in personal injury, I meet with people daily who have been seriously hurt and need help. Visit www.ottawainjury.ca for more information.

As one of Ottawa’s top personal injury Ottawa lawyers, David Hollingsworth has been with Goldberg Stroud LLP, an Ottawa law firm of more than 50 years. Over 10 years ago, David decided to specialize in personal injury because he found that working one on one with clients and making a tremendous difference in their lives was what motivated him to continue to research best practices in personal injury law and network with other Ottawa lawyers and as a result he is now one of the top personal injury Ottawa lawyers. Visit www.ottawainjury.ca


Article from articlesbase.com

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Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Top Ottawa Lawyers and Ontario Lawyers for Personal Injury

Nov 7th, 2010
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Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer- David Hollingsworth…The whirlwind process of sifting through Ottawa lawyers and Ontario lawyers after an accident to find the right one is often plagued with potential pitfalls.  For many, their accident or injury is the first time they have had to deal with lawyers and they do not know the protocol.  If you can avoid a few things when selecting from the pool of Ottawa lawyers and Ontario lawyers, you can ensure that your legal action is victorious and the process is bearable.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.  Some Ontario lawyers and Ottawa lawyers may try to lure you in by presenting themselves as successful.  They may have expensive cars and their office may be exquisitely decorated, but make no mistake, this does not reflect on their skills and experience as a lawyer.  Likewise, a minimal office and conservative car does not mean anything either.  Be sure that you are not judging your lawyer by appearances instead of expertise.

Don’t hire a lawyer based only on referrals from friends.  Of course, when your friends refer you to their Ontario lawyers and Ottawa lawyers they have nothing but your best interest in mind.  However, your friends may have varied reasons for making this referral.  Perhaps this lawyer did well for their case, but the case and details were very different than yours.  Another possibility is that your friend got along really well with this lawyer and is recommending them based on their good rapport.  While a good rapport with your lawyer is essential, it is no substitute for experience.  Taking your friend’s recommendation could leave you with a lawyer that is not right for you, and your frustration as a result of this fact could put undue strain on your friendship.  So consider each candidate carefully, referred or not, before you make your decision.

Don’t forget to check his track record and trial experience.  Track records do not lie.  Find out how many of his cases he wins, and if there are more wins than losses, you can be confident that they will win your case for you.  Also, make sure that they are willing to take your case to court.  Ontario lawyers and Ottawa lawyers without trial experience, and who would rather settle than go to court, are not a good choice.  You want to know that your lawyer will stand by you if the insurance company refuses to pay what you deserve and that if all else fails, they will take them to court.

Don’t be drawn in by advertising.  Novel ads and spirited commercials might be a good way to discover Ontario lawyers and Ottawa lawyers, but they do not really tell you much about the lawyers themselves.  If you decide to use a lawyer based on their advertisements, be sure to investigate them fully before hiring them.  Ensure that all of their advertised claims are true, and find out their experience with cases like yours.

Don’t forget to have backups.  Depending on one person or Ottawa or Ontario law firm to work on your behalf can be nerve-racking, so when you research potential Ontario lawyers and Ottawa lawyers, be sure to keep a few backups on hand.  In the case that you and your lawyer are not seeing eye to eye, or your lawyer refuses to take the insurance company to court, you need a list of vetted options to fall back on.

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