Injured in Florida? You Have Plenty of Reasons to Get a Good Attorney!

Perhaps the most common lawsuit that is filed in any court in the United States is some form of personal injury claim. A personal injury case can be anything from a car accident, to a "slip and fall" case, to a medical malpractice claim, to a dog bite case. When you think that you have been a victim and believe that you may have a claim against the person(s) responsible for your injuries, it is very important that you speak with a qualified attorney as quickly as possible.

If you have been injured in the State of Florida and think you have a claim, there is no shortage of lawyers ready to listen. Therefore, finding the right one for you can be very easy or as hard as you make it. Either way, the importance of having a lawyer working for your claim is hard to put into words.

The first step is finding an attorney.  You should start with the obvious - the phone book. Many yellow pages now break down the "attorneys" section into sub-sections that allow you to look for specializations. For this type of case, see if there is a section in your yellow pages for "personal injury attorneys/lawyers." If there is not, many of the firms that place these ads have detailed black advertisements that identify their specialty areas. See if that will help. If the phone book doesn't work for you, try the search engines. The key is in targeting your search terms to your precise type of case. For example, if you were injured in or live in South Florida, you would want to search for "South Florida personal injury lawyer" instead of just "personal injury lawyer." Search engines such as Google now geo-target results for you by providing "local" results. These can give you website links, phone numbers, addresses, and even directions. Today, these results are perhaps the most effective way of searching for your representation.  After you have found a few different lawyers you wish to consult with, schedule consultation appointments. These are typically free of charge and they allow you to discuss the full details of your case with a qualified attorney. You may find that the first one you speak with is the one you want to go with; but don't feel pressure to sign up with anyone. Meet with as many as you need to in order to be comfortable with your lawyer.

Next, it is important to get the right lawyer because each State has their own rules of law regarding personal injury claims. Differences can be procedural (e.g. different statutes of limitations) or substantive (e.g. different types of allowed claims). Both of these types of differences can have great effects on the success of your claim. This is why you must at least meet with a personal injury lawyer to make sure that you have a claim and that you still have time to file it. The State of Florida has very specific laws regarding personal injury cases with details in every aspect from when you can file a claim to what type of claim you can file.

After you have secured your counsel, it is also important that you stay close with them throughout your case.  Most lawyers are managing tens to hundreds of cases at any given time for just as many clients.  Some get bogged down and your claim may not stay at the forefront of their attention.  Don't be afraid to stay in close contact.  Lawyers are guided by standards of conduct which make it their duty to respond to client requests in reasonable time frames.  So, if you are trying to get in touch and they are not getting back to you, you may want to think about a new lawyer who will better serve your interests.

In the end, the difference between having a good lawyer and a bad lawyer could be the difference in getting a good settlement or judgement in your favor and getting thrown out of court.  If you have a case, there is a lawyer out there that wants to help. Take these easy steps to find a personal injury attorney in Florida and you will be able to use the judicial system to get the justice you deserve.