When you are injured, your gut reaction is to seek as much compensation as possible for those injuries. While it is vital that you at least speak with a personal injury lawyer about your case, a few key things are important to know before hiring a lawyer.

1. Costs

The very first thing to keep in mind is the charges that will be associated with a personal injury lawyer. While the consultations are usually free, other fees are often assessed. Most personal injury firms will work on a contingency fee. This will help you to negotiate your settlement with legal support, while not having to pay anything up front. They are only paid if your case produces a recovery for the injury you sustained. On the other hand, you need to know what the expenses will be when you settle. Find out what expenses are not part of the contingency amount, because there will be additional costs. The fee simply covers your lawyer, not any of the resources he or she may need.

2. Time Involved

An accident is instantaneous; however, seeking restitution for an injury is not. You need to use good judgment when selecting a personal injury lawyer to handle your claim and look at their experience. Good firms will give you a realistic period for when you can expect your settlement will be reached.

3. Trials Are Not Necessities

Most cases will settle before they go to trial. If a lawyer says trial is not necessary, do not immediately think they are trying to dodge a jury. However, if they are leery of going to court and they are pushing you to negotiate for a settlement much less than what you were expecting, then you should be leery. The defendant is the party supposedly responsible and they must produce evidence as to why they should win.

Even if you opt to go to a personal injury law firm, not all cases are guaranteed. If you are guaranteed a result when talking to a lawyer, then you need to walk away from that personal injury firm. Honest opinions should be handed out, but never a promise of winning. When money and a jury are involved, you can never be certain of a result, even if you believe you are entitled to payment.