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One of the biggest mistakes an injured person can make is hiring the first Idaho personal injury lawyer they come across. Unfortunately, it happens often. People who are injured in an accident want to quickly find an attorney so they can file a claim, be reimbursed for their medical bills and/or focus on healing, rather than searching for an attorney. However, hiring the wrong attorney or an attorney you know little about can prove to be a costly mistake. And if you know what to look for in an attorney, you don't have to spend days searching for the right one. Here is the information you should know before you hire an Idaho personal injury lawyer. What Type of Personal Injury Claims the Lawyer Specializes In: Personal injury covers an extensive variety of cases. You have everything from car accidents, medical malpractice claims and workers compensation claims that fall under the umbrella of personal injury. Most attorneys specialize in one or two types of injury claims. However, if business is slow or they see there is money to be made, they make take on a claim that is outside of their specialty. This is good for them, but not necessarily good for you. You want to find an attorney who specializes in the type of claim you have. This ensures they know the specific laws and statutes that apply to your type of claim. What Fees They Charge: Most Idaho personal injury lawyers take a cut of your settlement or award, rather than charging you on an hourly basis. The more they get for you, the more they get for themselves. Most states in the U.S. have statutory caps on attorney fees, typically averaging between 18 and 25 percent of a settlement or award. This means that attorneys can't take more than that percentage in those states. However, the state of Idaho is one of the few states that has no statutory cap in place. This means an attorney can charge whatever percentage of a settlement or award that they deem fair. Therefore, it is extremely important that you understand exactly what fees they charge and what percentage they will take. When you decide to move forward and retain the attorney, make sure the agreed upon amount is included in the retainer paperwork. Whether They Are Handling Your Claim or Someone Else Is: Many clients are shocked to find out that the attorney they originally spoke with or meet with is not necessarily the attorney who will be representing them. This is unfortunate, as many clients end up selecting an attorney based heavily on how comfortable they feel with that particular attorney. However, law offices are quite busy. Therefore, they may have whichever attorney is free at the time meet with you or take your call. Then, they will assign your case to an attorney in the firm based on caseload. One way you protect yourself against this is to ask who will be handling your claim and ask to speak with that person. If the firm refuses, move on to another firm. There are hundreds of different Idaho personal injury lawyer out there, so you should never settle for one. What Their Record Is: Asking a personal injury lawyer about their record is a bit different than asking a criminal attorney about their record. It isn't as clear cut as winning and losing cases. However, a personal injury lawyer should be able to tell you what percentage of their cases they settle before going to trial, what percentage of cases they have won or lost at trial and what their average awarded amount is for cases similar to yours. All of this information will help you find an attorney who has the experience and record to get you the money you deserve following an accident.
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