Arizona Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have suffered an injury resulting in significant damages you will need to hire a Arizona personal injury lawyer.In Flagstaff, AZ, there are probably quite a few pages of Arizona personal injury lawyer listings in the phone book. How do you pick the right one? What do you look for? What questions should you ask? Here are some things you should know before hiring your Arizona personal injury lawyer...The sooner you can find an attorney the better. Start your search for your Arizona personal injury lawyer a least within a week of your accident. If you are unable to do so, you should have a friend or relative look for one. The sooner you get started on your case the better. Hire a Arizona personal injury lawyer that specializes in your type of injuries. Look around and do research before signing the retainer agreement. Visit the firm's website. Most every good law firm has a website. Read up on the history of the firm, and each lawyer's biographical information. Ask the lawyer for some references and ask how much experience they have in handling cases with similar injuries. What settlement awards did they get in those cases?Set up an appointment and have a face-to-face meeting with your prospective lawyer. Your Arizona personal injury lawyer is going to be your closest advisor during this difficult time. You should feel comfortable and trust your lawyer. The only way you will get to know your attorney is by having a sit-down to discuss your case. Any good personal injury lawyer will give you an initial consultation free of charge.The lawyer you hire should be willing to take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that your lawyer will not get paid unless you get paid. He/she will take his/her fee out of the money you receive for your injuries. You can expect your lawyer to take about 33% of your final settlement - that's after expenses are taken off the top. Make sure you clearly understand the payment structure before you sign the retainer agreement.Watch out for ambulance chasers. These are lawyers that get lots of minor personal injury cases and settle them quickly out of court. They make their profit from high turnover. They will not put very much time or effort into your case. They are looking for the quick buck. If you decide to go the quick settlement route, then be prepared to accept less than what your case is really worth.Make sure the lawyer you hire has a good Martindale-Hubbell rating. This service evaluates lawyers in the U.S. and Canada based on peer review. Their website, Martindale.com has a helpful lawyer locator service and will explain the rating system.Remember one of the most important things in your relationship with your personal injury lawyer, always be completely open and honest when discussing your case. Tell the lawyer as much as you can about what happened. Try to remember every detail. Any documentation and pictures you have of your injuries and treatment will be a big help when evaluating your case.NEVER, never. Did I say never? Never give a recorded statement to a representative from any insurance company until you've consulted a lawyer. When the insurance company rep. asks you for a statement, simply say, "I'm not prepared to give a statement at this time." A recorded  statement can be used as evidence and if you're not prepared you might overlook important details. Anything you miss (or misrepresent) can be used against you in settlement negotiations and in the trial.