If your child has been injured in any way, what matters most is that they recover and receive the very best of care. Afterwards, should you suspect wrongdoing or negligence as the cause and have enough evidence to support your claim, you’ll likely wish to seek justice and appropriate compensation.
While this can be a difficult situation for any parent, having the right child injury lawyer at your side can alleviate considerable stress and improve your chances of winning in a court of law. Here’s what to look for when choosing one.
How Experienced is Your Lawyer?
The longer your lawyer has been practicing, the more they should know what works and what doesn’t. Search for lawyers who have received awards for excellence and have an established positive reputation. Such accolades and testimonials are usually displayed on their website. Ideally, seek out one who has a demonstrated history of success in child injury law. Though the details of previous cases may remain confidential, they should at least be able to provide you with some proof of positive results.
What is Their Fee Structure?
Lawyers utilize one of several types of payment agreements. For instance, you may end up paying a flat fee for your lawyer’s services or an hourly rate. Others have a contingency fee arrangement, and it means that they will be paid a percentage of your settlement – in other words, they normally don’t get paid until you do. Lawyers who have contingency fee agreements in place are confident that they’ll win but, if they don’t, you may have to cover other court-related fees, such as paying for expert witnesses who were called to testify. It is important to note that any fees charged to a minor, or a person under a disability, must be approved by the Court before they are paid.
Are they Willing to Answer Your Questions?
You should be able to book a free interview with the law firm you’re thinking of hiring so that you can get to know the lawyer you’ll be working with. You may wish to create a list of questions that centre around what you want to know about your lawyer. If you’re happy with the answers your lawyer has provided, ask others that pertain to how they will conduct the case, what you need to provide, and anything else that is a cause of concern for you involving the proceedings.
Who is Working the Case?
Is your case being handled by your lawyer alone, a team of lawyers, or are paralegals handling most of it? It’s important that you’re fully informed in a clear and transparent manner that’s easy to understand. Don’t be put off if your lawyer delegates some of the work to another lawyer, paralegal or staff. This is common in the effective management of many law firms. Your lawyer supervises all work that paralegals are involved with, and they should keep you updated regularly, letting you know about any documents they need or otherwise.
What Kinds of Clients Do they Usually Handle?
The legal field is expansive, but most lawyers have a specialty. While a lawyer’s website may state that they handle child injury law, the bulk of their clients may come to them for other reasons, such as civil insurance claims. Research your lawyer and firm before committing. Find one that is knowledgeable about child injury law and regularly works in that specific field, indicating that they’ve had plenty of practice.
If you’re seeking an experienced and dependable child injury lawyer, know that we at Ottawa Injury are here to help. We’ve been proudly and diligently practicing in the National Capital Region since 1999. We’re a highly respected local firm and don’t get paid until you do, alleviating financial stress and allowing you to focus on the welfare of your child in the face of any challenging circumstances. Request a free consultation today or call us at 613-978-9549 for more.
