If you bring a personal injury lawsuit against a person or entity, it's probably going to be a tough time for you. You might be in physical pain, or you might experience some emotional or psychological turpitude as well. This incident might have upended your life, and you want to win your lawsuit so you can get things back on track.
That's why you'll need to locate the personal injury lawyer who you feel has the best shot at winning your case. You should try to get one who you can pay on a contingency basis, and you'll also want one who has an excellent track record of winning cases like yours.
However, winning your case will probably not be easy for them. There are some specific things that you can do that make victory more likely. Let's go over each of those right now.
Keep Your Lawyer Updated as to Case Details
Let's say that you've located the personal injury attorney you feel can help you. You hire them, and they begin working on your case. They anticipate taking the defendant to court, where they can prove that they caused your illness or injury.
As the case moves along, certain individuals might contact you, such as police officers or insurance companies. Your doctor might contact you with test results pertaining to the injuries you suffered.
Whenever something like that happens, contact your lawyer and tell them all about it. These are details that will matter when your attorney presents your case facts in court.
If you know that something relevant happened, but you didn't bother to update your attorney about it, then that hurts their chances of winning for you. Whenever new facts come up or developments arise, that can change their entire strategy, so don't keep them to yourself.
Try to Stay as Organized as Possible
You also can collect lawsuit-related documents. If you receive anything in the mail pertaining to the accident or injury you suffered, keep it in one place. You might get a folder and mark it so that you won't lose track of it.
Keep it in the same physical location. If you have a safe or a locking filing cabinet, that would be ideal. This is not the time for disorganization. If you wish to have the best chance of winning, you have to be ready to hand over all critical case documentation when your attorney asks for it.
Have Your Lawyer with You Whenever You Make a Statement
If you hire an attorney and inform an individual or entity that you plan to sue them, you have to go through the discovery process before you ever get near a courtroom. During discovery, you and your lawyer must show the opposing counsel all the evidence you plan to use against their client. This way, they have the best chance to prepare their defense, since presumably, you won't be able to pull out any surprises to use against them.
You will likely have to meet with opposing counsel for a deposition. They will then ask you a series of questions, and you must answer them. It's best to meet with your lawyer first, though, to talk about what you'll say and how you'll say it.
Your lawyer can prep you. They can tell you what questions are out of bounds, and they'll also instruct you to answer the queries simply, without embellishing.
During the deposition or any other vital meetings, your attorney can physically be there to object if the opposing counsel or anyone else asks you a question that you have no legal obligation to answer. Don't meet with anyone without your lawyer there. That's an essential part of why you've hired them.
Don't Hold Anything Back
Some individuals who are bringing a personal injury case might try to hold back certain facts from their lawyer. They may do so because they feel embarrassed or ashamed.
If you want the best chance to win your case, you can't do that. Remember that you have lawyer-client privilege, meaning that once you tell your lawyer something, they will keep that a secret. You don't need to feel like you have to hide anything from them because if you do, you're hurting your cause.
If you lie to your attorney, and then the opposing counsel comes up with evidence that disproves what you said happened, you've wasted your attorney's time, as well as your own. A lawyer-client relationship works best when you're honest and open. If you're not able to do that, it's not too likely that your case will have a satisfactory outcome.
You and Your Lawyer Should Get Along
Apart from everything we've mentioned, it's also best if you get along with your attorney reasonably well. You don't have to be the best of friends, but if you meet someone who you know is eminently qualified to represent you, but then you can't stand the sight of them, that's not going to be the optimal arrangement.
You will probably have to spend quite a bit of time with your attorney, as they will be prepping you for court, and you'll be sharing all the case details with them. There might be days or weeks when you're seeing a lot more of them than you are your own family members. That's why you two should get along, and if you can establish some sort of rapport with them, so much the better.
If you did everything we suggested, then your lawyer has the best chance to win your case. Assuming the jury feels that the defendant was in the wrong, and they did, in fact, harm you or cause your illness, then there's no reason why you can't walk away with a large financial settlement in your favor.
You'll be happy, and your lawyer will be as well since every victory boosts their reputation. That's the best possible outcome for both of you.
