4 Traits to Look for When Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney

Posted on behalf of RizkLaw on Mar 10, 2023 in Personal Injury

Whether it was you or someone you love who suffered an injury, you will want the best personal injury attorney you can find to get the justice you and your family deserve. While any practicing lawyer may be able to provide competent legal counsel, certain traits distinguish good lawyers from great ones.

Rizk Law personal injury attorneys are suited to help people like you recover the financial compensation you need to get back on your feet. Our team is led by Attorney Richard Rizk, who understands what you are going through. He, too, has suffered an injury in an accident and understands how having quality legal representation is vital.

What to Look for When Picking a Personal Injury Lawyer in Oregon

If you are considering filing a personal injury claim after an accident, there are several traits you should look for in your attorney before you choose which one to settle with. A lawyer with the following traits will be better able to protect the rights of you and your family:

Experienced

A lawyer with some years under their belt will have a better idea of all of the nuances related to various types of personal injury claims. Seasoned attorneys will have accumulated the knowledge, skills, and capability that can only come from working actual cases.

Law school teaches attorneys how to conduct legal research, write legal briefs, and defend complex legal theories, but no amount of schooling can prepare them for the real world. Managing multiple cases, understanding a client’s needs, supervising staff, managing an office, and working with judges, fellow lawyers, and court personnel are all skills that can only be honed with real-life experience.

Meticulous

Personal injury attorneys who are meticulous understand the importance of conducting a thorough, independent investigation into each client’s accident. Failing to investigate an accident meticulously or simply using a police report to try to build a case will inevitably result in a weak defense strategy for your claim.

A meticulous attorney will employ a network of experts to assist in their investigations, such as:

Accident reconstructionists
Medical professionals
Financial advisers

An independent investigation is necessary in personal injury claims to identify all of the at-fault parties and preserve critical evidence

Communicative

Excellent communication skills are mandatory for any personal injury attorney. Clear writing and concise and persuasive speech are imperative, not only for successful attorney-client relationships but also for any legal defense.

You may find that some lawyers want to do all the talking, and you will barely be able to tell your story with all their interruptions and opinions. This tendency to talk too much will carry over to conversations with other lawyers, judges, insurance adjusters, witnesses, and experts. If your lawyer cannot listen effectively, they are more likely to miss critical information. An attorney with good listening skills can better observe and listen, allowing them to better analyze and represent your case.

Limited Practice

Attorneys trying to handle cases related to several different areas of law typically have not been able to dedicate their time to excelling in the personal injury law sector. Lawyers who limit their practice to personal injury are more likely to provide their clients with more effective legal representation throughout their claims.

Call an Oregon Personal Injury Attorney Who Will Better Represent Your Interests

Rizk Law lawyers are seasoned personal injury attorneys with years of experience protecting victims of accidents caused by negligence. Our team handles personal injury claims in Portland and across Oregon. We have also built and maintained important connections throughout the legal industry in the Pacific Northwest.

If you wish to file a personal injury claim in Oregon to recoup the damages you and your family have suffered, contact us to schedule a free consultation today. You can speak with one of our team members by calling (503) 245-5677 or submitting a completed contact form.

$1,250,000
Car v. Pedestrian Crash

Pedestrian’s Stroll

FACTS: Commercial motorist strikes pedestrian on Oregon roadway. No witnesses. Litigated case.

INJURIES: 1. Brain injury; 2. Broken bones. Other details are confidential.

$900,000
Truck Accident

Car T-Boned by Commercial Delivery Truck

FACTS: Client t-boned by a commercial delivery truck. Delivery driver cited for distracted driving and careless driving. Client left pinned in her car with obvious compound arm fractures.

INJURIES: Compound left arm fracture, chest pain, neck sprain, back sprain, and shoulder and knee injuries.

$695,000
Car Accident

PDX Rent-a-Car Head Injury

FACTS: PDX shuttle driver struck by SUV while walking across airport parking lot. Strikes head on pavement. Loses consciousness. No witnesses. Insurer resists claim suggesting client at fault and claims brain injury is due to pot smoking. Wife also files claim for loss of affection. Litigated case.

INJURIES: Concussion, contusions, loss of intimacy.

$625,000
Car Accident

Drunk Driver Collides Head On with Postal Worker

FACTS: Client, an off-duty postal worker, drove home after completing a 12 hour shift on December 26. Two bars overserved the defendant driver leaving her to drive home 3 times above the legal alcohol limit. Defendant driver traveled on a rural road without headlights on when she collided head on into postal worker.

INJURIES: Client suffered PTSD, including frequent nightmares and fractures to right arm, leading to several shoulder surgeries.

$625,000
Car Accident

SUV Driver Hit by Full-Size Pick-Up Truck on US-30 Outside Astoria, Oregon.

FACTS: SUV driver hit by oncoming full-size pick-up truck on US-30 outside Astoria, Oregon. Litigated case.

INJURIES: Fractured T3-T9 rib fractures requiring surgical repair with plates; transverse process L1-L5 fractured; pulmonary contusion, bruise on the left; simple pneumothorax resulting in pneumonia; seat belt abrasions on neck and around hips. Left hand lacerations. Middle finger cut. Arm and leg bruises.

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