Tips for Finding an Experienced Burn Injury Lawyer

Burn injuries don’t often get as much attention as other types of catastrophic injuries, like brain or spinal injuries. However, if you or your loved one has experienced a burn injury recently, you know exactly how devastating this type of injury can be.

Finding an experienced burn injury lawyer is essential for recovering the compensation you need to afford the extensive costs that often come with a burn injury. Finding a skilled burn injury attorney becomes much easier when you know what to look for.

Look for Experience With Burn Injury Cases

When researching burn injury lawyers, the first thing you should look for is a lawyer who has experience handling cases involving burn injuries. Burn injury lawyers practice personal injury law. This means many personal injury lawyers accept burn injury cases, regardless of whether they have much experience representing them.

It’s important to understand that having the willingness to take on a case is not the same as having the experience necessary for a positive outcome. An inexperienced lawyer may lack the skills needed to recover the maximum compensation possible given your injuries.

You should also inquire about the type of burn injuries a lawyer has handled. If your burn injuries are severe, will lead to permanent or significant scarring, or involve costs such as skin grafting or stays at a burn treatment center, make sure your lawyer has handled cases involving similar, treatments, outcomes and costs.

Research Success Rates and Past Outcomes

A burn injury lawyer’s success rates and past outcomes are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing your lawyer. Experience handling burn injury cases isn’t worth much if a lawyer can’t demonstrate experience handling those cases successfully.

Law firms often share case results online. Even when they don’t, a firm should have a list of past outcomes demonstrating the types of cases they’ve handled successfully and how much compensation they’ve recovered in those cases.

This information should give you a solid idea of the type of burn injury cases a lawyer has handled and what sort of compensation their clients walked away with.

Ask About Their Approach to Burn Injury Cases

Once you’ve narrowed down your search to attorneys who have the burn injury experience you need, you can begin asking questions that will be specific to your case. One worthwhile line of questioning is to ask about a lawyer’s approach to handling burn injury cases.

Firms often take unique approaches to handling cases. At one firm, attorneys might work together on a case. At another, one attorney might oversee a case but leave much of the work to paralegals or associates. At yet another firm, the lawyer you speak with at your consultation might exclusively work on your case.

Asking questions about the approach ahead of time helps ensure you know what to expect as your case unfolds.

Understand Fees and Payment Structures

Most burn injury lawyers work on contingency. A contingency agreement is a common fee agreement in personal injury law. You typically don’t have to pay anything up front. Usually, you also don’t have to pay for the attorney’s representation unless they’re successful in helping you recover compensation.

The contract you sign should specify the percentage of your settlement or verdict amount that will go to your lawyer to cover their fees.

During your consultation, you can ask about what sort of fees they charge. It’s also a good idea to ask whether you’ll be expected to pay any costs up front or out of pocket. You may also want to inquire about whether a lawyer expects your case to go to court and, if so, whether fees increase if a case turns into a burn injury lawsuit.

Consider Their Communication Style

Communication style is an important but often overlooked factor when it comes to choosing a burn injury lawyer.

Personal injury cases take time to resolve, especially when a lawsuit becomes necessary. It’s important to have a basic level of compatibility with your attorney. If a lawyer strikes you as confusing or dismissive during your consultation, you’ll probably feel the same way throughout the duration of your case.

Before you choose a lawyer, take the time to consider whether you can see yourself communicating and working with this person for months to come. If you don’t feel good about that prospect, it’s a sign that you might want to continue looking for a burn injury attorney you’re more compatible with.

FAQ

What Questions Should I Ask During My Consultation?

Questions you might want to ask a burn injury lawyer include:

• How they conduct the accident investigation
• What type of evidence they’ll collect in your case
• How they’ll prove negligence
• Which party they’ll hold responsible for burn injury costs
• What type of damages they will pursue in your case
• Whether they will handle your case personally
• How often they take cases to court
• Whether they foresee negotiation or a burn injury lawsuit

It’s a good idea to make a list of your questions beforehand so you don’t forget anything during your consultation.

How Much Do Burn Injury Lawyers Charge?

Most burn injury lawyers don’t charge anything unless they win your case. Payment typically comes directly out of the compensation they win for you.

Do I Need to Hire a Burn Injury Lawyer?

A lawyer nearly always helps increase your compensation in a personal injury case. If your burn injuries are severe, it’s unlikely you’ll recover fair compensation without a skilled lawyer.

Speak With a Cincinnati Burn Injury Lawyer Today

The Moore Law Firm is a Cincinnati personal injury law firm. We’re proud to carry a long legacy of fighting for maximum compensation on behalf of our injured clients.

Our case results demonstrate that we know how to obtain the results our clients need, and our client testimonials tell you in our clients’ own words about the superior representation we provide.

Contact The Moore Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Cincinnati burn injury lawyer.