How to Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer
We’re sharing key tips to help you find a good personal injury lawyer. And how to tell if it’s a reputable attorney you can trust – or one to stay away from.
Finding a good personal injury lawyer in New York can take a bit of effort. But it is worth it to put in the time to search until you find the one.
No one should be injured in an accident and have to deal with added stress and suffering because the lawyer is incompetent. Or untrustworthy.
What is a Good Personal Injury Lawyer?
A good personal injury lawyer puts their clients first—always. They listen to your story. They listen to your needs. They treat your case with respect and never make you feel like you’re wasting their time.
There should never be a conflict between what’s best for you and what’s best for them or their law firm. A top-notch attorney works for you—not the other way around.
And they have a successful track record.
That’s why clients trust them. And you’ll see proof of this not just in the number of stars on online reviews, but in the words of the reviews themselves.
And the most important sign? How you feel when you interact with them—from the first consultation to the day you get your compensation check.
⚠️ If you don’t feel respected, heard, and valued, walk away. You can change lawyers.
In This Article:
How Should a Reputable Attorney Behave with a Client?
A reputable lawyer must follow the ethical standards that govern their profession. The American Bar Association (ABA) and the New York State Bar Association publish these rules and guidelines.
By law, lawyers are required to:
- Keep professional confidentiality
- Never defend interests that conflict with those of their client
- Conduct themselves in a truthful, loyal, honest and diligent manner
Professional ethics should always guide a lawyer’s behavior. But being truly ethical means going beyond just following the rules. It means avoiding actions that cause harm to others.
And if you observe bad behavior—even if it’s not directed at you—pay attention. That same lawyer may behave unethically with you in the future.
Can you Trust Lawyers who Promise Millionaire Settlements?
What do you think? If every personal injury case paid millions, we’d be surrounded by people who never need to work again.
With nearly 7.5 million car accidents per year, in 44 years everyone in the United States would be a millionaire. Including the lawyers!
And that doesn’t even include accidents from falls, bike riding, or injuries at work in construction.
Good, trustworthy lawyers are honest. They don’t exaggerate to “sell” their services and get your case. Or suggest you undergo unnecessary surgeries to increase the value of the claim.
A lawyer who truly knows your chances of getting compensation is better than a fraud. They know how to fight the insurance adjuster so you get paid what you deserve.
Is Trustworthiness More Important than Knowledge of Personal Injury Law?
Both are equally important. Knowledge of the law matters. But ending up with dishonest lawyers could make you lose your case—and your right to compensation. It can also turn into an exhausting and devastating experience.
✓ If a lawyer doesn’t know how to handle your case, it’s better that they don’t take it. The same goes for any attorney who can’t put your interests ahead of their own.
Unfortunately, many attorneys accept cases only to hand them off to junior lawyers or paralegals. It might help grow the firm’s profits—but it doesn’t help you.
✓ You deserve to be treated as a person, not a case number. And that kind of behavior doesn’t build trust.
➤ Don’t just look at the page that highlights their case results. Go further. Read about how they won the cases. If they have experience handling accidents like yours, ask how they dealt with the insurance companies.
Bottom line: Make sure you feel comfortable with their answers—and with their results.
They Charge You The Same Percentage As Other Lawyers
It’s sad to say—but many “Hispanic lawyers” take advantage of our Latino community. We’ve seen it far too often, including here in New York City and Long Island. They charge higher fees than other accident attorneys, assuming no one will notice.
Here’s the truth: In New York, contingency fees for personal injury lawyers have a limit. Lawyers cannot charge more than 33.33% for most accident cases.
Workers’ comp, wrongful death, or medical malpractice cases have different limits—but they’re also regulated by law.
💰🏛 Do You Want To Know How Much Do Most Accident Lawyers Charge in New York? Read on!
In some situations, we’ve seen our attorneys give a “courtesy discount” to their clients. This is done at the professional’s discretion.
📌 Keep in Mind: Contingency fees are more than the payment for the law firm’s work. It is also their investment in your case. Why?
If the lawyer wins your personal injury lawsuit, they’ve helped you recover: 💪
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- In addition to the attorney’s fees
➤ The car accident victim doesn’t pay a single penny upfront. Not even for expenses. And these contingency fees are only deducted if the lawyer wins your case.
If you were paying attorney’s hourly fees, it would cost you much more and you’d be out of that money. Even if you lost the case.
Why Do Some Attorneys Ignore Their Clients?
It takes all kinds. Some attorneys may not have the office staff they need to support their work. Others may be untrustworthy, working on the cases that will bring them the most money.
And, to be fair, many good lawyers are just busy. Fighting with insurers, gathering evidence, developing strategies to win their clients’ cases, including yours.
It may take a couple of calls to get the answers you need. As long as you’re treated politely and get those answers in a reasonable timeframe.
🚨 But if they’re rude, dismissive, or never follow through? That’s a red flag.
Good legal work takes time and effort, but you deserve respect and clear communication.
How to Find a Good Personal Injury Lawyer
It’s like noticing the kind of people that surround you —you feel when something’s off.
✔︎ Is their presence reassuring? Does the office staff make your hair stand on end? They might have the biggest, fanciest offices in Manhattan or Long Island. Or they may be the most knowledgeable lawyers in Queens.
✔︎ If they don’t keep their promises, are not fair, don’t know how to listen or get easily upset. Then, they are not a good person or a good lawyer.
✔︎ A good personal injury lawyer is curious, intelligent, compassionate. They work hard to build a strategy to win your case. And when you ask about it, you’ll understand why you should follow their advice.
The law is complex. Courts are even more difficult to navigate. Once you’ve found a good lawyer, allow them to guide you. You’ll feel confident placing your trust in them because it’s their ethical and moral obligation to defend your rights.
Looking for a Good Accident Lawyer in Long Island or New York?
🚑 Injured in an accident? An experienced attorney can help you understand your case—and protect your rights.
We’re experts in accident cases and workplace injuries throughout New York and Long Island.
✔ We work on contingency
✔ Free consultation
✔ Local and bilingual: English & Spanish
✔ If we don’t win, you don’t pay a dime
Injured in an accident in New York?
📞 Book your free consultation with Liga De Justicia Injury Lawyers.
📍 We proudly fight for the rights of accident victims across the Bronx, NYC, Brooklyn, Queens, Kings County, Nassau, and Suffolk.
