A personal injury claim can be stressful, lengthy and uncertain. Choosing the right lawyer to work with you will have a big impact on the outcome of your case.
How do you know which lawyer to choose? To help you decide, here are some questions you should be asking:
Which law firm should I deal with?
- Like other businesses, law firms can come and go. So you want one that has a proven track-record, and has been around long enough to earn a good reputation.
- When dealing with a large law firm, some people can feel like a small cog in a large machine. Different departments, changing staff and bureaucracy can seem impersonal.
- No large law firms are truly specialised. They frequently try to provide a “one-stop-shop” where all types of law are covered. However there are dozens of areas of law, so how specialised can they really be?
- In larger law firms, their business-model is structured so that most of the work is performed by junior lawyers. They “sell” this model with the promise that a senior lawyer will supervise the junior lawyers; however typical staffing ratios mean there is generally only one partner for every 4-6 “associates”. If each associate has between 100-200 active files, and the partner has his own (rich and powerful) clients, then how much supervision do you expect your claim will really receive?
- Wouldn’t it be better to just have the senior lawyer acting directly for you in the first place?
- It may be suggested to you that it may be cheaper to have a junior lawyer doing the work, because the hourly-rate for their fees is generally lower. However the hourly rate is only part of the equation: if a less-experienced lawyer doesn’t really know what they are doing, then they will probably take longer to do the same work. So do you really want junior inexperienced lawyers running your claim?
- If you have a concern or a question about your claim, wouldn’t it be nice to just pick up the phone and speak to the senior specialist lawyer who is personally handling your claim?
How experienced is the lawyer who will actually handle my claim?
- You want to make sure your lawyer is a seasoned specialist in your particular area of injury and that you are on the same page about how to proceed in the litigation.
- Lots of lawyers will “have a go” at personal injury claims; but do they really know what they are doing, or are you going to be paying for their (expensive) education?
- Most lawyers do NOT specialise – they work in many different areas of law. With the fast pace of legislative change, it is not possible for any individual lawyer to keep up with all the modern developments and best practice in all areas of law.
- Specialist knowledge is by definition “narrow but deep”. This means that a specialist lawyer knows a lot about a few specialised areas of law, rather than pretending to “cover all the bases” for lots of different types of law. There are dozens of different law-specialities, including taxation, commercial, family and criminal. You wouldn’t go to your chiropractor for a toothache, would you? So why seek advice about your personal injury claim from the lawyer who handled your divorce, or your brother’s drink-driving charge?
- So how do you know if a lawyer is a personal injury law specialist? Ask them which areas of law they practise-in. If they list more than 2 or 3 areas of law, then they are not likely to be specialists in all of them.
- Ask about their CREDENTIALS. Are they a member of any professional associations which affords them continuing legal education in personal injury law, or are they expecting you to pay for their on-the-job training to supplement whatever it was they learnt way back at law school?
- Ask about their TRACK RECORD. Do they have a profile in published Court decisions for their clients in personal injury claims?
- A true specialist lawyer will have the knowledge, experience, contacts and the secret weapons to legitimately maximise your full legal entitlements.
Does my claim have any time limits?
- Yes. All personal injury claims are subject to various time limitation periods. Leaving things too long can cause your claim to become “Statute-Barred” which might mean that you lose all your legal entitlements. For this reason, it is important to contact a specialist compensation lawyer in Adelaide as soon as possible to learn about your legal rights and options.
Why should I choose Genders & Partners?
- Founded in 1848, Genders & Partners is the oldest law firm in South Australia. Over 160 years, they have earned a reputation for success and integrity, as demonstrated by their many testimonials from happy clients.
- Genders &Partners are a boutique specialist firm, specialising in just 2 areas of law: Personal Injury claims; and Wills & Estates.
- Genders & Partners is a Gold Alliance member firm of the Law Society of South Australia.
- They offer no-obligation, free initial telephone consultations.
- Their managing director Rod Genders LLB, GDLP, TEP holds the state record for the highest-ever personal injury damages award in South Australia.
- Rod Genders has been practising specialised law in the field of personal injury for over 28 years.
- Rod Genders is a member of the Law Society of South Australia; Member of Law Council of Australia; Member of Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners; Associate Member of American Bar Association.
- Rod Genders has been involved in several of Australia’s largest personal injury claims.
Phone (08) 8212 7233 Now to Schedule a Free telephone Consultation with a senior specialist Adelaide Compensation Lawyer Today
Ask about a no-obligation, free first interview for personal injury claims.
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Personal injury litigation is often challenging and complex. However, the experienced compensation lawyer at Genders & Partners are able to draw on past experiences to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your specific case. They will not hesitate to inform clients about the strengths and weaknesses in their case.
Time limits may apply, so it is strongly recommended that you contact Genders & Partners on (08) 8212 7233 as soon as possible after an injury. In this way you can inform and protect yourself, your family and your future.