A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal services to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence of another person, company, government agency or any entity. Personal injury lawyers tend to practice primarily in the area of law known as tort law. Examples of common personal injury claims include injuries from slip and fall accidents, traffic collisions, defective products, workplace injuries and professional malpractice.
An attorney should provide diligent representation to clients, and the ultimate professional responsibility of a personal injury lawyer is to help plaintiffs obtain just compensation for their losses. As with all lawyers, the attorney-client relationship is governed by rules of ethics.
Before accepting a new case, a personal injury lawyer will normally interview a prospective client and evaluating the client’s case to determine the basic facts and potential legal claims that might be made, identify possible defendants, and evaluate the strength of the case. A lawyer may decline to accept a case if the lawyer believes that the legal claims will not succeed in court, if the cost of litigation is expected to exceed the amount that can reasonably be recovered from the defendants as compensation for the client’s injury.
Lawyers may concentrate their practice to specific areas of law, including personal injury law. Some lawyers may further specialize to a specific area of personal injury, such as medical malpractice law. By limiting the range of cases they handle, personal injury lawyers are able to acquire specialized knowledge and experience.
