When contemplating who to hire to represent you in your slip and fall case, there are several different factors to consider. You undoubtedly want a successful outcome as well as the compensation you deserve, and your legal representation plays an integral role in making that happen. To help you with your selection, we have provided you with the following helpful hints for you to use as your guide when retaining an attorney’s services.

1. Cost
Almost all slip and fall cases are taken on contingency fee, which means you will pay a percentage of your winnings to your attorney. So find out the rates that your attorney will charge you. It is also important to obtain from your lawyer his or her expected litigation costs because you will also have to reimburse the attorney for these costs in most states.

2. Specialization
The label “specialization” is a designation offered by the state bar if you complete a course and have a certain number of years of experience. But it’s not terribly useful to find a good attorney. Rather choose an attorney whose docket consists of a high percentage of slip and fall cases, and who has tried at least 1 in the last two years.

3. Communication
Communication is key when working with your attorney. Not only should you want to stay informed of the developments in your case, but you also want to be sure that your slip and fall attorney is capable of getting his point across to the judge and jury.

4. Time
When hiring an attorney for your case, you want to be able to rest easy knowing that they are going to put in the time and effort that you are paying them for. That is why it is imperative that you select someone who is willing to spend whatever amount of time is necessary with you to explain your options as well as how your case is unfolding. A good way to predict this is to see whether they’re willing to sit down with you and explain the process with you before you sign a contract.

5. Experience
Before hiring an attorney to represent you, you should find out how long they have been practicing law, how long they have been handling slip and fall cases, and what their success rate is for those types of cases. If you end up hiring somebody who is too green and doesn’t have enough experience, it could end up hurting you and the outcome of your case.

6. Lawyer-Client Dynamic
While many lawyers are lethal in the courtroom and constantly deliver outstanding results to their clientele, they may not always put in the effort to have and maintain positive relationships with them and include them in the decision-making process. If that is something that is important to you, then make sure that the person you hire is going to work with you, not just for you.

7. Referrals
Many lawyers like to receive cases and refer them to another firm for a cut of the winnings. Often times when a case gets referred out, it isn’t handled with the same care as if you had originally signed with the handling attorney If you want to have an attorney that will work on your case from start to finish, it’s recommended that you ensure the individual you select to represent you will do just that.

8. Options
The process of retaining legal representation can be a harrowing and overwhelming one for most, so it is important to remember that you have options. Instead of putting all of your eggs in one basket, be sure to shop around and weigh the pro’s and con’s of each possibility before coming to a final decision.