How Do I Search for a Good Mid-Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer After a Car Accident?

Make Choosing a PI Attorney in Mid-Missouri Easier With Guidance From the Professional Attorney at Duckworth Injury Law

If you have recently been involved in a personal injury causing incident such as a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, or boating accident – after ensuring your own physical wellbeing – retaining a qualified personal injury attorney should be your top priority. But with so many personal injury law firms to choose from in central Missouri, how should an injured victim go about searching for the right personal injury attorney for their case?



While not every personal injury firm will be the right fit for every injured party, here are a few methods to go about finding the right lawyer for your case.

Follow these essential steps to find the right lawyer to handle your personal injury claim in central Missouri

1. Ask friends & family for referrals to local attorneys 

If by chance one of your friends or family members has previously gone through a personal injury claim themselves, start by asking them how their experience was with the attorney they previously used. If they had a positive experience with their personal injury lawyer and believe their attorney represented their interests well, go ahead and reach out to that firm for a consultation. On the flipside, if they had a negative experience, you can likely cross that firm off the list. 

Similarly, if you happen to know of a lawyer within your inner circle, reach out to him/her for recommendations for an injury attorney. The legal community is often a small network, and an attorney (even if they don’t practice in personal injury) will likely be able to point you in the direction of an honest, trustworthy, and experienced personal injury lawyer. 

2. Research local personal injury firms in your community

If you do not have a previous connection to a personal injury attorney, perform a bit of online research regarding personal injury law firms in your town. When researching personal injury law firms online, look first to see whether the firm is truly local to your community. Make sure they have a physical office space in your town that is staffed by an attorney. Next, look at the attorney’s website and learn more about the firm. Does the website show that they handle injury claims similar to your own? If not, or if they appear to be a jack of all trades, consider other firms. Finally, read reviews of the firm from past clients. Usually, law firms will have reviews posted on their Google Business Profile. If a firm has a lot of negative reviews, or if you have any concerns after reading their reviews, look for another lawyer. Also, check to see that the firm you are considering has previous trial experience. Regardless of whether your particular case will end up going to trial, insurance companies tend to pay higher values on claims in which they believe an attorney is willing to take the case to trial if necessary. 

3. Check the Missouri Bar’s “Lawyer Search”

In Missouri, the Missouri Bar maintains a “Lawyer Search” function that allows prospective clients to search for lawyers that are currently accepting new clients. The Missouri Bar’s Lawyer Search further allows clients to search for a lawyer with filters such as practice area, city, county, zip code, and even language. Similar to the above, after running a Lawyer Search on the Missouri Bar’s website, be sure to research the firms listed. Check out the lawyer’s website, read reviews, and don’t hesitate to meet with the attorney in person prior to hiring them. The Missouri Bar’s Lawyer Search function can be accessed below. 

Understand what to avoid when looking for a personal injury attorney in Missouri

In addition to researching the above, be cautious of hiring a lawyer for your personal injury claim if:

1. The Lawyer is Not Experienced in Personal Injury Law

Personal injury claims can often be extremely complex claims to handle, requiring knowledge of medical treatment, lien statutes, civil procedure, trial practice, compensable damages, and much more. Hiring an attorney who handles additional practice areas other than personal injury law may result in a lawyer who only dabbles in personal injury law. The reason you wouldn’t want your primary care physician to perform your shoulder surgery is the same reason you shouldn’t hire a “jack of all trades” attorney to handle your personal injury claim.

2. The Lawyer Promises a Specific Settlement Amount 

The specific value of your settlement or judgment amount depends on numerous factors, including your past/future medical bills, past/future lost wages, and past/future pain and suffering (among other factors). Insurance coverage and recoverable assets of the at-fault party will also play a factor in your recovery. Many of these items will not be fully known until several months following your accident. As such, a lawyer who promises a set settlement amount shortly after your accident is doing so without the necessary information to make an accurate prediction, and you should be cautious of an attorney willing to do so. 

3. The Lawyer Charges Excessive Fees 

Typically, in a personal injury claim lawyers work on a contingency fee model, meaning you pay the attorney’s fees from the gross recovery (if there is no recovery, you pay no attorney’s fees). In mid-Missouri, customary attorney’s fees on a personal injury claim are between 30-40%. If you meet with an attorney who is charging by the hour or who is requesting fees in excess of 40%, you may want to consider other options. 

Choosing your personal injury attorney is a personal decision. Make an educated decision with assistance from Duckworth Injury Law

In summary, there are many different ways to search for the best personal injury attorney to handle your accident case. Start by asking friends, family members, or attorneys you know for a referral. Next, conduct online research regarding personal injury firms practicing in your community. Finally, check the Missouri Bar’s Lawyer Search for additional options regarding personal injury lawyers accepting new cases in your area. However, be cautious of hiring a lawyer who does not focus on personal injury law, that promises a certain recovery, or who charges excessive fees. 

If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, please contact Duckworth Injury Law today for a free, no-obligation, case evaluation. Even if we’re not the right personal injury firm for you or your loved one, we’re happy to provide you with recommendations of other lawyers to handle your claim.