How to choose an injury lawyer.

What to look for

• A license in the state where the injury happened.
• Experience with injury cases like yours. A dog bite and a medical error call for different skills.
• A lawyer or firm that will answer your calls and explain things in plain words.

How injury lawyers are paid

Many take cases on contingency. The lawyer is paid a percentage of what you recover and nothing if you recover nothing. Case costs, such as records and expert fees, are usually separate from the percentage.

Ask for the fee agreement in writing and read it before you sign.

Questions for the first call

• What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
• How are case costs handled, and who pays them if we recover nothing?
• Who will work on my case day to day?
• How many cases like mine have you handled?
• What are the main risks in my case?
• How often will I hear from you, and how?
• What is the deadline to file, and when will you start?

Reasons to keep looking

• Promises of a result or a dollar amount.
• Pressure to sign on the spot.
• Unwillingness to put the fee terms in writing.
• A lawyer who contacts you unprompted in the hospital or soon after the injury. Many states restrict this.

What to bring

A photo ID, your photos, medical bills and records, letters from insurers, claim numbers, a short timeline of what happened, and a list of your doctors. Kindred’s file can be sent to attorneys you choose, so you already have most of this in one place.

How Kindred fits

Kindred sends your request to up to three attorneys licensed in your state. You decide whom to talk to and whether to hire anyone.

[Counsel: state what, if anything, Kindred checks about the attorneys it sends requests to, and how attorneys are chosen.]

General information, not legal advice. Fee rules differ by state. Kindred is not a law firm and does not recommend any particular attorney.