The single most important decision you will make to get the fair compensation for personal injuries caused by, the direct or indirect negligence, of another party is choosing the right personal injury attorney to represent your case.

Mention personal injury, and the first thing to come to mind is a car accident, but motor vehicle accidents are just one of a multitude of life changing events that are included in the personal injury spectrum. A slip and fall at your own home may not be compensable, but the same fall in the icy parking lot of a shopping mall, the wet floor in the restroom of a restaurant, or the broken step at your uncle's house, all create liability issues for the property owner that may require him to contribute monetarily for your pain and suffering. Injuries caused by product failures or defects can be apportioned among the parties in the chain of custody, from the manufacturer, to the distributor and retailer. Long term exposure to hazardous chemicals or irritants that develops into chronic illness is a condition that also falls within the realm of personal injuries. Virtually every injury can be analyzed with two factors in mind, which is responsible for what happened and what is the monetary value of the pain and suffering of the injured party.

The simple equation appears to be - get injured, hire a lawyer and get money. But a good attorney knows that there are many, many factors that can impact on your ability to recover a settlement. Who is responsible for paying your medical bills, and if it is your health insurance carrier, will you have to pay them back from your settlement? What if the person that hits you in the intersection has no insurance - what kind of insurance coverage do you have that may apply in that situation? What happens if your lawyer sues the wrong party, or if you sign a release of your claim too early and then find out you need surgery, or can't work any more? What is the statute of limitations, or time limit you have to make a claim? What if you are suing a public or governmental entity, do different rules apply? What if you were partly responsible for your own injury?

Fortunately, by choosing the right attorney, you won't be burdened by any of these questions. When choosing a personal injury attorney to handle your case, selecting an attorney that is well versed in personal injury law, highly experienced in evaluation and negotiation strategies, as well as being respected by his colleagues and adversaries alike, will undoubtedly be the key to achieving the optimum possible result.