The first thing you should do when searching for a personal injury lawyer is to consult your friends, family, and co-workers; they can give you leads and frank assessments of lawyers they've used. Just because a lawyer on TV has a lot of testimonials doesn't mean those "clients" aren't actors.

Your best chance of winning a personal injury claim is to be very careful at the scene in what you say and do, and to record the key events as soon as possible, while they are still fresh in your mind. If shock or pain prevents you from doing so at the scene, do so as soon as reasonably possible.

Simple personal injury cases may not need the aid of an attorney; you can often file a claim in small claims court if an insurance company fails to pay you what you're asking. On the other hand, any claim that's iffy or substantial requires a lawyer for the best possible outcome.