Choosing an appropriate Calgary lawyer for a personal injury claim is extremely important. Personal injury cases can involve serious injury or death, and the compensation recovered may be needed to cover medical treatment for life or to replace a permanent loss of income. Because of the gravity of these cases, and the wide variance in compensation awarded, there are some points that should be taken into consideration before selecting a Calgary personal injury lawyer.

Perhaps the most important factor in one's decision should be whether or not a lawyer concentrates on personal injury law. This is a specialized legal field - one in which landmark cases can change the legal landscape. Lawyers whose primary focus of their practice is personal injury can have an edge, since they keep abreast of the latest developments in the field. An experienced Calgary personal injury attorney should be able to assess the merits of a case, approximate its monetary value, and determine the most effective strategy for pursuing it.

Another important consideration when selecting a Calgary personal injury attorney is how much experience he or she has in dealing with insurance companies and large settlements. Insurance company lawyers represent most personal injury case defendants. These corporate lawyers seek to minimize the amount paid out in settlements, and an inexperienced personal injury attorney may be at a disadvantage in these negotiations. Therefore, choosing a Calgary personal injury lawyer with a proven track record of successful negotiations is essential.

A third factor to take into account is whether a Calgary personal injury lawyer has experience taking cases to trial and winning substantial verdicts. Although most personal injury claims are settled out of court, sometimes personal injury lawyers negotiate favorable settlements by threatening to take the case to trial. The defendant may be willing to pay out more money to avoid risking an expensive trial, negative publicity, or a larger judgment if the case is taken to court. Therefore, one should choose a Calgary personal injury attorney who has won cases in court; otherwise, the defendant won't respect the threat of a lawsuit.

Finally, remember that the client is the personal injury attorney's customer and should be satisfied with the service rendered. After a client chooses a Calgary personal injury lawyer, that lawyer can still be replaced at the client's discretion. A good Calgary personal injury lawyer returns phone calls promptly, handles the case personally, and keeps the client updated regularly. Terms of the contract should be discussed up front, including the personal injury attorney's fees. Most Calgary personal injury lawyers work for a contingent fee, which can vary from 30-40% of the recovery. This can be taken from the gross recovery or the net recovery, according to the terms of the contract. Depending on each particular case, this may drastically affect the amount of money left over for the client, so it behooves the client to discuss these terms in detail before signing any contract.