If you wish to dedicate your career in law to personal injury law then there are a certain set of skills which you will need in order to thrive in this particular field. Personal injury law is varied and as an accident lawyer you will be taking on cases which offer each offer something different. This is one of the main reasons why lawyers look to enter this field, as well as a passion for helping to right the wrongs of society.
If this is something which you would like to specialize in, these are the core skills which you will need.
Investigative Skills
Not every case which comes through the door will be from a victim of an injury which was caused by the negligence of another. This is the first place which lawyers will start when they begin to process a claim, finding out who exactly was responsible for the accident which took place. This is going to require you to employ investigative skills, so that you can decipher exactly who was liable and why. You will not only have to know who was liable, but also be able to prove it using evidence which you have obtained.
Negotiation Skills
More than 85% of all personal injury claims are settled out of court. This in fact is the best solution for the law firm on both sides and for the clients. In order to reach a figure which both you and your client are happy with however, you will need to have negotiation skills. Very often you will find that the insurance company have a very different value of the claim than you do, so it is important that you work hard to reach a figure which is somewhere in the middle.
Organizational Skills
These cases live and die on the strength of the case which you have built. In order to make sure that you have collated all of the information and evidence well, it is imperative that you have great organizational skills. Not only this but it is likely that you will be dealing with multiple cases at the same time, so it is imperative that you are able to build great cases for each, without any kind of confusion.
Communication and Empathy
Clients who you deal with in these cases are likely to be scared and a little nervous, as well as traumatized by the injury which they have been through. This is why you will need to showcase great communication skills and a good level of empathy so that your clients feel comfortable with you. These are critical skills not only so that you can win more cases, but also so that you are able to offer a great level of service to the client, which is critical for the reputation of the firm which you are working for.
These are the fundamental skills which you will need to thrive within this field of law.