How to choose a personal injury lawyer in Cape Town
13 Feb 2023
In this article, we offer some tips on how to choose a personal injury lawyer in Cape Town.
Online directories and online searches will provide you with a list of personal injury lawyers in Cape Town. This won’t help you find the attorney that best suits your case.
Follow these steps to find a personal injury lawyer that will give you the best chance of winning.
List of personal injury firms in Cape Town
An online directory will provide a list of personal injury attorneys based on criteria such as location, area of law and language.
Attorneys.co.za allows you to search this way and HG.org Legal Resources offers a list of Cape Town-based attorneys on its site.
You can also do a simple Google search. Personal injury lawyers will be listed under businesses along with a useful location map.
Opt for a specialist firm
A generalist legal firm will cover multiple aspects of the law; a specialist firm has expertise in one specific area of law.
Specialised lawyers have more extensive knowledge and experience in their area of law.
Specialist personal injury lawyers know exactly how to deal with the ins and outs of medical malpractice, RAF, slip and fall, train accident and other personal injury claims.
Research the firm’s history
Look for legal firms that are a reasonable size and have been in business for a few years.
Newer and smaller or single lawyer firms might not have the necessary resources to manage your case. They also won’t have as much experience and are less likely to win.
To find out more about a firm, visit its About page and look for information about its history, the legal team’s qualifications and their experience with your type of case.
Choose a firm with decent premises in a central location
Find a firm that maintains decent offices in a central and easy to access location. There should be parking available or access to local public transport.
Personal injury claims can take a long time to proceed. You’ll need to visit the offices more than once for consultations and meetings about your case.
Ask around and check online reviews
Word of mouth is an excellent way to get information about the reputation of a legal firm, provided it comes from someone who has dealt with the firm.
Online reviews on Facebook, Google and other social media sites can give you a sense of the firm’s reputation.
However, only a small percentage of people leave online reviews. These tend to reflect the extremes of exceptionally happy or exceptionally disappointed.
Online reviews shouldn’t be the only factor that guides your choice.
Ask firms about their experience and track records
You can also ask the firm directly if they’ve dealt with similar cases and what the outcomes were.
This will give you an idea of the level of experience and how often they win that type of case.
Choose a firm that works on a no-win, no-fee basis
Legal cases are expensive. No-one wants to get stuck with a massive legal bill if they don’t win the case.
If you find a firm that works on a no-win, no-fee (contingency fee) basis, then you won’t have to pay anything if they don’t win your case.
If they do win, the legal fee is usually a reasonable percentage of your pay-out. It makes a lawyer more motivated to win your case.
The firm can also help you with transport costs and expenses associated with gathering supporting documentation and evidence.
DSC Attorneys are no-win, no-fee personal injury lawyers in Cape Town. They have been specialising in personal injury cases for many years. Their offices are on Bree Street in Cape Town, close to public transport routes and major highways. Contact them online or call 0861 465 879 to arrange a free first consultation.
See also:
- What makes direct RAF claims expensive for claimants?
- The general principles of the Road Accident Fund
- Who is liable for a dog bite injury?
- Road Accident Fund adjusts claims limit
