What does an injury lawyer do?
Injury lawyer represent and advise people who have endured physical, psychological, and emotional injury as a result of wrongdoing or negligence of other people or organizations. They often deal with cases related to tort law including automobile accidents, work injuries, medical mistakes, malfunctioning products, and slip and fall accidents. Injury lawyers also often handle cases that involve damage to an individual’s property or reputation. They obtain the necessary documents, collect evidence and facts, and conduct interviews of clients and related witness to build their cases. The number one goal of injury lawyers is to help their clients gain the compensation they deserve for their injuries.
What kind of training does an injury lawyer need?
Injury lawyers must have a bachelor degree and law degree from an accredited law school. All law schools require applicants to receive a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) to be accepted. Law school provides intensive classroom instruction and offers a variety of practical experiences. Many injury lawyers complete internships and clerkships at law firms that specialize in injury to gain practical experience and establish valuable contacts. All states require injury lawyers to become licensed by passing the written bar examination. Many states also require injury lawyers to pass a separate ethics examination. Injury lawyers must complete regular continuing legal education to maintain their licenses and stay up to date with advancements and changes in the field.
What are the prospects for a career as an injury lawyer?
Employment of all lawyers, including injury lawyers is expected to grow about as fast as average for all professions, increasing 13% from 2008 to 2018 (1). The growing and aging population and increase in injury cases will drive job growth for injury lawyers.
Job prospects should be good with strong competition. Injury lawyers with great academic records and extensive experience will have the best job prospects.
How much do injury lawyers make?
As of January 2010, the average annual salary for injury lawyers is $55,000; average annual injury lawyer salaries vary greatly on location, employer, education, experience, and benefits (2).
A career as an injury lawyer is a great choice for people with a strong interest in injury or tort law. Injury lawyers must have a solid understanding of the laws, rules, and regulations related in tort law and the ability to represent a variety of clients. Detail orientation, analytical thinking, perseverance, and good problem solving skills are necessary characteristics. Injury lawyers must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work under stress and pressure.
