It's obvious: lawyers vary in many ways, from experience to integrity. To know who's right for you, it's important to do a little research. You don't want to compromise the outcome of your claim by going with the wrong attorney. So prior to hiring anyone, take time to know their professional background.
Experience
If you want to know where the lawyer finished law school, you can always ask them, though that's not as important as their professional experience. In particular, you'd like to know how many years they've been practicing and how much of their career is dedicated to personal injury cases. Also, do they usually represent claimants or defendants? Have they worked with the insurance company involved, or maybe the adjuster himself?
Lawyer or Firm?
Working as a team on their cases is a very common practice among lawyers. Routine tasks are typically done by less experienced ones and paralegals, which is actually an advantage since you no longer have to wait for a veteran but busy lawyer to find time for you. And if you're paying on an hourly basis, you can surely save a lot with a junior lawyer doing the paperwork.
Communication Lines
To have a truly productive lawyer-client relationship, you need to start with good communication. At your initial meeting, did the attorney seem interested when you talked? Were they open-minded as you suggested ideas on the right approach to your case? Did they take the time to explain things well to you?
You want somebody who has sincerity and won't just look at you as a case number. The more willing and able they are to explain what's going on with your case, the more you can make better decisions. On top of that, picking a lawyer who "clicks" with your personality can help diffuse the stress that may come with your case.
Your Desired Settlement
Once you have discussed with the lawyer the facts pertaining to your case, as well as the history of your dealings with the insurance firm, the attorney may offer you his opinion of how much your case is worth and how easy or difficult it may be to make the insurer pay that amount. This is where you can mention any ideas you have regarding how your case should be handled.
For example, you may want to receive a settlement amount within a certain range with as fewer costs and hassles as possible. Perhaps you want more of what you have been offered by the insurer, or you want to get as much as possible, regardless of how long it takes. In the end, you need to be able to express this to your potential lawyer while you observe closely how he responds.
As you can see, finding a good personal injury lawyer won't probably happen overnight. Absolutely no shortcuts!