Have you been hurt on the job? Or maybe a family member has suffered a serious injury and it’s not their fault? Or worse, maybe they’re deceased as the result of the negligence of someone else. If so, chances are you already know that you need an injury lawyer. But maybe you just aren’t quite sure about how you should go about finding one. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you begin your search.

• Get moving right now—Injuries, illnesses, wrongful deaths… once they’ve occurred, the clock begins to tick and time starts to run out. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to receive the compensation you’re entitled to. On the other hand, if you act now, you stand a fighting chance. And once you have a good injury lawyer on your side, he’ll handle everything. And if you’re the injured party, that means you’ll be given the time you need to rest and recover. Physically, as well as emotionally.

• Do your homework—When receiving any sort of service, you should have a little background knowledge on the providers first. This is especially important when dealing with something as important as a serious injury. So what should you look for when doing your "background check?"

Well, first you want someone who has been practicing law for a long time, because if you can depend on one thing alone, it’s experience. You also want someone who has a good track record. And what does a good track record look like? Well, it should be full of big name cases that they won. They should also have plenty of customer testimonials for you to read as proof of customer satisfaction. Where can you find this information? On their website.

• Get your first meeting free—Once you’ve selected an attorney that meets the above criteria, give them a call and set up your initial evaluation. Remember, this should be free. If the injury lawyer wants to try and charge you for your consultation, don’t go. He’s money hungry and will only be out for his own best interests. Odds are money is tight for you while you deal with all the medical bills, so a lawyer who truly cares won’t charge you a dime until he’s actually worked on your case.

• Get your story straight—Once you have your initial consultation set up, it’s time to get your story straight. Sit down and write out everything. Exactly what happened in order, questions you might have, observations you’ve made—whatever. Just get all your thoughts out on paper and organized before you forget anything. Our minds have a way of tricking us. Also make sure you have any correspondence you’ve received from doctors, lawyers, insurance companies, the responsible party—anything case-related. Doing so will make sure that your first meeting with the injury lawyer goes smoothly.

The main thing is this: find you a reputable injury lawyer immediately. Time is not on your side.