How to choose a personal injury lawyer
Short answer
- Every firm says it's the best, so check the public record and ask who will handle your case, what it costs and how often the firm goes to trial.
- In New Jersey, the Supreme Court certifies civil trial attorneys, the Disciplinary Review Board publishes public discipline, and a court rule caps injury fees.
Checked October 14, 2026.
Sources: New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Attorney Certification; Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey; R. 1:21-7(c), (d). Every fact cites a source
NJCheck for trial certification
The New Jersey Supreme Court certifies attorneys in civil trial law through its Board on Attorney Certification, as highly qualified specialists. The Court's orders name the attorneys it newly certifies.
- Ask: who at the firm is certified in civil trial law?Then ask whether that attorney would work on your case.Source: New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Attorney Certification
- Check the nameOn our firm pages, an attorney shows as certified only when the Board's published lists confirm it.Source: Supreme Court order, newly certified attorneys (April 27, 2026)
NJCheck for public discipline
The Disciplinary Review Board publishes notices of discipline for every New Jersey attorney who has been the subject of public discipline or reinstatement proceedings since January 1988. Its public site lists them by last name.
Source: Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New JerseyNJAsk about the fee
In New Jersey, a contingent fee in an injury case is capped on a sliding scale, starting at 33⅓% of the first $750,000. The fee is figured on what's left after case costs.
- Ask: what percent, and is it before or after case costs?The capped fee is figured on the net sum recovered, after costs.Source: R. 1:21-7(c), (d)
- Ask: who pays the costs if the case is lost?Get the answer in writing, in the fee agreement.
- See what you'd take homeOur calculator shows the fee cap and costs on a settlement amount you type in.Source: R. 1:21-7(c), (d)
What would you take home?
Estimate what a client keeps from a settlement after New Jersey's capped contingency fee and case costs.
Open the take-home calculator- Settlement
- $25,000
- Case costs
- −$1,500
- Max fee, 33⅓% of $23,500
- −$7,833
- Estimated take-home
- $15,667
Estimate only, before medical liens and unpaid bills. Fee cap from New Jersey Court Rule 1:21-7. Firms may charge less.
More questions for the first call
- Who will handle my case day to day?Ask who will do the work, not just who you meet first.
- How often do your lawyers take injury cases to trial?Ask how many went to trial in the last few years, and who tried them.
- How often will I hear from you, and how?Ask for the name of the person who answers your questions.
- Have you handled cases like mine?Ask what happened in them, and how long they took.
What public records don't show
- Results a firm posts are its own picksA firm's website shows the wins it chose to share, not every case it handled.
- Records aren't a ratingCertification and discipline records tell you some things. They don't tell you how a lawyer will handle your case.
- Ads and awards aren't recordsLook for what an official body publishes, like the Board's orders and the Disciplinary Review Board's notices.Source: Supreme Court order, newly certified attorneys (April 27, 2026); Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey
Sources
- New Jersey Supreme Court Board on Attorney CertificationNew Jersey Courts. Checked .
- Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New JerseyNotices of public discipline for New Jersey attorneys, searchable by name. Checked .
- R. 1:21-7(c), (d)New Jersey Court Rules, via Court Rules Network. Checked .
- Supreme Court order, newly certified attorneys (April 27, 2026)The Court's orders naming newly certified attorneys. Checked .
General information, not legal advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.
What to do next
- Next questionYour first injury lawyer consultationWhat to bring and ask once you pick a firm to call.
- Thinking about a lawyer?Do I need a lawyer after a car accident?When a consultation tends to help, and when people handle a claim alone.
- Top 3 in Jersey City
- Rank 1Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, P.C.Score 91
- Rank 2Brach Eichler Injury LawyersScore 80
- Rank 3John Allegra LawScore 57
Compare firmsInjury lawyers, ranked on public recordsCompare before you call. No firm pays to rank.Injury lawyers in Jersey CityInjury lawyers in Hoboken
Questions people ask
How do I choose a personal injury lawyer?
Check the public record, then ask who will handle your case day to day, what the fee is and whether it's figured after costs, who pays costs if you lose, and how often the firm's lawyers take cases to trial.
How do I know if a New Jersey lawyer is a certified trial attorney?
The New Jersey Supreme Court certifies attorneys in civil trial law through its Board on Attorney Certification, and the Court's orders name the attorneys it newly certifies.
How do I check if a New Jersey lawyer has been disciplined?
The Disciplinary Review Board publishes notices of discipline for New Jersey attorneys who have been the subject of public discipline or reinstatement proceedings since January 1988.
How much does a personal injury lawyer charge in New Jersey?
Most work for a contingent fee. In an injury case it's capped at 33⅓% of the first $750,000, with lower caps above that, figured after case costs.
Can a law firm pay to rank higher on Counselworthy?
No. Counselworthy scores firms only on public measures, and the scoring code can't see who pays.