If you have suffered injuries after an incident and have entrusted your personal injury claim to an attorney, you want to know that the professionals are handling your case. However, you may notice that you spend more time with a paralegal than an attorney. If that is the case, you may feel nervous wondering what a paralegal does and how qualified they are to work on your case. A paralegal isn’t an attorney, but they do assist an attorney with a case from when you first call to schedule a consultation until it has been resolved.
Since you will spend some of your time with a paralegal, you may want to know what exactly they will be doing for your personal injury case. That’s why we’ve outlined some of the responsibilities of a paralegal below.
1. A Paralegal is Your First Point of Contact
When a paralegal is assigned to your case, they become your point of contact to ensure all communication is handled when you have questions or concerns about your claim. An attorney cannot always be in the office due to trials, mediation, depositions, and more, so a paralegal assists an attorney by staying in the office so that anytime you have a question about something in your claim, you don’t have to wait for the attorney to get back with you, but can talk with the paralegal who has been working on your case since the beginning.
After filing your personal injury suit, you need to get updates and hear about where your claim is in the process. Having a paralegal on your case will help ensure you get every update you need faster. While an attorney is still in charge of your case and is responsible for everything a paralegal does, rest assured that a paralegal is up to date on your claim and can answer almost all of your questions.
2. A Paralegal Manages All Documents
When you scheduled your consultation, you probably learned very quickly that documentation is everything. All personal injury claims involve large amounts of documents to file, organize, and retrieve. With so much paperwork moving around, having someone who manages it all is vital to making sure that no document slips through the cracks, which could be devastating to your case. Whether it’s obtaining copies of your medical records or filing paperwork with the court, a paralegal has an organized system to keep track of it all. Not only does a paralegal keep track of all the paperwork, but they also assist an attorney in drafting the complaint, discovery, and more—all of which have to be reviewed and signed by the attorney.
It’s safe to say that without paralegals, attorneys couldn’t take on the number of cases they do—so don’t forget to thank them just as much as you do your personal injury attorney!
3. A Paralegal Handles All Necessary Scheduling
The litigation process is time-consuming and requires many meetings and events throughout a personal injury claim. Whether it’s attorney meetings, depositions, mediations, court hearings, or even trials, all these times must be scheduled. This may not seem like a difficult task, but scheduling requires coordinating a date that works not only with your attorney but also with the opposing party’s attorney and the court. Also, if a court reporter is needed, it is usually up to the paralegal to hire them and ensure they are there at the right time to attend and transcribe a hearing.
Scheduling is not as simple as getting a “yes” from all parties involved. It also requires that a paralegal file certain documents with the court that will advise all parties of the location and date of a scheduled event.
Final Thoughts
Paralegals are essential to a successful personal injury firm. At The Hammack Law Firm, we love our paralegals and appreciate all the work they put in to help our clients get the compensation they are owed. Our paralegals are experienced and ready to assist you with any of your questions or concerns throughout your claim process. If you have been injured in an accident and don’t know where to start with recovering compensation for your damages, call us today for a free consultation at (864) 766-7108—we look forward to speaking with you!
With over 25 years of legal experience, Paul Hammack provides his clients with a level of trial expertise and strategic insight rarely found in personal injury litigation. Having spent the first eight years of his career working within major insurance defense firms across Georgia and South Carolina, Paul gained an intimate understanding of the “other side’s” playbook. This insurance industry background serves as a unique differentiator for his clients; he knows exactly how insurance carriers evaluate risk and what motivates them to pay top dollar for a claim.
In 2008, Paul founded Hammack Law Firm to move away from the “plaintiff mill” model and focus on building personal relationships with those he represents. As a seasoned litigator, he has tried dozens of first-chair cases to verdict, specializing in high-stakes litigation involving catastrophic injuries and complex truck accidents. His dual-state practice allows him to provide aggressive representation across both South Carolina and Georgia, ensuring victims of negligence receive the maximum financial compensation possible regardless of which side of the state line the accident occurred.
Paul’s commitment to excellence is reflected in his record of significant achievements, including a $10 million tractor-trailer wrongful death settlement and a $3.9 million moped-versus-truck recovery. His credentials and bar admissions in both South Carolina and Georgia underscore his deep roots in the regional legal community. Beyond the courtroom, Paul is a dedicated advocate for his local community, contributing his time and resources to organizations such as the United Way, Red Cross, and Hands On Greenville, all while working to make South Carolina a safer place for everyone.
