Paralegals are the unsung heroes of the legal world. Without paralegals, lawyers would be unable to perform their work. Paralegals perform legal work and depending on the attorney(s) they work under, handle substantive legal tasks. They handle an array of duties that greatly assist any law practice. They are above legal assistants in terms of pay and scope of responsibilities, but generally make less and are ultimately responsible for less than an attorney.

Paralegals wear many different hats. But how exactly does a paralegal help a personal injury or workers’ compensation lawyer?

They may meet with a new client and perform the intake for the attorney. Many times paralegals will collect medical records and bills. For all personal injury cases, including car accident cases, they will be putting together demand packages. They also will likely be spending a great deal of their day communicating with insurance adjusters. Many are responsible for negotiating and settling claims directly with insurance adjusters. If they assist a trial attorney, they will be performing legal research, reviewing deposition transcripts, and helping the lawyer prepare for trial. For workers’ compensation paralegals, they will assist the attorney with preparing for conferences and hearings.

However, no matter how much a paralegal assists an attorney, it is the attorney that is ultimately responsible for handling and overseeing a client’s case. This is a non-delegable duty that rests solely with the attorney.