Augment LeadsPart of our guide on how to grow a personal injury law firm.
Where do personal injury cases come from?
- Referrals from other lawyers, past clients, friends and family
- People who find your firm through search, maps listings or your website
- Paid ads on search, social media, TV, radio or outdoor
- Paid lead sources that deliver inquiries from injured people who asked to be contacted
Most firms rely on one or two of these. Adding a third or fourth source makes your case flow less dependent on any one channel.
How do you get more cases from the inquiries you already have?
Start here, because it's the cheapest growth you'll find.
- Answer within minutes. Someone who doesn't hear back may contact another firm. See our speed-to-lead intake scripts.
- Follow up on a schedule. Set a written cadence of calls, texts and emails for people you don't reach the first time.
- Make signing easy. Under ABA Model Rule 1.5(c), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client, so have an e-signature workflow ready for the first call.
- Route by case type. Send car accident and workers' comp inquiries to the people who handle them. See lead routing and CRM delivery.
- Record why callers didn't sign. Patterns in the "no" reasons show which sources or screening questions to change.
How do you add new sources of personal injury cases?
- Build a lawyer referral network. Fee division between lawyers in different firms is covered by Model Rule 1.5(e), which requires the client's agreement, confirmed in writing.
- Publish useful pages for the cases you want, and keep your local listings accurate.
- Run ads only where your intake can keep up, and measure them by signed cases.
- Add a pay-per-lead source. Comment 5 to Model Rule 7.2 allows paying for client leads as long as the lead generator doesn't recommend the lawyer. Use our questions to ask a legal lead vendor before you buy.
Which source fits which goal?
| Goal | Source that fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| More cases soon | Ads or exclusive pay-per-lead | Inquiries start once campaigns or filters are set |
| Lower long-run cost | Referrals, search and past clients | No cost per inquiry once built, but slow to build |
| A specific case type | Exclusive leads filtered by case type | You order only the cases you take |
| A new state | Ads or leads limited to that state | You control where inquiries come from |
What should you avoid when chasing more cases?
- Paying anyone to recommend your firm. Model Rule 7.2(b) bars it, with listed exceptions.
- Live person-to-person solicitation for pecuniary gain, which Model Rule 7.3 restricts.
- Buying leads without written terms on exclusivity, consent records and replacements. Our exclusive vs shared PI leads guide explains the difference.
This guide is general information for law firms, not legal advice. Your state's version of the ethics rules and your own counsel have the final say.
Where exclusive cases fit
Exclusive leads are one source of new cases, not a whole growth plan. They pay off most once your intake can answer fast and you know which cases you want.
Exclusive MVA cases
Augment Leads runs its own car accident campaigns nationwide. The injured person fills in the form, and each MVA lead goes to one firm only, with an SMS-verified phone and a TrustedForm certificate, delivered to your CRM or intake team in real time. You choose the states and accident types you take.
Exclusive workers' comp cases
Each workers' comp lead comes from a person hurt on the job who filled in the form themselves. It's screened for whether they were injured while working, whether they reported it and whether they already have a lawyer, then sent to one firm only. Unqualified leads are replaced under your agreement.
Augment Leads is a Canada-based company, founded in 2025, that serves US law firms nationwide and is trusted by over 50 law firms. You pay per lead, with no agency retainer and no minimum term. See how it works or read the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to get more personal injury cases?
Convert more of the inquiries you already get by answering within minutes and following up on a schedule. For new volume, ads and exclusive pay-per-lead sources can start sending inquiries soon after setup.
Are referrals still a good source of PI cases?
Yes, for many firms. Fee division between lawyers in different firms must follow ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) or your state's version, including the client's agreement confirmed in writing.
Is it allowed to buy personal injury leads?
Comment 5 to ABA Model Rule 7.2 says a lawyer may pay others for generating client leads, as long as the lead generator doesn't recommend the lawyer. Check your state's version with counsel.
How do I know which source brings the most cases?
Tag every inquiry with its source, then count signed cases and spend per source each month. Cost per signed case is the spend on a source divided by the cases signed from it.
Should I buy exclusive or shared PI leads?
Exclusive leads go to one firm only, so your intake isn't racing other firms on the same caller. Shared leads go to several firms. Ask any vendor to put which one you're buying in writing.