If you have just been through a car accident, the last thing you want to think about is how much this is going to cost me. The reality of it is that car accidents happen a lot more than you may realize. In 2015, there were nearly 2.5 million people who were injured in car accidents in the United States, reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Car accidents, regardless of the cause, can have extensive implications for those who find themselves in the middle of them, forcing anyone who has injuries to deal with high medical costs while also potentially losing time from work.
In certain sad circumstances, victims may suffer from permanent disabilities or even die as a result of their injuries. These are different from slip and fall injuries.
While winning a judgment or reaching a settlement won’t always make up for the injuries a motorist has to experience as a result of the accident, it helps attribute to them getting back on their feet.
Sadly, winning a car accident case against a negligent party that is to blame in an accident may be challenging, since they are usually represented by a major insurer with substantial resources and a slew of lawyers.
Having an experienced car accident lawyer to handle your case can help your chances, especially if it goes to trial or there are settlement discussions. Here is a list of pointers to assist you in finding the right lawyer.
Referrals
Seeking a lawyer who someone you know has worked with is your best chance at finding a good car accident lawyer. Members of your family or trusted friends or colleagues can usually refer you to someone who is capable of managing your case.
Maybe you hired a lawyer in a different legal situation who can refer you to another that specializes in car accident cases. Or, your regular body shop knows a lawyer who they recommend to their customers.
You can even put a call into your state’s bar association to obtain a full list of all the attorneys that are licensed in your region. Online searches can be sufficient too.
Do Your Research
After you’ve chosen a small number of options, you can meet with each of them to see who you feel most comfortable with, but you may also want to do further research into each of them.
If you visit their respective websites, many lawyers will highlight testimonials from their previous clients, offering some background about the type of work and results they have received before. Internet feedback can help as well in assisting you in selecting an attorney.
You should also check what each lawyer specializes in and what the outcomes of their cases have been. Experience is key in finding the best possible lawyer to handle your case.
Interviewing Potential Lawyers
Reduce the number of lawyers you want to possibly work with. Then, from here you want to sit down and interview each of them, since there are generally accident lawyers free consultation.
This will give you the chance to go through the details of your case, and ask them how they might proceed. Below are some of the questions you may want to consider when discussing your case:
– Have they worked on car accident cases with their past clients?
– What is the lawyer’s success rate?
– What lawyer fees should you anticipate if you make a claim?
– How strong is my case? Are there any shortcomings to be concerned about?
– Will they be directly involved or will it be delegated to another lawyer?
– How long do they estimate the case to take to be resolved?
– How frequently will I receive updates?
These first meetings are also a useful way for each attorney to examine the lawyer-client interaction.
