If you’ve been in a car accident and are struggling to get the compensation you need to cover medical bills and lost wages, you may already know that you need the help of a car accident attorney. Not all car accident lawyers are the same, though, which leaves you trying to figure out how to choose the right one while you’re recovering from the accident and the insurance company is pressuring you to settle.
To help make the process of finding the right attorney for your needs easier, follow these steps:
#1: Look for Experience in Car Accident Cases
Personal injury law covers a very wide range of cases, from slip and falls to bike accidents. Car accidents have their own unique challenges:
- Dealing with insurance adjusters
- Reconstructing crash scenes
- Calculating long-term damages
- Determining who is liable for the accident
- Locating camera footage
- Interviewing witnesses
- And more
Someone with a lot of experience in car accident cases will already be familiar with all of these challenges. On top of that, an experienced car accident lawyer will know all of the tactics insurance companies might use to try to blame you for the accident or claim that your injuries were pre-existing.
#2: Check for Trial Experience
Many car accident cases settle out of court. In fact, that may be your desired outcome. Many people are reluctant to go through the whole trial process. However, it’s important that your attorney has experience in taking cases all the way to court, just in case. An attorney who’s experienced with trials can still handle a settlement on your behalf, but will also know when it’s time to file a lawsuit to get you the compensation you deserve.
#3: Read Reviews and Learn About the Attorney’s Reputation
An attorney’s reputation, both among clients and their peers, can tell you a lot about how they work. Check for reviews both on their own website and off, because most law firms aren’t likely to repost negative reviews themselves. No attorney can win all the time, so don’t let a losing case discourage you from hiring a certain lawyer. However, the reviews and awards the attorney has earned can show trends, how well they communicate with clients, whether they go above and beyond for their clients, and more.
#4: Learn About the Fee Structure
If you’re considering hiring an attorney, it’s important to know ahead of time if you can afford one. In some branches of the law, lawyers charge by the hour, which could be prohibitively expensive if you’re already struggling with medical bills and loss of wages. In the personal injury and car accident area of law, however, most attorneys charge contingency fees. This means that you don’t have to pay anything unless your case is successful, at which point a percentage of your winnings would go towards paying your attorney. There are legal limits on how much an attorney can charge, but some may cover court costs when others don’t.
#5: Look at Firm Culture and Resources
Hiring a car accident attorney isn’t just about the attorney themselves. It’s also about the law firm they belong to. Some large law firms may have a lot of resources, but the attorneys compete amongst themselves rather than collaborating. It’s best to look for a law firm that not only is large enough to have the resources to devote to your case but also works together behind the scenes. A culture of collaboration means that you don’t just have one person working on your case, but a whole team.
If your case is more complex and involves, for example, both personal injury and workers’ compensation, a firm large enough to have both kinds of attorneys on staff can more easily and effectively collaborate to maximize your potential recovery.
#6: Evaluate the Attorney’s Communication
Typically, you get a free consultation when you’re looking for a car accident lawyer. You can use this time not just to ask any questions you may have, but also to evaluate how the attorney and the law firm communicate with you. An attorney who meets you where you’re at and makes sure to keep you updated on every aspect of the case is ideal. You don’t want to be having to chase down your lawyer for answers while you’re dealing with recovering from your car accident.
#7: Watch Out for Guarantees and Promises
Insurance claims and lawsuits can be complicated, and no honest attorney can guarantee a specific outcome or a specific dollar amount. It’s actually a red flag, not confidence, if your attorney makes promises about a certain settlement amount or case outcome. Your attorney should give you an honest evaluation, explain both the strengths and the challenges of your case, and set realistic expectations from the beginning.
The Right Car Accident Lawyer Can Make a Huge Difference
Even though taking the time to search for an attorney may be the last thing you want to do while you’re recovering from a car accident, it’s worth it to make sure you’re hiring the right one. At Farah & Farah, we stand with you after an accident. If your insurance company isn’t willing to pay out what they owe, we’ll take the fight to them. We have decades of experience standing up to big insurance companies and making sure that our clients get the justice that they deserve.
If you’ve been in a car accident, contact us for a free consultation. We’re here for you, for good.
