Don’t settle for the first car accident attorney you see in the search engines. You need to do your homework and make sure they have the expertise and the passion to help you. It can be scary when you are in an accident and hurt. You may not know how long you will be unable to work or how much the medical bills are going to be. It is hard to focus on recovery with uncertainty.
Referrals
Start by getting some referrals when you search for a car accident attorney. Ask your family, friends, people you work with, and even ask through social media. The feedback you get from others can help you to compile a list of possibilities. It can also help you mark some options off your list because others didn’t have a good experience with them.
The more you know about a possible entity to represent you, the better. This is far too important to get mixed up with the wrong attorney. You need someone who is compassionate abut also fierce when it comes to the law and how to apply it.
Connection
It doesn’t make sense to hire a car accident attorney you can’t connect with. You need someone you can trust and feel comfortable with. If they make you feel intimidated or uneasy, don’t hire them. You don’t need to give any explanation. Even if you can’t pinpoint the issue, trust your gut instinct.
Ask them about how many other cases they have at that point in time. You want to be confident they will have time to work on your case. Are they going to return your calls in a timely fashion? How will they keep you updated on the case? Ask these questions before you hire anyone to avoid problems and frustrations down the road.
Experience
Do your own research online to find out how much experience a car accident attorney has with this type of law case. You need someone who knows the laws inside and out and how they will apply to your circumstances. You also need to know their track record when it comes to how many cases they have settled successfully.
Are they willing to take it to court if a settlement agreement can’t be reached successfully? This is important as you have to be ready for anything. You may have a difficult time getting the other party to agree to the settlement request. You don’t want your case to crumble; you need them to go the distance for you and to be ready to present a great case.
Cost
After you have consulted with a car accident attorney and you are interested in hiring them, you need to know about the cost. You may have to pay a retainer fee for them to agree to accept your case. Most offices are willing to work out arrangements if you don’t have the money to pay up front. Others will require payment in full before they can start any work on it.
There are times when a car accident attorney won’t require any money up front. They will only get paid if you win your case. This can be a great motivator to get them to work harder for you. However, it also means they are very unlikely to take a case they don’t feel they can win. Should they win your case, they get a percentage of the settlement offer.
If that is the route you take, the terms and conditions with this car accident attorney should be in the form of a written contract. They will get their share of the settlement before you are paid anything as part of that agreement.
