The Process of Finding an Attorney is Unlike Other Purchase Decisions
When you decide to buy a car, you do your homework. You may begin by determining what features are important to you in your next vehicle. You are likely to also consider the make of vehicle (i.e., the brand) and may wish to focus on purchasing a vehicle from an auto manufacturer that has a reputation for safety and/or one that compliments your lifestyle. You may also read online reviews or speak with friends and family members who own a vehicle similar to the one that you are considering.
Finally, you will almost surely want to test drive one or more vehicles before settling on “the one.” If only selecting the right car accident attorney could be so straightforward. Accident injury victims, however, may feel intimidated and uninformed when it comes to choosing the right attorney to handle their car accident lawsuits and claims. This puts injury victims at a particular risk for hiring the wrong type of attorney for their suit or an attorney that is not best suited for their case.
Our personal injury law firm presents the following tips and suggestions to help you find the right accident injury attorney for your case. If you are injured and you have questions about your legal rights or if you would like a free personal injury case analysis, please contact us at 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529) for immediate assistance.
Tips for Hiring the Right Car Accident Attorney
Thankfully, just as there are tips and tricks to make sure you are buying a dependable car or getting a good deal on that new electronic device, there are several tips you can use to make sure the car accident attorney you hire is right for the job:
- Find an attorney whose practice primarily or solely focuses on car accidents and personal injury claims: The legal landscape can sometimes change rather suddenly, and you will want an attorney that is familiar and comfortable with fighting for your rights on the current landscape applicable to car accident claims. Nothing is so embarrassing or disheartening than for a car crash victim to hear a judge chide his or her attorney for not being up-to-date on current laws and rulings. Therefore, one of the first considerations you should have in deciding what attorney or law firm to hire is how much of the attorney’s or firm’s practice is devoted to representing car accident and/or personal injury victims. If the attorney or firm handles only a small number of such cases and/or dabbles in a variety of unrelated practice areas, you may wish to consider finding a different attorney.
- Find an attorney who is recommended by people you know: Just as you might consider whether to by a particular car based upon reviews given by your friends and family who have also owned a similar car, so too you can learn a lot from your friends and family who may have also been represented by the same firm or attorney you are considering. Ask your friends and family members about their experience with the attorney – what they liked as well as what they did not like.
- Find an attorney with outstanding reviews, awards and accolades.
Find an attorney who leaves you with a good impression: You should walk out of your initial consultation with the attorney with an overall good impression of your interaction with the attorney. Your impression and opinion should be based on things such as:
- Do I believe this attorney is trustworthy and honest?
- Did the attorney speak with me in a respectful manner – or was I being talked down to or treated like my opinions were unimportant?
- Did the attorney take the time to listen to my concerns and address them in an appropriate manner?
- Did the attorney acknowledge that my case may have some difficulties or challenges (beware the attorney who, after listening to you for five minutes, pronounces that your case is a “slam dunk”)?
- Did the attorney take time to explain his or her fee structure – how he or she bills for his or her time and what expenses I would be required to cover?
- Does the firm and/or this attorney have a history of winning settlements and verdicts for clients? While a history of success does not absolutely guarantee that your case will also be successful, it does at the very least indicate that this is an attorney who is capable of delivering on behalf of his or her clients when it matters most.
- Did I feel comfortable with the attorney? Remember that during the pendency of your case you and your attorney will need to communicate frequently. If your personality and that of the attorney do not “mesh” well, interactions may become difficult and painful – which, in turn, can lead to you avoiding communicating with your attorney or vice versa.
In choosing an accident injury attorney to represent you in your car accident case, avoid “trappings” or “decorations” that may appear at first to be indicators of success or expertise but in the end are nothing but show. Avoid measuring an attorney’s skill by the number of diplomas or awards on the wall or the number of books on the bookshelves.
Do not believe that an attorney with expensive-looking furniture is skilled or successful – such items can easily be bought on credit. Focus on what matters: Does the attorney project confidence and knowledge about car accident cases, does his or her evaluation of your case reveal someone who recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and do you feel comfortable and confident in working with this attorney.
Finally, any agreement (including a fee arrangement) should be in writing no matter how comfortable you may feel about the attorney. The details of the attorney’s representation – what he or she is representing you for, the reason(s) why he or she may withdraw from representation, the fee he or she is to be paid and when such fee is expected to be paid, and how often you should expect communication from your attorney, for example – should be spelled out in a written retainer agreement. Be sure to read this agreement carefully and do not be afraid to insist on changes if the language does not comport with your understanding of things.
Our Firm Has Recovered Over $2 Billion for Our Accident Clients Nationwide!
Parker Waichman, LLP has recovered more than $2 billion in monetary compensation for our personal injury clients through trial verdicts and settlements. Our law firm has also obtained the “Preeminent Lawyers” AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbard® for quality legal representation. Also, our law firm has achieved an outstanding rating of 9.8 out 10 on AVVO.com.
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