If you get in a serious car accident, then picking up the pieces afterward can present many challenges. For instance, you may have some injuries with which you must contend. It may take weeks or months for you to recover fully.
You might also feel that you have to hire a suitable car wreck lawyer if you’re sure that the other driver caused the accident, but they or their insurance company won’t admit it. If you’re in an at-fault state, that virtually guarantees that you must sue them. If you don’t bring a civil action against them, then you can’t recoup the money that you spent on things like repairs to the car or your medical bills.
You will probably have no issues finding car wreck lawyers if you live in a decent-sized city or a large one. Many attorneys get into the personal injury niche, and the car accident one in particular.
However, you can’t just pick a random attorney and have them represent your interests. If you do, that could prove disastrous.
How can you tell which attorneys to avoid, though? It’s not an exact science, but if you follow these tips, then you should do fine.
First, you might ask some people you know if they’ve ever used a car accident attorney. Maybe they will have a recommendation. That way, you will at least know that someone in your circle used this individual or law firm and found them acceptable.
If you don’t know anyone who can give you a recommendation, then you will probably need to look around online to turn up some potential candidates. When you have a short list of possibilities, you should next look at what kind of online feedback they have.
Reviews matter, and if a lawyer you’re thinking about hiring has some really atrocious ones, then that probably means you should disqualify them. If you see several one-star reviews and read some horror stories that go along with them, you can probably cross this candidate off of your list.
Next, you can look at each lawyer’s website. They should all have one. Just about every business requires a website in the modern era, and that certainly applies when you’re talking about personal injury lawyers.
When you visit their site, see what kind of an impression you get. Does it seem up-to-date and professional?
How fast does it load? Do you see any pop-ups or distracting ads? If the UX seems excellent, and you see clear, concise copy, that should give you the impression that you’re dealing with a competent individual who cares about the impression that their website makes.
If you decide that you’re impressed enough by a lawyer’s website that you’re ready to reach out to them, then you can call their office. That probably makes more sense than sending an email, since presumably, you want to take as proactive of an approach to the situation as possible.
You might speak to a receptionist or personal assistant. What impression do they give you? Do they seem capable? Do they seem friendly?
Remember that a receptionist or executive assistant represents the company for which they work. If you talk to someone in the lawyer’s office who seems rude or dismissive, then you can probably cross that option off the list as well. You’re thinking about giving this person your business. They need to earn it.
If you set up a time to go meet with the lawyer, then you can show up and see what you think about what you’re seeing. Do they have a professional-looking office space? Does the space seem run down or have a of stains on the carpet?
When you meet with the lawyer, do they seem friendly? You want someone who seems engaging. You don’t need to be their best friend, but they should seem attentive. They should seem like they want your business.
If they seem rude or standoffish, then you should probably go with someone else. If you agree to have this lawyer represent you during your car crash lawsuit, then you’re going to have to spend quite a bit of time with them during the coming days and weeks. If they’re a distinctly unpleasant individual or they do not seem professional, then you can go with one of the other options on your list.
Next, you should talk to them about how you can pay them. In almost all cases, you will want to locate a personal injury lawyer who you can pay via contingency.
A contingency payment plan will let you pay your attorney only if they win your case for you. That means either forcing a settlement offer that you accept or getting a jury’s verdict in your favor.
If they will not let you pay them via contingency, and they insist that you give them money upfront, then you should walk away. You can probably find other lawyers who won’t behave in this way.
Finally, you will want to ask the lawyer before you officially hire them whether they have ever handled any cases like yours before. That means asking them if they have not only handled car accident lawsuits, but whether they’ve ever taken anyone on as a client who got in an accident like the one you are describing.
If this lawyer says that they have handled many cases like yours, and they also have a sparkling track record of winning them and getting money for their clients, then you can probably move forward. If they say that they have little or no experience with these kinds of cases, though, then you should probably go with someone more experienced and qualified.
P.S. Before you zip off to your next Internet pit stop, check out these 2 game changers below - that could dramatically upscale your life.
1. Check Out My Book On Enjoying A Well-Lived Life: It’s called "Your To Die For Life: How to Maximize Joy and Minimize Regret Before Your Time Runs Out." Think of it as your life’s manual to cranking up the volume on joy, meaning, and connection. Learn more here.
2. Life Review Therapy - What if you could get a clear picture of where you are versus where you want to be, and find out exactly why you’re not there yet? That’s what Life Review Therapy is all about.. If you’re serious about transforming your life, let’s talk. Book a FREE consult call here.
Think about subscribing for free weekly tools here.
No SPAM, ever! Read the Privacy Policy for more information.
