How to Find an Attorney After Being Involved in a Car Accident

Hopefully, you’ll never be involved in a car accident. However, while you can minimize your chances of being in an accident by practicing safe driving habits, you could still be harmed if another party is negligent.

Typically, the negligent party in a car accident is another driver, but that’s not always the case. Accidents can also be the result of negligence on the part of a car’s designer or manufacturer, government agencies responsible for addressing hazardous road conditions, and others.

Regardless, if you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may be able to secure compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and potentially even non-financial losses, such as pain and suffering

You’ll almost certainly have a better chance of collecting what you’re owed if you seek representation from a personal injury attorney. Without an attorney on your side, the negligent party’s insurer will likely find it much easier to convince you to settle for less than you deserve. They may even deny your claim outright.

Of course, if you’ve never needed the services of a personal injury lawyer before, you might not know how to find one qualified to represent you.

Don’t worry if this is the case. The following tips will help.

 

Ask Family and Friends

You might know people who’ve already hired attorneys in the past. Ask if they can recommend a lawyer if so. Just make sure you also research the lawyer’s reputation independently. You must confirm they have experience handling cases like yours in the past as well.

 

Use Google

If you don’t know anyone who can recommend a lawyer, there’s no reason not to start your search on Google. When searching, use phrases that specify the type of attorney you’re looking for, as well as your location. For example, if you were injured in a car accident in New York City, you might use phrases like “New York City car accident lawyer,” “NYC car accident attorney,” or “[Insert relevant borough here] car accident lawyer.”

You shouldn’t necessarily work with the firm whose link shows up first in the search results. Instead, a Google search can simply help you make an early list of potential candidates.

It’s important to work with an attorney who has experience handling similar cases in your area because the applicable laws can vary from state to state. For example, while many states allow car accident victims to begin seeking compensation by filing a claim against the negligent party’s insurance, in a no-fault state, a victim must typically begin by filing a claim to collect from their own insurance, even if another party caused the accident.

 

Review Websites and Reviews

Next, check out the websites of the firms you’re considering. Although you may have to do some digging, as law firm websites can be packed with content and pages, you want to check to see if the firm’s attorneys have relatively substantial experience representing clients like you, if they offer free consultations, and if they have any testimonials from former clients.

However, the fact that a website features a few glowing reviews from past clients doesn’t mean the attorneys at that firm consistently do right by those they represent. It’s possible to please some clients while displeasing most. Thus, you should also look for reviews on platforms attorneys can’t control, such as Avvo, Yelp, and Google My Business pages.

 

Schedule a Consultation

A consultation with a personal injury attorney should always be free. Don’t even bother scheduling one with a firm that charges for consultations.

Prepare for your consultation by drafting a thorough narrative of the accident. You should also bring any evidence you have (such as photos of the scene), as well as documentation of your injuries and losses.

You shouldn’t hire an attorney who promises results. It’s impossible for even the most talented personal injury lawyer to honestly promise anything. Instead, hire an attorney who can explain in clear terms how they’ll approach your case. The goal is to hire an experienced and qualified lawyer with whom you feel comfortable working.

That’s key. Again, you’ll hopefully never be involved in a car accident, but if you are, you deserve representation from an expert who can guide you through the process of pursuing what you’re owed. These tips will help you find that attorney.

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