If you’re currently in an accident, you may be injured, concerned about your medical bills, or upset that you can’t go back to work right away because of the resulting pain and stiffness.
However, if you were involved in an accident caused by the negligence of someone else (for instance, if the person was driving under the influence), you may be able to collect compensation from their insurance company via a personal injury lawsuit.
To learn more about how to get started with your case, check out these helpful tips on car wreck attorney.
What is an auto accident attorney?
Whether or not you’ve been in an auto accident, it’s important to understand what an auto accident attorney does for a client and what types of services he provides. The role of an auto accident lawyer is fairly straightforward, though each one may have his own way of doing things.
These professionals make sure that their clients are fully compensated for injuries sustained during a crash. While some lawyers work on contingency fees—meaning they don’t get paid unless they win—most will charge a retainer fee up front.
This retainer covers all costs associated with filing your claim; if no money changes hands after your case settles, then you won’t owe anything else out-of-pocket.
Be careful when choosing a car accident attorney because it can be hard to find someone who can represent your best interests.
There are three factors that come into play here:
- experience;
- reputation; and
- cost.
As most law firms do not operate as individual entities but rather as part of larger firms, these factors should be considered carefully before selecting one.
Experience matters greatly when choosing an attorney because there is much more involved than meets the eye.
How do I choose the best car wreck lawyer for my case?
The process of choosing a car wreck lawyer can be stressful, but with these tips, it will help make your job easier and less complicated. Here are some helpful tips that will help you choose a car accident lawyer that is right for you.
- Research your options – There are many different types of lawyers out there today, so do your research and find one that specializes in personal injury cases.
- Ask friends or family – If you have a friend or family member who has been involved in an accident before, ask them if they had any issues or problems while dealing with their case.
- Get referrals from other attorneys – If you don’t feel comfortable asking people close to you about their experiences, then go online and look up reviews on various attorneys.
- Check their background – Before hiring a lawyer, check out where they went to school and what schools they attended.
- Don’t go by price alone – Just because someone offers cheap rates doesn’t mean they’re not good at what they do.
- Make sure they specialize in your type of case – Not all lawyers specialize in every type of case, so make sure that whoever you hire knows how to handle your particular situation.
- Be wary of scams – There are many scammers out there who claim to be lawyers, but really aren’t. So always do your homework before making any decisions.
- Take note of location – It’s important to take note of where your lawyer’s office is located as well as their hours of operation. You want to make sure that they are available when you need them most.
- Pay attention to communication skills – Communication skills are very important when dealing with clients and potential clients, especially during difficult times like after an accident.
- How long have they been practicing? – Newer lawyers may not be experienced enough to deal with all aspects of your case.
- What kind of track record does he/she have? – Look at past cases that he/she has handled and see how things turned out for those clients.
- Does he/she seem confident in his/her ability? – This might seem obvious, but you want to hire someone who seems confident in his/her ability to win your case.
- Is he/she willing to put in time and effort into my case? – If a lawyer isn’t willing to spend time on your case, then chances are they won’t put much effort into winning it either.
- Do I get along with him/her personally? – While having great communication skills is important, you also want someone who you get along with personally as well.
- Are there any fees upfront? – Some lawyers charge money upfront for services, which could end up being thousands of dollars depending on how big your case is.
- Can I afford him/her? – No matter how good a lawyer is, if you can’t afford them, then it probably wouldn’t be worth hiring anyway.
- Can he/she communicate with me clearly? – Your lawyer should be able to communicate effectively with you and explain everything thoroughly without leaving anything out.
When should I contact an auto accident lawyer?
If your collision was caused by someone else, it’s a good idea to get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be for your personal injury lawyer to help secure adequate compensation.
A car crash attorney can help build your case and make sure that insurance companies have all of their I’s dotted and their T’s crossed.
And if you don’t have health insurance or are worried about how much treatment might cost, then getting in touch with a car accident lawyer is even more important.
Having an experienced auto accident attorney on your side can help ensure that you don’t pay out-of-pocket for any medical care related to your collision.
In addition, some injuries take time to show up, which means you may not realize how serious they are until months after your collision.
Getting in touch with a car accident attorney right away gives them time to work with doctors before bills start piling up.
How much will it cost?
Getting in a car crash can be extremely stressful, not to mention expensive. You’ll have medical bills, rental cars and possibly even lost wages from missing work because of your injuries.
It’s important that you pay attention to what your insurance policy covers before a crash; if it doesn’t cover everything you need, make sure that you have an auto accident lawyer ready to help.
Your lawyer will help with filing claims with your insurance company and getting any additional compensation you may deserve.
While having a lawyer on retainer is often viewed as an unnecessary expense, it could end up saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars down the line.
What to do after an accident: Whether or not you hire an attorney, there are certain steps that everyone involved should take after a car accident.
The first thing you should do is file a police report right away—this way, you’ll be able to prove later on that you weren’t at fault for whatever happened.
Next, call your insurance provider and file a claim (if necessary). Make sure to get all information about other drivers who were involved in the accident—including their name, address and phone number—and give them yours too.
Lastly, contact your doctor if you were injured in any way during the crash.
Conclusion
Here’s what we can say about car accident fatalities. Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of death in the United States. According to statistics provided by The U.S. Department of Transportation, there are over 40,000 fatal crashes every year and more than 42,000 people die in those accidents. If you have been injured due to someone else’s carelessness, you can hire a lawyer to help!