7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Car Accident Lawyer
The US alone experiences a staggering 5 to 6 million car accidents every year. Consequently, these accidents result in numerous fatalities and injuries. If you or a loved one is a car accident victim and need to file a claim, it’s important that you find the right car accident lawyer to handle your case.
It’s important to consider there are many car accident lawyers on the market. You may come across some lawyers who are not qualified for your situation. To avoid making this mistake, we have compiled seven essential questions that every potential client should ask a car accident lawyer.
1. How Long Have You Been Practicing Car Accident Law?
It’s crucial to find a lawyer who has been practicing car accident law for some time. This way, you can be sure they have the experience and knowledge needed to handle your case. A good rule of thumb is to find a lawyer who has at least five years of experience in this field.
If you’re looking for a specialist, such as an attorney who only handles motorcycle accidents, then you may want to look for one with even more experience. Remember, the longer the lawyer has been practicing car accident law, the more likely they are to know how to win your case.
2. Do You Have Experience with My Type of Case?
You’ll want to ask your potential lawyer if they have experience with the type of car accident case you are looking to file. A car accident attorney should be able to handle any kind of car accident claim. For example, the lawyer should be familiar with accidents like rear-end collisions, sideswipes, and multi-vehicle accidents involving commercial trucks or tractor-trailers.
It’s essential that you find the best car accident attorney who will understand how these types of cases work and what it takes to win. If the legal team does not know all about your particular case, then there is a good chance they won’t be able to give you an accurate assessment of whether you have a chance of winning and getting compensation.
3. How Many Cases Like Mine Have You Handled Recently?
Once you search for the “best car accident lawyer near me” and narrow it down to a few potential lawyers, find out whether they’ve handled similar cases in the past year. Lawyers who have handled many cases like yours in the past year will know how to best approach your claim and what evidence they need to win.
If the lawyer you are speaking to has not recently handled cases similar to yours, then it’s best to move on and find someone who can give you a better chance at success. Remember, hiring an inexperienced lawyer could result in your case taking longer to resolve or your case could be dismissed entirely.
4. What is Your Success Rate in Court?
A good car accident lawyer will have a high success rate in court. This means that they’re not only experienced but know their way around a courtroom and can handle a trial. You can ask the lawyer this question directly or do some research on your own to get an idea of their track record.
Keep in mind that having a successful lawyer does not mean that you’ll automatically win your case. However, it’s a good indicator that they know what they’re doing and stand a better chance of getting you the compensation you deserve.
If the lawyer has had numerous cases dismissed or lost many trials, it may be best to move on and find someone else who can help you with your claim.
5. What are Car Accident Lawyer Fees and How are They Structured?
When it comes to car accident law, lawyers will either charge an hourly fee or work on a contingency basis. A contingency fee basis means that the lawyer only gets paid if you win your car accident case and receive compensation. Depending on how much money is involved with your claim, this could mean thousands of dollars.
Therefore, it’s important to understand what kind of fees are associated with hiring a car accident lawyer and which lawyer is best suited for your unique situation. However, ensure the fee details are clarified before retaining a lawyer.
For example, let’s say you have been injured after being rear-ended by another driver and want the driver’s insurance company to cover $50,000 in medical expenses and other damages resulting from the crash. In this scenario, paying a lawyer on an hourly basis may not be the best option, as it could take months or even years to resolve your case.
Contingency fees, on the other hand, can be a better way to go as they typically range from 25-33% of the total settlement. This means that if you win your car accident case and receive $50,000 in compensation, your lawyer would get around $16,250 for their services. While this may seem expensive, it is much more affordable than paying an attorney by the hour. A car accident lawyer’s hourly rate can depend on their legal market, skill, and experience level. Their rate could range anywhere from $100-500 or more per hour. Therefore, hiring a lawyer on a contingency fee basis can save you a lot of money in the long run.
6. What Kind of Resources Do You Have to Help Build My Case?
When it comes to car accident cases, you’ll need more than just testimony from the other driver or witnesses.
You should anticipate that the insurance company will hire their own experts to try and prove otherwise, so it’s important to have strong evidence as well. This might include police reports detailing how fast the other driver was going or photos of road conditions leading up to where you crashed.
If necessary, a lawyer may even request assistance from an engineering firm that can provide expert opinions related to reconstructing what happened at the accident scene. A car accident lawyer with enough resources will be able to bring in these expert witnesses to strengthen the case.
7. What Can I Expect in Terms of Communication?
Ideally, you should be able to contact your lawyer at any time with questions or concerns, and they should get back to you within a reasonable timeframe. If this is not the case, it might be best to look for someone who can better accommodate your needs.
Regardless of how much money is at stake in your accident case, it can be an extremely stressful and overwhelming experience. Having to meet with insurance companies or go into court on a regular basis without knowing what to expect can make this process even more difficult.
The best car accident lawyer should communicate with you regularly throughout each stage of the process so that all questions are answered in advance, and nothing comes as a surprise along the way.
Hiring The Best Car Accident Lawyer
Hiring a car accident lawyer is a big decision, but asking these seven questions beforehand can help make the process much easier. Make sure to keep these questions in mind when meeting with potential attorneys, so you can find someone who will best represent your interests.
If you’re still in search of the best car accident attorney, please contact the legal team at Alpha Accident Lawyers, and we’ll be more than glad to represent you.
