How to Choose the Best Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me
In 2021, about 42,915 fatalities occurred due to US traffic accidents. If you sustained injuries or lost a loved one in an auto accident, consulting a personal injury lawyer is an essential next step.
Googling “best personal injury lawyer near me” is a good place to start. However, simply clicking the first result may not yield the best outcome. Read on to learn how to find the best representation for your tort case.
Research Lawyers Specializing in Auto Accident Cases
Those recently injured in automobile accidents need attorneys seasoned in crash-related cases. Another type of personal injury attorney will be insufficient. A medical malpractice or product liability case is extremely different than an auto-accident one despite technically falling under the “personal injury” umbrella.
Go online and begin researching attorneys that handle auto accident cases. Make sure that their attorneys have a high success rate specifically in cases like yours.
The Best Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me: Consider Referral Services
The American Bar Association makes it easy to find certified lawyers online. These attorneys are organized based on their specialty. That means that you can easily browse legal professionals that specialize in auto accidents.
Each State Bar Association includes online lists of lawyers in each practice area throughout the state. You can filter based on specialization as well as the service area.
When you do this, you also know that every attorney on the list is licensed to practice. You can also use popular legal directories like Avvo, FindLaw, and Lawyers.com to find and filter lawyers near you.
However, note that the quality of their education, experience and services varies. Not everyone listed on the referral service is of a high caliber.
Look Into Education and Experience
It’s important that you get a personal injury attorney with top-notch legal education. Make sure that they tell you where they graduated from. Research the school and the program to ensure its legitimacy and quality.
Then, look into how long the legal professional or law firm has been in operation. Someone with 10+ years of legal experience will be able to best handle your case. Some attorneys at Alpha Accident Lawyers have 25+ years of experience, so you’ll be in very capable hands.
It’s beneficial to ask about their experience with cases similar to yours. Inquire about how many cases they’ve handled and how many specifically regarded auto accidents.
Ask to see paperwork proving their educational background and success rate. Any credible attorney will be happy to share their accomplishments with you.
Ask the Right Questions
You should also ask several other questions during a legal consultation. Important inquiries include:
- How many years have you been practicing law?
- Do you focus on auto accident cases exclusively?
- Have you handled a case like mine before?
- How many cases do you take on at once?
- How much time will you have to dedicate to my case?
- Will you be handling my case personally? If not, who will?
- What hours will you be available for contact?
- What are your rates?
- When and how do you collect payment?
- Can I see reviews for your services?
- Have you taken any cases to trial?
Transparency is key when you are searching for an attorney. If someone dodges your questions or refuses to provide straightforward answers, it’s best to look elsewhere.
Evaluate Their Track Record
Many attorneys may have several years of experience but still, have low success records. This could be a result of giving into low insurance company settlements without aiming higher. Some attorneys also may simply not have proven results for tough cases despite having succeeded in low-stakes scenarios.
Ask whether they have experience handling catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. An attorney who only has won minor injury settlements will likely prove unhelpful to someone with serious injuries.
Look into how much they have won in previous settlements. Ensure that they consistently recover damages in multimillion-dollar negotiations. If they win only a few thousand dollars a case, you can do better.
Finally, look into any awards they may have won for verdicts and settlements. Attorneys with more awards and accolades have concrete proof of their quality.
Look At Online Reviews
Once you speak with prospective lawyers, go online and look at reviews for those you are still considering. See what past clients have to say about them.
Online forums are a great place to ask questions of others who have worked with legal professionals before. Some places to start are ABA Free Legal Answers, FindLaw, and your local bar association website.
Work With a Personal Injury Law Firm
Although it is a good starting point, simply Googling “best personal injury lawyer near me” won’t find you the best attorneys to represent your case. Now that you know how to search for an auto accident lawyer, it’s time to reach out to an attorney and discuss your auto accident claim.
Whether you want to contact us by phone call or a live chat, Alpha Accident Lawyers has you covered. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
