Wrongful Death Lawyer Near Me

Losing a loved one is traumatic, and difficult to overcome. But the grief can be magnified if their death was caused by someone else’s negligence. When this occurs, a claim can be filed with the help of an attorney who specializes in the field. However, trying to find a “wrongful death lawyer near me” in Google can produce an overwhelming number of results. 

Wrongful death cases can involve car accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, and other traffic-related accidents. In a wrongful death case, the estate from the surviving family members can collect damages for their loss. However, insurance companies are not always willing to offer reasonable compensation.

To ensure you get just compensation for your loss, you should hire the best attorney for the job. But with so many wrongful death lawyers out there, how do you narrow down your options? Here is a guide on how to select an attorney for your case.

Verify Experience

A slight mistake will lower your compensation value when dealing with a wrongful death lawsuit. For this reason, you will need a wrongful death lawyer who understands the compensation process in depth. 

Because wrongful deaths can be caused by car accidents, truck accidents, and rideshare accidents, you will need a lawyer specializing in cases similar to yours. To determine the experience of wrongful death attorneys, check their online portfolios. From there, you can determine the number of years they have been practicing law.

You can also assess the experience of the lawyer by asking the right questions, such as:

• Have you handled cases similar to mine before?
• Out of the previous cases you have represented, what is your success rate?
• Are you familiar with the laws regarding my case?
• Have you been recognized by your peers for your work?

Research Reputation 

Apart from experience, you should also assess the reputation of the wrongful death lawyer. When under grief, the last thing you want is to deal with a lawyer who will cause you more confusion and anxiety. Additionally, communication is another good quality. You will want to be up to date on the case’s progress. 

For this reason, you need to hire a lawyer with a good reputation. A reputable lawyer will increase your chances of getting just compensation. A reputable lawyer is also aware of the loopholes and deadlines that can hurt a case. 

To determine their reputation, ensure to read online reviews. You can start by reading the reviews available on the lawyer’s website. If the reviews seem too good to trust, you can check third-party reviews like those on the Better Business Bureau. Such reviews are always genuine and reliable as they are beyond the lawyer’s control.

If possible, you can contact past clients the lawyer has worked with. Ask for their opinion about the competence of the wrongful death lawyer.

Confirm Pricing

Some wrongful death lawyers charge on a contingency basis. This means there are no upfront charges, and fees are only collected if the case is won. 

But even though a lawyer operates under a contingency basis, you still need to understand their fee structure. It would be unfortunate to be awarded a reasonable settlement, only to lose a large percentage in attorney fees. 

Thus, you need to understand the rate they charge for their services. Also, inquire about litigation costs. In some cases, litigation costs such as filing fees or expert witness fees might be too high. Ensure to ask the attorney who will be responsible for such expenses if you lose the case.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the most expensive attorney may not necessarily mean that he or she is the best. Conversely, an attorney with more affordable pricing may be just as qualified. 

Check Their Credentials

Before a lawyer starts offering any legal services, they must have attained a Bachelor of Laws degree. They are also supposed to specialize in a specific area of law.

Thus, before hiring a wrongful death lawyer, visit their website and check information about their training. The best wrongful death lawyer to work with is the one who graduated from reputable training institutions.

The other crucial credential to check before hiring a wrongful death lawyer is licensing. It’s a legal requirement for any lawyer to have a license before offering legal services. To find out whether the lawyer is licensed, search their name on your state’s bar association site.

Also, check for awards and honors. By visiting the lawyer’s website, you can see some of the rewards and honors they might have received. If the number of rewards received is impressive and they are licensed, that is a good sign.

Assess Their Availability

When dealing with a wrongful death case, communication is vital. Your lawyer has to keep you updated with the progress of the case. For this reason, you will need a lawyer that you can easily reach and that will not take days to respond.

Before hiring a lawyer, ask about the current workload and how many cases that law firm has taken on. If that particular lawyer is overbooked, it may be more difficult to maintain communication and stay up to date with the case. 

The Top Wrongful Death Attorneys

Searching the term “wrongful death lawyer near me” will certainly produce many results. However, finding an attorney with a client’s best interest in mind is the challenge.

At Alpha Accident Lawyers, our attorneys fight to preserve the rights of victims who have been affected by the negligence of another. We have the knowledge and resources to help you with your wrongful death case. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.