You’re driving down the road when crunch! Another car slams into the back of yours. Luckily, you’re not injured too badly. You’re still going to have tons of medical fees that you have to pay, and a car to fix.
How are you supposed to handle all of that? The answer is to lawyer up. Hiring an accident attorney is the fastest and easiest way for you to get compensation for your crash.
They’ll be able to understand all the complex ins and outs of your case and handle the negotiations. Most of the time, you don’t even have to pay them out of pocket to do it.
The question is, how do you hire the best one? We can help with that. Check out this guide to learn everything you need to know about finding a killer accident lawyer.
Benefits of Hiring an Accident Attorney
Before we get into the hiring process, let’s talk a little about what having a lawyer on your side can do for you. Why pay an attorney if you can handle your case alone?
They’re Professionals
It’s hard for a normal person to figure out how much their case is worth by themselves. This makes it easy for insurance companies to take advantage of them. An attorney can quickly do the math once you present them with all the information that they need.
Even if you do know how to do all the legal math, there’s the little matter of paperwork. If you make one little slipup or turn something in past its due date, you won’t see a penny of your compensation. A lawyer will make sure that this doesn’t happen.
They Can Handle the Negotiations
Getting into an accident is pretty stressful. You’re in pain, you’re scared, you don’t know how your case is going to pan out. It’s a lot to take in.
The last thing you want to have to bother with is negotiating with the insurance company. You may end up taking a lower settlement to be done with everything.
An attorney will know when someone is trying to short you. They’ll handle the negotiations to ensure that you get every bit of money that you deserve.
It Will Improve Your Odds
Showing up to your court date without a lawyer is the same as showing up to a swordfight with a knife. You’ll have some bargaining power, but it won’t be enough to matter.
The insurance company is going to be armed with the best attorney that they can find. If you want to stand a chance, you’ll have to do the same.
They Have Some Motivation to Help
Most attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that they don’t get paid unless they win your case. Once you get your settlement, they’ll take a small portion out of it for their fees and be on their way.
If they review your case and can tell that you have a good chance of winning, they’ll have the motivation to fight for you so they can profit as well.
Peace of Mind
Giving your lawyer all the information discussed above will speed up the process, but it still won’t happen overnight. It could take years to settle your case.
A good accident attorney will keep an open line of communication with you during this process, so you won’t have to stay too stressed waiting for something to happen.
How to Hire the Best One?
Now that you know why you should hire a lawyer, the question is how? What do you have to do to find the best accident attorney in your area to fight for you?
Take Advantage of Free Consultations
Most lawyers will allow you to schedule a free consultation. Here they will review your case, give you some legal advice, and discuss payment options. It does not lock you into using a particular attorney, however.
If you get a bad feeling during the consultation, you can leave and never call them again. It’s that simple.
We recommend booking a few consultations with different law firms. This way, you’ll have a good number of price ranges that you can work with.
Talk About the Fees
Now it’s time to discuss one of the most important parts. The fees. Again most lawyers work on a contingency.
That doesn’t mean that they won’t require to pay at least something out of pocket. Some lawyers want you to fork over at least a little bit of cash before they’ll open your case.
It’s best to find someone who doesn’t operate this way. This is especially true if you’re on a limited budget.
Get a Service Contract
Once you know what fees you’re going to have to pay, ask the attorney to draw up a service contract. This will list out all the charges in great detail.
Obtain a copy of this agreement for your records. The last thing you want to do is have to deal with any surprise fees after your case is won.
Give the Lawyer All the Information You Can
Your lawyer is going to need all the evidence they can get to settle your case as fast as possible. Make sure that you hand them your medical records, car insurance policy, pictures of your car after the accident occurred, a list of witnesses, and the police report.
Your Guide to Hiring an Accident Attorney
Getting compensation for a car crash is one of the most nerve-racking things that you’ll ever have to go through. The insurance companies will pile on the stress to get you to accept a lower settlement.
Don’t give in to their demands. Hire an accident attorney instead. They have all the skills and know-how to fight for your legal rights.
Are you looking for more advice that will help you navigate your way through a court case? Check out our blog daily for all the latest tips and tricks.
