The last thing that anyone wants to have happen is be in a car accident. But, as the saying goes, accidents happen. If you have been in a car accident, you may very well find yourself in need of a car accident lawyer.
When you are in a car accident and are seeking damages, more often than not you are going to be dealing with the insurance company of the person who caused the car accident. Everyone knows how loathe insurance companies are to pay out on claims, so they will do anything and everything they can to stop you from getting your money. They are also large companies who deal with these situations on a daily basis, so they know all the tricks to put a stop to anything that is coming to you.
Car accident lawyers, on the other hand, are used to working with insurance companies. They can help you make sure that you get what you deserve and don’t find yourself getting screwed by the insurance company.
Finding a Good Car Accident Lawyer
Open up the Yellow Pages and you will find yourself inundated with listings and advertisements for car accident lawyers. Sometimes it seems that the only thing listed in the Yellow Pages is ads for lawyers. With so many lawyers in there, there are sure to be some good ones, but there are also sure to be a lot of bad apples trying to spoil the whole bunch. Here are some tips on finding a good lawyer.
- Start looking right away. The longer the wait the worse it will be for you. You also want to make sure that you start the suit before the statute of limitations hits. This can vary depending on what state you live
in, but you don’t want to waste time when looking for a lawyer. You should start looking within a week of the accident. - If you have a lawyer already that you know and trust, you should contact them first. Even if they are not a car accident lawyer, they will very likely be able to refer you to someone who is good in the field.
Such a referral will be very helpful in picking your car accident lawyer, but it is not a requirement if you do not already have a lawyer. You might also try talking to friends and people whom you trust that might have had experience with car accident lawyers. - Look for a car accident lawyer that works on a contingency basis. This means the lawyer only gets paid if you win your suit. You should expect that the lawyer will take about 33% of what you receive from the
suit, after fees are taken out on top. You want to stay away from lawyers who are going to cost much more than that. - Do some research on your lawyer. One good place to look for a lawyer is http://www.martindale.com.
This web site uses the Martindale-Hubbard rating to tell you how good a lawyer is. It can be an excellent way to help you in knowing who is good and who isn’t, rather than just looking at names and ads and trying to make the best guess you can. They rate lawyers both in the United States and Canada, and you can find car accident lawyers as well as just about any other lawyer you can think of. - Once you’ve found a car accident lawyer you think will work for you, go and meet with them face to face. Discuss the situation, find out what he thinks he can do for you. It is always better to meet face to face
with a lawyer than just talk with him over the phone. If you feel that you can’t trust a specific lawyer, don’t hesitate to try another. You want to work with a car accident lawyer that you feel is good and trustworthy.
Nobody likes working with lawyers. But sometimes it is necessary. If you have been in a car accident, it is no laughing matter. You need the knowledge and experience that a lawyer can bring to the table. In smaller cases, of course, this may not be as needed, but if there is serious damage to either yourself or your vehicle, a car accident lawyer will be a major asset as you seek damages.
Reference:
- Martindale.com An excellent site to search for a car accident lawyer.
