Dealing with the fallout from a car accident can leave you feeling overwhelmed. The last thing you want to do is argue with insurance companies to get the reimbursement you need for medical bills and damage to your vehicle. Choosing the right car accident lawyer can make navigating a frustrating experience smoother and make sure you get the compensation you are owed.
1. Schedule a Consultation
Since you and your accident attorney will interact regularly, you’ll want to hire a lawyer who makes you feel comfortable. Schedule consultations with multiple lawyers if your case does not require immediate legal representation. Meeting with several different attorneys will allow you to choose the person whose personality is the most compatible with yours.
A consultation will also allow you to determine if the lawyer you are meeting is prompt, professional, and a good communicator. Finally, you’ll be able to ask them about their success rate in handling cases like yours.
2. Discuss Expenses and Fees
Some auto accident attorneys only charge a fee if they win your case, while others require payment before beginning your claim. You’ll want to ask about an attorney’s payment structure at your consultation so you can choose to work with a lawyer whose payment setup works for your financial situation. If you’re experiencing financial hardship from the accident, finding a lawyer who only takes a percentage of your settlement will be your priority.
Once you are ready to commit to a car accident lawyer in Houston, TX ask for a service contract stating the compensation amount they will receive and when it is due. You will want a copy to keep with your records. While most attorneys are trustworthy, it’s just good practice to always keep a copy of any agreement you sign with anyone.
3. Choose a Lawyer Who Focuses on Car Accident Cases
Hiring a lawyer who dabbles in a little bit of everything won’t benefit you as much as hiring an attorney who focuses on car accidents and personal injury claims. A lawyer who concentrates their practice on automobile accidents will better understand laws pertaining to your case.
They will also have more experience dealing with car insurance companies than attorneys who handle everything from family law to drug possession. The insurance company’s lawyer will specialize in car accident cases, so it’s crucial that your lawyer does too.
4. Ask Your Friends for Referrals
When scheduling consultations, don’t hesitate to contact friends and family and ask if they’ve used a lawyer they can recommend. Alternatively, they may have had a horrible experience with a lawyer and give you a name to cross off your list of contenders.
Whether their experience with their lawyer was negative or positive, it can help you select candidates. Depending on the size of your social circle and how frequently they’ve been involved in car accidents, you may be able to put together a list of possible lawyers based purely on recommendations.
5. Check Their History
Before scheduling a consultation, you’ll want to make sure any candidate is in good standing with the State Bar. A search on the State Bar website will let you know if they have had previous disciplinary actions taken against them due to unethical conduct and if their license to practice law has ever been suspended.
If you can’t find a lawyer’s name on the website, that can be a red flag that something may be amiss with their credentials. While innocuous reasons could explain why you cannot find a lawyer on the State Bar website, you’ll definitely want to dig deeper before trusting them with your case.
6. Scroll Through Their Website
Professional lawyers will have professional websites. In today’s world, a business or individual’s website is a way of making a first impression. If the first impression you get when visiting a website is poor, you probably won’t be more impressed when you interact with the lawyer in person.
Look for websites that appear as if someone put care into creating them. A website that looks like it was tossed together in a few minutes signifies unprofessionalism and lack of attention to detail: two traits you don’t want in your attorney.
7. Read Their Reviews
When determining which lawyers to schedule a consultation with, take a look at their reviews before making any appointments. Check Facebook, Google, and other review sites to ensure you get the complete picture because some platforms make it easy for business owners to delete negative reviews. Of course, you’ll want to avoid a car accident lawyer whose reviews are mainly negative, but 5-star ratings across the board can also be a warning.
When you see nothing but excellent reviews, there are two things it could be: either the lawyer is that fantastic, or they are buying reviews. A lawyer with primarily good reviews and a few unhappy clients sprinkled in is a safer bet. It’s impossible to please every client, so seeing some medium to low ratings is expected and lets you know that the lawyer probably isn’t padding or altering their reviews.
8. Ask All Your Questions
If you don’t understand a term your potential lawyer uses, don’t be afraid to ask. A quality lawyer won’t expect their client to know legal jargon or innately understand how an accident case is handled. A lawyer who can explain legal concepts to you in a way that makes sense has a strong understanding of the law, and good communication skills, which are essential characteristics in a lawyer.
Don’t settle for working with an unprofessional attorney. Instead, keep these tips in mind to help you find a quality lawyer to handle your case. Dealing with a car accident claim isn’t fun, but with a skilled lawyer on your team, you’ll be back on the road in no time.