Looking for Legal Help After a Car Accident? Here are 4 Things to Look For

Hundreds of thousands of Americans are involved in car crashes and accidents yearly. In 2019 alone, 12.15 million vehicles were involved in a crash, Statista reports. Hiring a car accident attorney is one of the smartest moves if you’ve been involved in an accident. Here’re four things to look for before jotting the dotted line.

Experience and Expertise

The American Bar Association has more than 1.3 million lawyers in the U.S. Yet that doesn’t mean each professional who wears the attorney’s hat is the one for you. First, how long have they practiced? Even if they recently graduated, have they handled similar cases to yours?

Most legal firms place the qualifications of all their lawyers on their websites for easy navigation. The legal industry is quite competitive, which is why specialization makes sense. A simple web search will tell you the cases they have handled in the past. You want to hire an attorney who has handled similar cases to yours and won. If you are looking for reputable legal help then getting in touch with a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer, or one more local to you, would prove most advantageous to your case.

Superb Communication Skills

It’s not enough to hire a qualified lawyer—they must also be good communicators. If you want to hire a St. Louis Lyft accident lawyer, evaluate how they communicate to you about your case. Do they go out of their way to communicate clearly about your case, or are they caught up trying to impress you with jargon? Do they send an a-once-in-a-while message, or do they keep you regularly updated?

Another way to observe your car accident lawyer’s communication skills is their response to your queries. Do they respond in a reasonable time? Most lawyers handle more than one case at a time, but effective lawyers plan for their time and communicate with clients. In the presence of interested third parties, do they articulate concepts clearly?

Legal Firm’s Reputation

If a firm is really good, they get positive feedback. Negative reviews are normal, but multiple client complaints are a no-no. Head over to Yelp and other online platforms and check their rating. If you have time, read five-star and two-star ratings to get a non-biased view of a law firm. They may also have testimonials on their website from previous clients that reflect their services. A lawyer with a good reputation will likely be trustworthy and provide quality legal advice.

Personalized Attention

Apart from the logical facts, such as reputation and experience, it’s okay to consider if a lawyer is a personal fit. Being in an accident is traumatizing, and you need to know you’re not just another case on the list. Is the lawyer emphatic in how they communicate? Watch how they address you. Are they keen on calling you by your name rather than the client? A personalized touch will make you feel at ease.

Hiring an experienced and helpful lawyer can be the difference between low and fair compensation. That’s why you must get a good lawyer at the onset. Look for their experience, communication skills, reputation, and personalized attention. By taking time to find the one, you’ll have more confidence that you have the best representation.

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