Did you know that two million drivers out of six million drivers involved in car accidents yearly end up with permanent injuries?
If you’re injured in a car accident, you may need to hire a car accident attorney to help you get an insurance settlement or initiate a court case against the at-fault driver. But how do you choose the right attorney?
The initial consultation is your first opportunity to discuss the merits of the case with a lawyer and determine if the lawyer a good fit. In order to make the consultation worthwhile, you need to ask the right questions.
In this post, that’s what we’ll cover.
How Long Does It Take to File a Car Accident Lawsuit?
You’ll first want to know how long filing an auto accident lawsuit takes before entering any agreement with the attorney.
The attorney should give you sound legal advice on the whole exercise, including how long the process should take. Knowing how long the lawsuit takes will help you in your personal organization, such as scheduling events and other important dates.
This might also be the right time to let your lawyer know anything worth noting about your driving records. For instance, if you have any tickets or have been involved in previous accidents, now’s the right time to let your attorney know. That way, the lawyer can avoid asking you the same in the courtroom and sidestep any unpleasant surprises down the line.
Remember to be completely truthful when giving information about your driving records. You have nothing to worry about; your attorney is always on your side. Try to be as candid and as comprehensive as possible so that the attorney can determine the strength of your case.
How Many Car Accidents Have You Handled Before?
Next, you need to ask the attorney how many similar cases they’ve dealt with before.
That’s the only way to tell whether the lawyer has the necessary skills and experience to handle your case. You don’t want to end up with a personal injury lawyer that has never handled a car accident case, which may not end well for you.
Always settle for an experienced attorney to get the most out of our settlement.
.Here are a few benefits of hiring an experienced layer over a non-experienced one:
- An experienced attorney is well versed with the nuances of your state or city law
- Experienced lawyers may be in cahoots with law enforcement agencies to get information that other lawyers may be unable to obtain
- Qualified and experienced lawyers help you get the highest possible settlement even if you don’t have complete insurance coverage
- You have a better chance of succeeding if you’re filing a claim against a person or company if you have an experienced lawyer to back you
Keep the above in mind the next time you want to suggest that an attorney‘s experience isn’t important.
With that out of the way, let’s look at the next question.
How Much Compensation Should I Expect?
It’s now time to address the elephant in the room, and that’s how much compensation you’ll receive should things go your way. While you surely don’t want to get ahead of yourself, it’s still a good idea to know how much compensation you should expect.
The amount of compensation you’ll receive primarily depends on the extent of car damage. For instance, you should expect a lot more if your car got totaled than if your car got a minor bump. You’ll receive a percentage of the cost of damage, usually 50% or upwards in some cases.
Will I Lose My Job Because of the Accident?
Lingering uncertainty haunts most drivers after they get involved in an accident. That’s because most of them aren’t sure whether they’ll still keep their jobs.
It’s up to your employer to decide whether it’s time for you to pack your bags or whether you’ll stay. However, if you feel that your employer has dismissed you unfairly, you can let your car accident attorney be your voice in court.
Note that employers are liable for their employees’ health during working hours. If your employers don’t provide you with appropriate care, you should consult a personal injury lawyer to know the best way forward.
What’s Your Policy on Depositions?
You may also want to know how the attorney handles depositions after you settle the car accident case.
It isn’t uncommon for testimonies and complaints to arise long after the court has concluded your case. In such instances, lawyers must act fast to ensure these depositions don’t jeopardize their clients’ success.
The court sometimes uses depositions to decide whether someone in court is telling the truth. These depositions can either be written or words someone utters in front of a judge. How well your attorney handles these depositions will significantly determine the outcome of your case down the line.
How Much Will You Services Cost Me?
If there’s one thing most people know about lawyers is that they don’t come cheap. However, be sure to ask how much your lawyer’s legal services cost, just to be sure you can afford them. Most personal injury lawyers work on a “contingency” basis, meaning you don’t pay them a single cent unless you win the case.
Attorneys will demand a percentage of your settlement as payment. This percentage varies from attorney to attorney. That’s why it’s a good idea to know how much your attorney charges before signing any papers.
Ask the Right Questions for the Right Car Accident Attorney
The only way to know whether you’re in the right hands is to ask your car accident attorney the right questions. The above questions are great for a start, but you can ask as many questions as you want until you’re satisfied. That’s the only way you can get the best car accident attorney for the job.
For more informative reads, be sure to check out the other pieces on our blog.
