According to the Association for International Road Travel, motor accidents injure 4.4 million people each year. And just in case that jaw-dropping number wasn’t enough, these crashes are also directly responsible for around $380 million in annual medical costs.

If you’ve been involved in a recent car accident, an experienced team of motor accident lawyers could be the difference between, “That payout won’t even cover my medical costs!” and “I got what I needed after the accident.” 

But how do you know if you’ve got the right car accident lawyer? How can you make sure that you’re working with a motor accident attorney who knows what they’re doing? Keep reading to see how you can find and hire the best car accident attorney for your case.

1. Speak to Multiple Lawyers

We’re going to let you in on a little secret:

Not all car accident lawyers are created equal. And even if you’ve got a bunch of people who are willing to take on your case in exchange for a percentage of your winnings, it’s important to make sure that you’re dealing with someone who has what it takes to win your case.

To hear MarketWatch tell it, Americans could have saved $2.2 billion in 2017 simply by shopping online instead of going to the store in person. Not because e-retailers were cutting costs by just that much — but because being online made it possible to do more comparison shopping. Believe it or not, your search for a car accident lawyer has more in common with Christmas shopping than you might think. 

You don’t want to settle for the first lawyer you can find in the online yellow pages. You want to find the most competent legal counsel you can find. And talking to multiple attorneys is how you can comparison shop your way to finding excellent representation.

2. Look for Related Experience

To most people, a law degree is a law degree. But the truth is that most lawyers will eventually specialize in specific areas of law. 

As such, it’s not enough for someone to pass the bar and say, “I’m a motor accident lawyer.” You want someone who has handled cases that are similar to yours.

To list an example, primary care physicians and heart surgeons both have medical degrees. But if you’ve been diagnosed with a bad heart condition, you know which doctor you want to see. 

At the end of the day, the insurance company won’t want to pay out more than necessary. And the other driver will be looking for every opportunity to pin the blame on you. 

You don’t want to be the only person without an experienced negotiator and litigator advocating on your behalf. If you can find accident lawyers who have spent time trying and winning cases like yours, you’ll be able to make the strongest claim possible.

3. Find Out What the Legal Team’s Availability Looks Like

Whether you’re doing negotiations or working on litigation, car accident lawsuits take time and energy to prepare. But at the same time, the best lawyers are often booked months or years in advance.

However, even if you’re working with the greatest car accident lawyer ever, no one can prepare a complex case in under two hours. And even if you’re expecting your claim to be resolved through a settlement, you have the bad luck of dealing with a particularly stubborn insurer.

For these reasons and more, it’s important to make sure that the legal firm you’re dealing with has the capacity to manage your case. At the end of the day, it’s better to have more time than you need. 

4. Think About the Costs

You might have seen this tip and said, “Wait a minute. If my lawyer is willing to work for a percentage of my payout, why do I have to worry about costs?” And the answer ultimately boils down to all the little expenses that have to be paid out on your way to court or arbitration.

Expert witnesses cost money to hire and track down. Legal assistants and paralegals need to be paid. And depending on the details of your case, there are also filing fees and standard costs. 

But at the same time, it could take months or years for your claim to be resolved. So who foots the bill in the meantime?

Well, different law firms will take different approaches. Some will pay the upfront costs, while others will send you a bill before taking their contingency fees. 

The last thing you want is to believe you’ve hired a car accident lawyer on a contingency basis, only to get an invoice at the end of the month. Talk about awkward! When you’re going through your shortlist of law firms, you’ll want to make a point of finding out who’s responsible for your upfront costs.

Find Amazing Motor Accident Lawyers in Record Time

If you’ve been involved in a motor accident recently, you might be entitled to compensation. And even if that’s not you and you’re more worried about mitigating the fallout that comes with being at fault in an accident, you’re still better off having a lawyer if you can help it.

Motor accident lawyers will know how to assess your case while maximizing your payout. Don’t wait until the last minute to find legal representation. Get on the phone and look for legal counsel ASAP.

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