How to Choose a Car Accident Lawyer
After a serious car crash, you have a lot on your plate to deal with. Reporting the crash to the DMV and finding a lawyer to help you with your injury claim are high on the list, but they can get lost amid the chaos and confusion of juggling doctor and hospital visits, reviewing and paying bills, figuring out insurance paperwork, making and receiving phone calls, and the general upheaval to your life and family that comes with being laid low by a car accident injury, missing days of work at your job, and likely being left without transportation.
Report A Crash can help you with the required DMV crash reporting as well as connect you with a car accident lawyer in your area who is ready and willing to take your case. While we strive to take the guesswork and complications out of hiring a lawyer for you, it is perfectly reasonable to want to do your own homework as well before making the decision about who is the right attorney in your particular case. Below we offer some tips to consider when it comes to choosing a car accident lawyer.
Are they a personal injury lawyer?
It might seem obvious, but the first thing to consider when choosing a lawyer to handle your car accident claim is whether or not they routinely handle personal injury cases. Any lawyer licensed to practice law in the state of New York is legally able to take your case, regardless of whether they have ever handled a car accident claim before or not. Ethically, however, lawyers are obliged to only take cases in areas they feel competent to handle. Some attorneys maintain a “general law practice” and feel competent to take on most matters, including car accidents. This may be the case, but when you have a serious accident claim, how much do you want a lawyer who is generally competent in other areas but who is using your case to “learn on the job” about personal injury matters?
Question number one when searching for a lawyer should be whether they have a good deal of experience with personal injury law.
Do they have experience with your type of case?
Personal injury law is a large field of practice. It includes motor vehicle accidents as well as slip and fall claims, dog bites, defective product injuries, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and more. Even the types of motor vehicle accidents are virtually endless – there are car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian and e-scooter accidents; front-end crashes, rear-end collisions, sideswipes and T-bone accidents, rollovers, and more; accidents involving Uber or Lyft drivers or taxicabs; and accidents causing brain injury, spine injury, soft tissue sprains and strains, burns, amputations, fractures, or wrongful death. The more you find a lawyer who has handled your type of case and your type of injury before, with successful results, the more likely you will be to get results you are happy with in your case.
Do they have trial experience?
It’s a fact that the vast majority of car accident claims settle without going to court for a jury trial. But even if the case never makes it to trial, it might still be necessary to file a lawsuit and work the case as though it might go to trial. When the insurance company is worried about facing a jury against an experienced and successful trial lawyer with the law and facts on the plaintiff’s side, they are more likely to settle for a fair amount rather than risk a trial. Having a lawyer who has gone to trial and won can help you in settlement negotiations, as well as give you a leg up should your case be one of the few that does in fact need to go to trial and jury verdict.
What Is Their Record?
Aside from trial experience, what kinds of results have they achieved in car accidents or other personal injury cases? What kinds of settlements and victories have they won? Keep in mind that some settlements are confidential, and the lawyer might not be at liberty to disclose the amount of an award or other details about a case.
What Are They Like?
Results are important, but so is the overall experience you’ll have working with a lawyer. Google Reviews are a great place to start; many times people will describe the experience they had working with a lawyer, which can tell you a lot about what your experience might be like. Of course, some people are never satisfied, so there might be a negative review or two that can’t be helped, but the vast majority of online reviews should be positive. Otherwise, this might not be the lawyer you want to work with.
The lawyer’s website can also give you abundant information about what they are like to work with. Many lawyers publish case results and testimonials from former clients on their websites, along with awards or achievements they have earned from legal organizations. You should also be able to tell whether they practice in your area of concern, and a good attorney website can be a great place to get some of your basic questions answered.
If they look good on paper, consider meeting with the lawyer in person before hiring them. If you are able, a visit to their office can give you an introduction to the attorney and staff members who will be working on your case. Your case can also likely be handled virtually for the most part, so a physical meeting isn’t necessarily required. Everyone works differently and there is no one right way to approach a case or the lawyer-client relationship. Some clients like working with a big firm while others prefer a more personal and intimate setting. What you want is to find a lawyer you are comfortable with. You want to feel free to talk to them and know that your matter is being handled ably and professionally. If you are the type who wants a “hands-on” lawyer, be sure and ask them about their policy for answering calls and emails; some attorneys will give you their cell phone number and encourage you to call any time, while others might have a policy about returning calls within 24 or 48 hours. Going through these steps will help you find a lawyer who is right for you.
Let Report A Crash Find a Lawyer for You
The Lawyers featured on Report A Crash are here because they handle car accidents in New York either exclusively or as a major part of their law practice. Our website is designed to make DMV crash reporting as simple and fast as possible, and we also try to streamline the process for you of finding an attorney you can trust to get you the results you need and deserve. Click here to be put in touch with a local lawyer who can answer your questions, advise and assist you in getting compensation for your injuries after a serious New York car accident.
