What to Look for in a Car Accident Lawyer

There may be dozens to hundreds of potential attorneys who might be the right car accident lawyer for you, but it’s essential that you judge each attorney and law firm based on a few very important merits before deciding on which car accident lawyer to take your case.

Today, we’ve put together these essential merits in eight important things to look for in a car accident lawyer. If your attorney meets all of the following requirements, you know that they are the right choice to take care of you and your car accident case over the next few months.

Experience in Car Accident Injury Cases

First and foremost, you must have an auto accident attorney who is experienced in the field. Car accident cases are unique because they involve a complex interaction between traffic laws and insurance policies. Your lawyer must not only be informed but have a deep experiential understanding of how the elements in an auto accident case usually play out and how to deal with each hiccup along the way.

Car accident injury cases are no small matter, no matter how common accidents and injuries may be. Ensure that every auto accident lawyer you consider has significant experience and success in car accident cases. Ask about their previous cases and their previous wins. Get a sense of how many car accident cases each attorney has handled and whether they were similar to your current case.

Deep Understanding of How Insurance Companies Work

Your attorney also needs to understand insurance companies. In auto accident cases, usually, the insurance company is your ultimate opponent. The insurance business model is built on paying out as infrequently and in as small amounts as possible and they will try every strategy in the book to reduce your settlement. It’s just how they play ball.

This means your attorney needs to be a pro “ball” player as well. They need to know the traps that insurance companies lay, the ploys they try, and the fair amount you deserve that the insurance company will guarantee by try to underbid. By understanding insurance companies and their ways, your lawyer will always know what’s around the corner and anticipate each roadblock the insurance companies try to throw.

Detailed Advice on How to Protect Yourself & Gather Evidence

A good car accident attorney will also be ready to give you detailed advice on how to protect yourself. Insurance cases tend to be vicious and full of opportunities to make a mistake. Your lawyer should be telling you useful, self-protecting advice like how to avoid insurance company traps and how to gather evidence of your accident and injury that will be persuasive and legally admissible in your case.

Your lawyer should tell you not to see the insurance company provided doctors. They should tell you when to take photos, and of what. They should guide you in building a folder or collective document that contains all your medical records and information from the accident site. These things are all essential to a successful car accident case but you don’t know them automatically. Helping you with these precautions is a vital part of the attorney-client relationship.

Guidance on How to Get Immediate Care

Then there is the concern with immediate care. Before you win a settlement, you still need to get care for your car accident injuries.  From whiplash to permanent disability, your lawyer should have advice that will guide you to seek the immediate care you need. While getting immediate care, a good car accident lawyer will tell you what paperwork to ask for, what documents to keep, and how to get a genuine testimony of your injuries from your current doctor. These expenses will be wrapped up in your settlement demand and the reports will strengthen your auto accident case.

Easily Understands Your Perspective and Explanations

Moving away from case experience, there are a few other essential qualities to a good car accident attorney. The first is that you understand each other when you talk. You need to choose someone who makes sense when they explain things to you, like what to do next, and how the elements of your situation contribute to the case.

At the same time, they also need to understand when you explain things. When you give your account of the accident or talk about your medical needs, your attorney must be someone who understands the first time and knows the right follow-up questions to ask. Choose an attorney who you can communicate with easily. Choose someone who you understand the first time and who understands you the first time.

Builds a Positive Rapport Working with You

When choosing between the available auto accident attorneys, rapport also matters. You need a lawyer that makes you feel at ease, not like you just entered the principle’s office. You need someone with the right balance of formality and friendliness. You need to be comfortable coming into their office, talking on the phone, and exchanging emails. You need to feel good about sharing some highly personal details about your situation or current medical condition. The elements that make this kind of confidence in a person is called rapport, creating a good feeling between two people. Look for an attorney who creates that sense of confidence and friendship right off the bat, this is a good sign that you will work well together over the next few weeks or months.

Helps You Work Around the Needs of Your Injury

A good car accident attorney will also ensure that your injury does not get in the way of your case. We know that many people who have recently been in a car accident are not physically up to the run-around of a personal injury lawsuit. This doesn’t mean the liable party can get away just because you’re laid up in the hospital or at home recovering.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be the one to run the errands or file documents with the court. Your attorney should help you take care of all legal processes procedural, especially if you’re in no condition to do them yourself.

Pushes the Case Forward when You Are Ill or Exhausted

Last but not least, your auto accident lawyer carries the torch when the case gets tough. When you’re exhausted from insurance company hurdles, when your injury is getting the best of you; your lawyer should step in and keep pushing forward. Sometimes, a good car accident attorney is your cheerleader, encouraging you to tackle recovery and keep apprised of your case when you’re fed up with the process. Sometimes, they are your relay-race partner, carrying the case through legal hoops while you wait patiently for your next chance to contribute.

How to Choose Your Car Accident Lawyer

A car accident lawyer is part coach, part confidant, and all attorney when it comes to helping clients follow through with their civil cases and insurance claims. Interview and research local attorneys in your area until you find someone who does give you that strong sense of rapport, has a lot of good information to offer, and who seems ready to fight in your corner even when the going gets tough.

This article was originally published on Joelbieber.com