Finding a good car accident lawyer starts by asking the right questions. A car accident attorney can help you claim damages after an auto crash. If you are planning to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you get compensation from your insurance company over a car accident, I have compiled a list of what to ask a car accident lawyer.
Car accidents happen frequently in the United States and other countries around the world. In statistics published by Kara McGinley & Stephanie Nieves, it is reported that “in 2019, there were 33,244 fatal car accidents across the United States. There were about 3,316 fatal crashes and 3,606 deaths reported in California alone.
If you have been injured in a car accident and you’re in need of legal assistance for compensation for the injuries you sustained, contacting a car accident lawyer near you is the best alternative. But hiring a lawyer to assist you in legal matters is not too difficult nor too easy to do.
You will be confronted with a lot of questions like; how do I find a good car accident lawyer? How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer in the United States, especially in California? Do you need a lawyer for a personal injury or auto accident claim? And other related questions.
In this post, I shall share some important questions you should ask a car accident lawyer to enable you to hire the best attorney to help you claim damages or get compensation for your injury. As you go in search of an auto accident lawyer near you, here are a few things you should ask your prospective vehicle accident lawyer.
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Who is a car accident lawyer?
A car accident lawyer is a lawyer who specializes in helping victims of car accidents to get compensation for their accidents through personal injury claims.
What does a car accident lawyer do?
In other to claim damages for your accident, a car accident lawyer helps you through the instrumentality of the law to get the due compensation you deserve from your insurance company. These car accident attorneys represent their clients in court, especially when they are unable to get compensation from their car insurance company, on their own.
Speak with a car accident attorney today at 14242105719 or you can use the button below to explain your case to an auto crash lawyer near you.
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Related: How to brief a lawyer about your case
Is it good to hire a lawyer for a car accident?
There is no risk in hiring a lawyer for a car accident. One of the reasons you should get an auto accident attorney is that it saves you a lot of stress and increases your chances of obtaining compensation from your insurance company.
What to ask a car accident lawyer
Here are relevant questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident.
1. What is the nature of my case?
Before you even think of suing your car insurance company, ask your prospective auto accident lawyer if you have a case. Most times, you may be thinking you deserve to be compensated when an accident occurs, especially when you are on insurance, without knowing you don’t have a case if the matter is moved to court. So, before you even ask your prospective lawyer about their professional fees, ask them if this case is worth your time, effort, and resources. That is where legal advice or consultation comes in. Some law firms in the United States offer a free consultations. So, look out for lawyers that offer a free consultations if you don’t have money to pay for consultations.
Related: Why you should get a lawyer after a car accident
2. How do I pay for your services?
Some lawyers do ‘If I win you pay, if I don’t, you go.’ While some will require you to pay them hourly. You need to ask your prospective car accident attorney this question to know his own procedures. Never joke with a lawyer’s professional fee. He can frustrate you by making you lose the compensation you have acquired as the cause of your injury. So, even if you forget every other thing, do not forget this question. It is very crucial.
3. Are there miscellaneous fees I need to pay in court?
Most clients think that a lawyer’s professional fee consists of every other expenditure they are to make in court. But it doesn’t work that way. Your lawyer needs to file some documents in court. Do you expect him to do that with his own money? Except if the professional fee, you are paying consists of other miscellaneous expenses. So, do not forget to ask your car accident lawyer this prominent question.
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4. Is there a statute of limitations in my case?
In some jurisdictions, you have a time limit to file your case in court. And you will not know if you fail to ask your attorney. In accordance with the California Civil Procedure, Code 335.1, you have two (2) years to file a negligence lawsuit. Likewise in Texas. Ask your prospective car accident attorney near you to discover the statute of limitations in your jurisdiction.
5. How long will my case take?
Some cases take time to settle in court. You should ask your lawyer in order to gain insight into how long you should wait before the matter is finally resolved. Your case can last for some months, a year, or even more than that. Most times, an aggrieved partner may decide to appeal after the judge or jury has given his verdict. And this can result in another extra month or even a year before everything is over.
6. Have you done this type of case before?
When considering questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident, this one will tell you whether your prospective attorney can successfully handle your matter or not. When hiring a lawyer for any type of case, consider asking him if he has done such a case before. Lawyers are not ‘jerks of all trade, masters of none.’ Every lawyer has an area of specialization. It can be in criminal matters or civil litigations. When it comes to civil litigations, it can be family law, torts, etc. So, ask your prospective auto accident lawyer to know if he has an experience in personal injury lawsuits.
7. Are there information I need to provide?
If your case is moving to court, you need your medical report and even the photographs of the scene where the accident occurred. Your accident lawyer will be in a better position to tell you more. So, don’t forget to ask this important question. Although, whether you ask it or not, your attorney will tell you. But the essence of asking it is to get prepared on time.
8. What will be my compensation in this type of case?
To be frank, it is only your attorney that knows the nature of your case and your due compensation. If your compensation is both monetary and medical treatment expenses, your lawyer will be the person to tell you. But how will you know if you fail to ask this relevant question?
9. What should I tell my insurance company?
The essence of hiring an accident lawyer is to obtain legal advice or services from him. This question is important because your car insurance company might ask you some questions you need not answer. So, you need to be properly guided by your attorney.
10. Will you personally handle my case or otherwise?
In order to not feel disappointed when your attorney sends another lawyer to represent him in court for your case, you should ask him if he will personally handle the case. If he’s sending another person, will you have to pay an extra fee to the new attorney? All these are what to ask a car accident lawyer in order to enable you to hire the best for your personal injury case.
Speak with a car accident lawyer today @ 14242105719 Or you can use the button below to find a car accident lawyer near you.
Find a lawyer near you
Comments (1)
Afton Jacksonsays:
March 2, 2023 at 5:43 amAsking if a lawyer has done that type of case before really does sound important. They should have an idea of how to approach the case in order to make it a lot easier for both sides since they’ll be able to apply what they’ve learned from previous cases. I’ll make sure we hire an injury lawyer like that if ever we find ourselves in that situation.