How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer Near Me

You can find the best car accident lawyer near you by researching online and asking loved ones for recommendations. The internet may be the most useful resource for finding an attorney, as you can evaluate several different firms serving your area.

If a friend or family member raves about a law firm they have used, this can be useful information. However, many car accident victims do not know anyone with a usable recommendation. Once again, turning to the internet can be the right course of action to find your car accident lawyer.

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What to Consider as You Evaluate Car Accident Attorneys

As you review the law firms that emerge during your internet search, evaluate them by:

Their Reputations

A law firm’s reputation among former clients is arguably the most important criterion you can consider. Rather than relying solely on the testimonials a law firm publishes on its site, seek a more even-handed review forum like Google Reviews.

You can rely on client reviews to determine:

• Whether the law firm has a primarily positive or negative reputation among former clients
• Common complaints former clients voice—for example, if several former clients claim that they had trouble contacting their lawyer, you can reasonably assume that the law firm’s communication may be lacking
• Common compliments from former clients—for example, you should take note if many clients rave about the financial recovery the law firm obtained for them

Reviews are one of many data points to consider when evaluating one car accident lawyer (or law firm) against the next.

Their Case Results

The average cost of a car accident that causes disabling injuries is hundreds of thousands of dollars. This figure does not even account for pain and suffering or other non-economic damages. You must be confident that your law firm can secure large financial recoveries. By reviewing a firm’s case results, you may determine if:

• The law firm has secured large financial recoveries.
• The law firm has succeeded in car accident cases.
• The law firm has obtained judgments (rather than settlements), which indicates your lawyer will take your case to trial if necessary.
• The law firm has a relatively long track record of securing money for clients, as this may indicate the lawyers’ experience.

A law firm’s case results are not the only criteria to consider, but they should certainly be an important factor in your choice of a law firm.

Their Size 

Law firms vary in size. While a large firm can provide excellent client service and a small firm may have the resources to handle a complex case, you may have a preference for which size firm you want to hire.

When you speak with a firm’s representatives, feel free to ask about its assurances about personalized client service and the resources it’s willing to invest in your case. No matter a firm’s size, you and your case should receive complete financial support and frequent attention.

Their Fee Structures

Most car accident lawyers use contingency fees, which mean:

• The client pays no upfront fee or compensation to the firm
• The law firm covers all case-related costs
• The law firm only receives a fee if it gets a settlement or verdict for the client

Though it’s relatively safe to assume a car accident lawyer uses a contingency fee, you should confirm this when you speak with a firm’s representatives.

The Free Consultations

Free consultations are standard among car accident lawyers. You can use your no-cost discussion with a law firm to:

• Ask about any information the law firm does not publish on its site
• Ask the firm’s representative why the law firm is worthy of leading your case
• Allow the firm’s representatives to explain how they will assist you
• Gauge the degree of compassion and respect the firm will (or won’t) provide when leading your case

Your experience during a consultation, whether good or bad, is another point to consider as you search for a car accident lawyer.

Consider the Human Element When Seeking a Car Accident Lawyer

There are several objective criteria you’ll weigh when looking for an attorney, such as case results and the firm’s number of attorneys. You should also consider less objective criteria, such as:

• Whether you feel the firm’s representative provides patient, compassionate service during your consultation
• Whether you find the firm’s messaging to be authentic
• Whether former clients are largely grateful or disappointed in the law firm

You should trust your instincts when it comes time to pick your car accident lawyer. If a law firm has tangible accomplishments and strikes the right tone in the way it treats you, that may be the firm to lead your car accident case.

You Should Demand Comprehensive Services from Your Lawyer

A law firm will lead your entire case. You should not hesitate to ask a law firm exactly what it will do for you, as the firm should be ready to:

Establish Liability for Your Car Accident

Your lawyer must determine who is financially responsible for the cost of your accident, and liable parties may include:

• Another motorist, as alcohol consumption, drug consumption, distracted driving, and other dangerous acts by motorists cause a large percentage of accidents
• A motor vehicle manufacturer or seller responsible for defects
• A municipality that allowed or caused dangerous road conditions
• A pedestrian whose actions contributed to a collision

Insurance companies often have financial responsibility after an accident, but you may also sue parties who directly contributed to the accident. Your lawyer will identify all liable parties and explain your options for holding those parties accountable for negligence.

Secure All Available Evidence of Negligence

Attorneys investigate their clients’ collisions and secure all relevant evidence, which can include:

• Video footage
• Eyewitness accounts
• A police report detailing facts about the accident
• Photographs of the accident scene, damage to vehicles, and other scenes that are relevant to the client’s case
• The words of those involved in the accident, such as a motorist who admitted to their own negligent acts (like running a red light)

Lawyers must begin their investigation as quickly as possible, as evidence is not always available for long. The sooner you hire your lawyer, the more evidence they may gather.

Document the Damages Resulting from Your Car Accident

Attorneys must prove the exact ways in which the accident harmed their client, and documentation of damages may include:

• Medical records detailing the injuries that can result from an auto accident
• Employment records that help prove the client’s professional damages, including lost income
• Medical bills for accident-related healthcare services
• Invoices for vehicle repairs
• Bills for temporary transportation

Your attorney may also secure records from doctors and medical experts, who may provide diagnoses of accident-related medical conditions and mental health problems.

Identify the Value of a Fair Settlement

Every car accident lawyer must determine the exact monetary cost of the client’s damages. The nature of your injuries and symptoms, the extent of property damage, and other accident-specific factors will determine the value of your case.

Represent You in Settlement Negotiations

Car accident lawyers most often secure settlements for clients. However, a settlement is never a given, and your car accident attorney will:

• Prepare a detailed plan for settlement negotiations
• Be ready for any counterarguments they may face from liable parties
• Prepare all evidence and documentation in advance of negotiations
• Complete multiple negotiating sessions if necessary
• Insist that liable parties offer the entire settlement you deserve

Negotiations can be difficult, as liable parties often seek to pay a car accident victim as little as possible. If you hire an experienced lawyer, they will be prepared for even the most challenging settlement negotiations.

Complete a Trial

If settlement negotiations do not produce the settlement you deserve, your lawyer will have another option: Go to trial. Trials usually take longer than settlement negotiations, so settlement negotiations come first. However, if necessary, your lawyer will:

• Draft and file a lawsuit
• Engage in a final round of settlement negotiations
• Complete the pre-trial process
• Present evidence
• Question and cross-examine witnesses
• Complete every other step in the trial process

Many car accident lawyers have won many large verdicts after completing trials. While trial comes with risk and financial costs, an experienced attorney will not be daunted when trial time arrives.

Handle Every Other Detail of Your Case

Insurance claims and car accident lawsuits require lots of time, attention, and effort. There are responsibilities every lawyer knows they’ll face (like gathering evidence), and there are countless unforeseeable challenges.

When you hire a car accident lawyer, you know they’re handling every detail of your case. This knowledge may reduce your stress levels and allow you to prioritize your health.

A Car Accident Attorney Will Seek Money for All of Your Accident-Related Damages

A lawyer’s goal is that you won’t have to pay a cent out of your own pocket for accident-related damages. Therefore, your lawyer must be intimately familiar with what those damages are, as they may include:

Pain and Suffering

As you may know, a car accident can cause significant harm that ranges beyond dollar signs. One significant type of non-economic harm is pain and suffering, which can include:

• Physical pain stemming from your injuries
• Psychological distress, which can include anxiety and depression
• Lost quality of life
• Emotional anguish
• Lost quality of life
• Sleep loss
• Substance use disorders related to the accident

While these kinds of damages may not have an obvious financial cost, your lawyer will determine a fair financial value for your pain and suffering.

Vehicle Repairs

Your attorney will consult auto repair technicians to determine the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.

Other Property Expenses

You may need more compensation for other property-related damages, which can include:

• Temporary transportation
• Repair or replacement of your phone
• Replacement of clothing that is stained, torn, or otherwise damaged during the accident
• Replacement of any other property damaged during the accident

Your lawyer may have a network of experts they use to value accident-related property costs.

Professional Damages

A car accident can temporarily or permanently prevent a victim from working. In some cases, a car accident victim has to change roles or jobs because their injury symptoms affect their professional abilities.

Some common professional damages among car accident victims include:

• Lost income
• Diminished earning power
• Missed opportunities for performance bonuses and promotions
• Psychological distress resulting from one’s inability to work (and earn their usual income)

If you lose your job or have to retire, you may also lose healthcare coverage and other benefits provided through your employer.

Healthcare Costs

Your lawyer will demand that liable parties cover your medical bills. Those bills may relate to emergency services, surgeries, imaging, specialist care, and any other medical care you receive after the car accident.

If you have any other damages from the accident, your attorney will include them in your case.

When Should I Hire a Car Accident Lawyer After an Accident?

You should hire your car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Once you hire them, your lawyer will:

• Immediately protect you from insurance companies and any other parties with a motivation to withhold compensation from you
• Gather evidence as soon as possible
• Develop a specific strategy for your case
• Fight for the financial recovery you are entitled to

Once your case is in your lawyer’s hands, you can focus on your path to recovery.

Find and Hire Your Car Accident Lawyer Today

Your car accident lawyer will likely face a deadline for filing your case, so hire a skilled personal injury attorney and let them go to work as soon as possible. Never wait to protect your future.

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