What Should You Consider When Obtaining an Attorney for an Auto Accident Claim

If you’ve been hurt in an auto accident, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You may be dealing with missing work, difficulties engaging in normal housekeeping and recreational activities, mounting medical bills, and recovering from serious injuries. Finding the right lawyer to pursue your injury claims can feel like yet another burden. Knowing what to look for can help lighten the load. Below, we offer a few tips & tricks for evaluating which attorney is right for your case. Call a qualified and professional Lancaster car accident lawyer if you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident in the Antelope Valley.

Specialization

When you hire a lawyer for your auto accident claims, it is important to pick an attorney with a proven track record in auto accidents. You do not want to hire a lawyer who simply dabbles in all areas of the law. It’s important to have someone on your team who understands all of the legal and factual nuances of auto accident lawsuits, who knows the traps and the tricks executed by insurance companies, and who knows all the relevant players–courts, defense lawyers, expert witnesses, etc. A jack of all trades is an ace of none, and the same principle applies in the legal field: For your personal injury case, get a personal injury lawyer who knows how to handle car crash cases.

Trial Experience

Most cases will settle long before trial, but there is always the chance that a case will go the whole way. In case you do wind up at trial, you want to make sure you have an attorney on your side who is ready and able to take your case as far as it needs to go. Find a lawyer with proven, tested experience in past trials. Make sure they have the requisite time, staffing, and resources to fully prepare and execute the best trial strategy for your case. If your attorney looks green around the gills, the insurance company or at-fault driver’s defense lawyers may see an opportunity to keep pushing back with lowball settlement offers, knowing that your team is not actually prepared to take your case all the way.

Reputation

The best way to find out if an attorney is worth their salt is to see what other clients and peers say about them. Look for reviews online from former clients and other attorneys. If you have a personal reference from a friend or family member, the selection process is even easier. You may even want to reach out to a former client via email to ask about their experience with a given attorney. You have the right to excellent service and professional results.

Personal Fit

All other things being equal, you should hire an attorney who feels right for you. If you have a few options for attorneys that are appropriately qualified and experienced, it is helpful to schedule calls or appointments to meet them face-to-face. Find out about their communication habits and whether those are in line with your preferences (Do they prefer emails or calls? Do they give regular updates to clients or only when something significant happens in the case?). You may be working with this attorney for several months, so it is important to hire someone you can tolerate.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a negligent driver in California, talk to a seasoned and trial-ready Lancaster traffic accident attorney about pursuing a claim for damages by calling the Kistler Law Firm at 661-206-6990.