If you have been injured in a car accident, it’s important to find a lawyer who has the skill and dedication to get you money for your injuries. Look for a law firm with experience, a strong track record, and the resources to build a strong case in your favor.
There are a lot of car accident lawyers to choose from, and just about any lawyer will tell you they’re the best. But lawyers aren’t all the same, and the lawyer you select can make a dramatic difference in the way your claim is handled and the amount of money you receive. It pays to know what to look for in a lawyer and to do your homework before you hire anyone.
What should I look for in a car accident lawyer?
Lawyers love to brag about where they went to law school and how many years they’ve been practicing. But age and a prestigious degree alone don’t make a good car accident lawyer. We recommend that you look for these qualities:
- A law firm that focuses only on car accident and other injury cases. A lawyer who regularly handles car accident claims understands the process, the laws that relate to liability, and the way that insurance companies work. The lawyer will have access to doctors and experts who can help build a strong case in your favor. Your lawyer’s experience with cases like yours can help you recover more money, more quickly than you otherwise would.
- A larger law office that has more resources. At our firm, for example, we are able to take on extremely large and complex cases where it may take many months to recover any money. We can do this because we have the resources to conduct a thorough investigation and hire experts who can reconstruct accidents and estimate the cost of injuries.
- A track record for winning money for clients. A strong personal injury firm will have won money for clients in jury trials, and won’t be afraid to pursue your case in court if that’s what it takes.
- A lawyer who communicates and pays attention to your needs. If your lawyer doesn’t return your phone calls, doesn’t seem to be making progress and constantly refers you to a case manager, you may have picked the wrong law firm. Your lawyer should return your calls, and staff members should be available to answer basic questions and listen to your concerns.
- A lawyer that isn’t overwhelmed with too many cases. Some personal injury firms rely on a high volume of quick settlements to keep themselves profitable. Unfortunately, this often means that their clients don’t get as much money as they should. At our firm, we don’t work that way. Because our firm is large, we are able to give each of our lawyers a smaller caseload to make sure our clients get the personal service they deserve.
- A lawyer specialized in the type of accident you experienced. Car crash cases can take many forms, including rear-end collisions, DUIs, and pedestrian accidents. It is best to go with a legal expert who has experience dealing with your type of case. For example, if you were injured in a head-on collision, contact a head-on car accident attorney for the best results.
What should a car accident lawyer cost me?
Some types of lawyers charge by the hour or on a flat fee basis, but personal injury lawyers don’t typically operate like that. Most of the time, a car accident lawyer will charge you on a “contingency” basis. This means that if your lawyer wins money for you, the lawyer will keep a percentage as a fee. For example, if the insurance company agrees to pay $60,000 and the lawyer charges a standard fee between 33.3% and 40% of your award, the lawyer will take $20,000-$24,000 and the other $36,000-$40,000 will be yours to keep.
Atlanta, Georgia car accident attorneys should explain these fees up front, before you agree to hire a lawyer to represent you. If your lawyer charges a contingency fee, you should never have to pay anything unless your lawyer wins money for you. That means that in the unlikely event that you do not get insurance money or a court verdict, you owe your lawyer nothing.
Talk to an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer for Free
Our law firm is one of the most successful and well respected in the state. We never charge you a penny unless we get you money. Let us give you a FREE consultation to go over your case and help you decide on the next steps. Call us at (404) 341-6555 or fill out the form to the right to get your free consultation today.
