Table of Contents
After an accident, it can be difficult to know what to do next. You may want to take precautionary measures to protect your legal rights. Hiring an accident lawyer near you at the outset of your accident can help. An experienced lawyer can help you protect your rights throughout your case. They can also help you identify parties who may be liable and seek compensation for your injuries.
This raises an important question: how can you identify a suitable lawyer for your specific circumstances? For example, letโs say you live in a saturated market like Los Angeles. It can be more complicated than simply searching the internet for โtop-rated accident lawyers near me in LA.โ Learn more about how you can go about finding a skilled lawyer who can help with your particular accident injury case.
How To Find Accident Lawyers Near You
The first step to finding your accident lawyer is to make a list of potential candidates. You want to have several lawyers to choose from so you can see the closest one to you who can handle your case. You can start by searching the internet for accident lawyers in your area. There will be many options.
The State Bar of California has licensed more than 266,000 attorneys to practice law in our state, and about 190,000 of these lawyers are currently practicing law. Personal injury is also a popular practice area. This fact means that you will likely have many options to choose from for accident lawyers in your area.
Start By Putting Together A List Of Accident Lawyers In Your Area
Try to find lawyers who mention your particular type of accident on their website. A motorcycle accident, for example, presents different legal issues than an Uber accident or a truck accident.
Good Places To Start Your Search
You can work with a lawyer who has experience handling your specific type of accident. Once you have a pool of many local candidates, you can begin to investigate their ratings. Try searching for an injury law firm with positive reviews on Google.
The Better Business Bureau Can Be Your Source
The BBB is a nonprofit corporation that uses a system to assign rankings to businesses and charities. They may serve as a good resource if youโre searching for a lawyer.
How To Find Californiaโs Experienced Lawyers
You may want to work with a skilled lawyer whoโs produced positive results in the past. However, how do you find a lawyerโs ratings? The first step is to check out the lawyerโs history with the State Bar of California. Every lawyer in California must gain admission to the State Bar to practice law.
The Bar maintains a public database of all attorneys. This website provides information on when the lawyer was admitted to the Bar, whether they have faced any disciplinary actions from the Bar, and whether they are currently in good standing to practice law in the State of California.
Some attorneys also register with local bar associations. Doing so is voluntary, so you might not find a particular attorney listed with your local bar association. If they are listed, additional information may be available to help you make your decision. Several websites allow clients to rate their attorneys. Reviewing these sites can be a helpful way to glean insights from other clients about an attorneyโs work.
However, there are likely to be a few customers who are less than pleased with their experiences, like any online rating website. A single bad review doesnโt necessarily mean that an attorney is ineffective. Look for consistent feedback patterns and consider the overall context to gain a deeper understanding.
If a series of clients all say that a lawyer didnโt return their calls, was not a good negotiator, or had other specific problems, that may be a factor you should consider carefully. If youโre considering our California law firm, you can search for our ratings from a wide variety of clients.
Questions To Ask When You Are Interviewing An Accident Lawyer
Once you have compiled a list of skilled car accident lawyers in your area, it is time to set up appointments to meet with them in person. Many local accident lawyers offer free initial consultations. When you meet with a lawyer, you may get a sense of their personality and determine whether it will be a good fit to work with them.
Remember: You are establishing a professional relationship. Hiring someone you can work with may be helpful. You may also need to assess whether a lawyer can handle your particular case, so it is important to ask specific questions. Here are some key areas in which to ask questions when you are interviewing an accident lawyer:
Background And Experience
The Bar website can give you basic information about when an attorney graduated from law school and obtained admission to the Bar. However, this does not reveal the extent of their experience or the type of work they have undertaken during their time practicing law. You may ask a lawyer questions such as the following:
- How long have they been practicing law?
- What areas of law have they practiced?
- What types of cases have they handled?
- How many cases similar to yours have they handled?
- Did these cases settle or go to trial?
The more similar an attorneyโs experience is to your particular accident, the better fit they will be for your case. Factors to consider include:
- Type of accident in which you suffered injuries.
- Types of injuries you have suffered.
- The type of defendant who may be liable for your injuries.
Cost Arrangements
Carefully review all the details of your fee arrangement before hiring an accident attorney. The amount of attorneyโs fees and case costs you pay can drastically affect the amount of money that ultimately ends up in your pocket. Do not hesitate to ask questions to clarify how all these fees and costs will affect your bottom line.
Personal injury lawyers often work on a contingency fee basis. This arrangement means that you do not pay attorneysโ fees upfront. Instead, you agree to pay the attorney a set percentage of the amount that they can recover through a settlement or lawsuit, in addition to any costs that the attorney must advance for your case. Costs typically include fees for obtaining police reports, medical records, and other administrative expenses, which will be charged separately regardless of the outcome.
If your attorney files a lawsuit on your behalf, the amount of work that must be done on your case increases significantly. This fact is why many accident lawyers require you to pay a higher percentage for attorneyโs fees if they end up filing a lawsuit. Ask your attorney to clarify what percentage applies to your case. Additionally, ask them to specify the expenses for which you may be responsible.
Expectations Specifically Pertaining To Your Case
To determine whether a lawyer will be a good fit for you, ask about their expectations for your case. Here are some questions that will give you a sense of how the lawyer intends to handle your case:
- How long do you think it will take to resolve my case?
- How much do you think my case is worth?
- What defendants (or insurance policies) do you intend to pursue?
- What will your case strategy be if the insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer?
- Have you handled cases similar to mine before?
- How long did it take to settle?
- Do you think my case will proceed similarly?
- Will it take longer or be worth less?
- Do you see any legal challenges to proving my case?
As you ask questions like this, you may get a sense of what the attorney intends to do with your case. Consider the following:
- Does the lawyer appear comfortable with a case like yours?
- Does the attorney have answers to your questions
- Do they seem to be struggling for answers?
- Do they have a strategy in mind?
Simply asking about the attorneyโs expectations for your case can give you a good sense of whether they are qualified to handle it.
Contact Our Full-Service Personal Injury Firm
Finding a suitable accident lawyer for your specific circumstances can help you protect your legal rights. You may be searching online for โtop-rated car accident lawyers near me.โ While we would rather not presume to be the best, our team of experienced car accident lawyers at Arash Law has decades of experience helping accident victims like you.
We can conduct a thorough investigation, build a case that reflects your losses, negotiate with insurers, and represent your interests in court, if necessary. Our team can guide you throughout your case.
We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, Sherman Oaks, and throughout California. Our lawyers have supported accident victims across California in protecting their legal rights, and we aim to do the same for you, too. Call (888) 488-1391 or complete our โDo I Have A Case?โ form to schedule your free initial consultation.
Consulting our lawyers after an accident can give our experienced accident lawyers ample time to prepare your case and file paperwork within applicable deadlines. We can handle the legal aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on healing from your injuries.
