If you are in a car accident, you need a car accident attorney. Also described as a personal injury lawyer, it is someone who can help you make your way through the different legal processes that are so often the result of an accident. Naturally, not all are the same, and you may want to understand a few key tips before choosing an attorney to represent you after any sort of car accident.
Top Tips
- Be sure they specialize – After an accident, you shouldn’t look for a friend of a friend who has a law degree. It is never a good idea to have an estate lawyer represent you in a personal injury case. There are some exceptions, but for the most part, you’ll fare far better if you select a lawyer who handles personal injury as their main focus.
- Ask if they’ll go the whole way – It is not unusual to find that some attorneys would prefer to avoid court and focus on negotiation. That can lead to you settling for much less than you should, and never setting foot inside of a courtroom. Plainly ask the attorney you are meeting if they are willing to go to trial if necessary and be sure that insurance companies know whether or not that attorney has a history of avoiding court.
- Ask about settlements – If you know that your case is substantial, you must be sure that your car accident attorney is going to be able to get you what you need and want. For example, do they have a history of high settlements? It is acceptable to ask them if they have any history of settlements at the level you anticipate for your accident.
- Do they have the resources? – Any attorney that works on their own is unlikely to get you to the end result you desire. They should have some investigators on staff or available. They should be able to get in touch with expert witnesses if needed (doctors, accident reconstruction experts, rehabilitation experts, and so on).
There are so many factors involved in a successful outcome and choosing the right car accident attorney is the first step towards that success. Use these tips to steer you towards the ideal candidate, or just take a shortcut and contact Bracamontes & Vlasak in San Francisco, CA. They are skilled in personal injury and car accident cases and can get you the outcomes desired.