7 Tips to Help You Find the Best Car Accident Injury Lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama
Are you looking to hire a personal injury lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama? If so, read on to learn how to find the best personal injury lawyer.
How safe are you while driving?
The question may have crossed your mind a few times. However, if you were injured in a car accident, you know all too well the answer to that question. Statistics show that 6.3 million accidents, injuries, or fatalities happened in the United States in 2015. Unfortunately, car accidents are still a major concern today. At some point, as a survivor of a car accident, you may need a personal injury lawyer. However, deciding who to hire can be a challenge. Naturally, you will want the best personal injury lawyer you can get. Here are some tips for identifying the best lawyer for your case.
1. Ask If Your Attorney Is A Member Of Trial Groups Or Professional Legal Bodies
Lawyers that collaborate with others are always on top of their game because they know the importance of learning from others. Insurers are not averse to using tricks and schemes to make you as the claimant look bad in order to avoid having to pay out any money.
An attorney that collaborates and keeps abreast of new happenings in the field will be well aware of all the latest tactics. This means that you are more likely to win your case.
2. How Well Is Your Lawyer Doing?
You need to pay attention to how well your lawyer is doing financially. This is not because you want to be judgemental or materialistic but because you want to make sure that your lawyer has the necessary resources to take on your case.
Remember if you need to take your case to trial level, then a lot of resources will be needed. Your attorney will need to bring in a lot of experts. Here is a short list of the people who might become necessary:
- Accident Reconstructionists
- Biomechanic Experts
- Lifecare Planners
- Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists
All of these professionals may not be necessary, but some of them may be. You need to ensure that any attorney you hire has the resources to pull off this kind of in-depth investigation.
3. Can Your Attorney Brag About Past Work?
Nobody likes a showoff, but when it comes to hiring a lawyer, make sure yours can show off. Find out about cases like yours your potential lawyer has handled.
Do not be afraid to ask if you can speak to past clients. Your attorney should have testimonials about their success. If you find an attorney that is hesitant to talk to you about past successes, it is a huge red flag that you should move on.
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4. Is Your Attorney In It To Win It?
How far is your attorney willing to go? While settling is sometimes the best option, this is not always the case. Sometimes, you need to go to court.
Your attorney must be one who is willing to take it to the next level if necessary. Your attorney should also refrain from taking legal fees from you until after you have settled. This is called working on “contingency” and means they get paid when you do.
Your attorney should be willing to offer a free consultation, in the beginning, to evaluate your case. An evaluation is necessary to see if it is possible for you to win your case.
5. Check Out Your Attorney’s Online Presence
Before you even hire an attorney, you can learn a lot about them by checking out their website and their general online presence. In this way, you will know exactly what you are getting into.
Check for success stories and testimonials on their website. Take a look at what people are saying about them on social media.
Facebook is especially useful since you will often find ratings there. Read through what people have to say about your potential attorney.
If you do see negative reviews, then you should look at them objectively. The fact is that some people are hard to please and no one is perfect. If the majority of the reviews are positive then you have a winner.
6. Be Organized In Order To Find The Best Personal Injury Lawyer
You can find the best attorney in the world but if you are not organized with the information you bring to them, this can cause problems. Here is a rundown of the things you need to prepare before your initial consultation.
Everything is important. Don’t waste your time trying to discern what is important and what is not. That is the job of your lawyer.
Here is a short list of the things you should have on hand when you visit your potential lawyer’s office:
- Accident Reports
- Paperwork for your car
- Pay stubs
- Receipts
- Prescriptions
- Medical equipment
- Emails related to your injury
- Doctor’s Reports
The more you bring the better you can assess how your potential lawyer will handle the situation.
7. Review Your Retainer
When you have finally decided on the lawyer you want. The next step will be to get your lawyer on retainer.
A retainer should clearly outline the terms of service and the conditions under which you will pay your attorney. Your retainer should outline the percentage of your settlement that your lawyer will get.
It should also state how far your lawyer is willing to go to settle the case. Not all cases can be settled outside of court — your retainer should clearly state whether trials and appeal cases will be handled by your attorney.
The rules of termination of service should also be clearly identified in case you want to switch attorneys.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best personal injury lawyer can be challenging. However, if you take the time to examine your potential lawyer’s work ethic, their qualifications, and their reviews, you will be able to find a good attorney.
Always take the time to find out what your car accident lawyer has to offer and always be careful about paying too many up-front fees. Your lawyer should get the biggest portion of their money when you win the case, not before.
If you would like to consult with a personal injury lawyer then please contact us by calling (205) 324-1212. We are always willing to help you to get the best settlement possible on your personal injury case.
